Beyond providing information about the characters’ backgrounds, how do the flashbacks scattered throughout the novel work to develop the characters and themes? How do the flashbacks contribute to the novel’s structure?

How do Lan’s experiences as an intergalactic refugee mirror the real-life experiences of refugees in our own world? Consider her struggles and strengths as a mother as well.

Ryka Aoki named Douglas Adams as one of her authorial influences. What elements of this novel seem inspired by Adams’s works? How does it differ from his works?