How did the book change your assumptions about the time of the Black Plague?

Which aspects of the story relate to our time? Which don’t?

Was there a specific decision made by a character in the book that struck you as particularly admirable or foolish?

Which turning points in the story were under the control of characters? Which were unavoidable?

Of those who escaped the disease itself, how were people in the various classes of Florentine society affected by the plague?

What were Gino’s impressions of Florence when he first arrived in the city and how did they change over time?

What measures did Florentines use to protect themselves from the plague? How do they compare to the steps we took to protect ourselves from Covid?

Florentines were devout Christians who believed in the mythical goddess Fortuna and in witchcraft. How did those beliefs lead to various explanations of the plague? Do we have dual beliefs today?

Does Professor Vianello’s prediction based on planetary conjuctions differ from today’s belief in astrology?

Who cared for the poor in medieval times? How does that differ from our practices today?