The Wedding People

1. General Impressions

Gather initial thoughts and broad opinions about the book.

• Judging from the title and cover, what did you think the novel was going to be about? What did you think its plot and tone would be? Did it meet or defy your expectations?
• Espach’s other novels, Notes on Your Sudden Disappearance and The Adults, also blend drama and humor in unexpected ways. If you have read either of these novels, how do they compare to The Wedding People? If you have not, has this novel made you interested in Espach’s other work?

2. Personal Reflection and Connection

Encourage readers to connect the book’s themes and characters with their personal experiences.

• This novel deals with Phoebe’s struggle to find her purpose and sense of self. Have you ever felt as if you lost either of these things? What did you do to regain them?
• Phoebe gets swept up in the activities of Lila and her wedding. Have you ever found yourself situated among an unexpected social circle or group of friends? How did this group affect your actions and behaviors in a way that a more familiar group might not have?
• In positive and negative ways, Phoebe feels personally connected to her room in the Cornwall Inn, which is also a reflection of her character. Do you feel connected to any particular room in your home or elsewhere? How is that room a reflection of you?
• This novel blends drama and humor: What moment did you find funniest, and what moment did you find most stressful or dramatic? Why?
• Phoebe’s perception of the world, for better and worse, is often filtered through expectations and idealism given to her by Victorian novels. Do the books you read influence how you perceive the world? In which ways do they influence you?

3. Societal and Cultural Context 

Examine the book’s relevance to societal issues, historical events, or cultural themes.

• What social pressure and expectations does your contemporary society put on the idea of marriage? What does a “traditional” marriage look like, in your society? How does the novel represent a “traditional” marriage and how do various characters approach this idea? 
• The novel takes place in Rhode Island sometime after the year 2020. What characteristics of this geographical and temporal setting affects the characters and plot? How would the novel begin to change if it was set in a historical period, or a different geographical region inside or outside the United States?

4. Literary Analysis 

Dive into the book’s structure, characters, themes, and symbolism.

• How does the novel blend humor with serious topics, like attempting death by suicide? What effect does this combination have on the tone of the novel?
• How do the characters of Phoebe and Lila bond and clash over the course of the novel? How do these types of interactions add to the development of their characters?
• Is it important that the events of the novel are set during a wedding? Would the novel’s tone and plot, and the characters’ development, be the same or different if the novel were set during a different type of large celebration?
• There are many mother-child relationships in this novel: Phoebe and her late mother; Lila’s new identity as a potential stepmother; Lila and her own mother; and Juice and her late mother. What role do mothers and the concept of motherhood play in this novel, as a thematic and character-building force? 

5. Creative Engagement 

Encourage imaginative and creative connections to the book.

• Though the novel ends with the dissolution of Gary and Lila’s wedding, and Phoebe’s decision not to restart a relationship with Matt, in many ways the ending is characterized by the promise of new beginnings: Phoebe’s new dog and new career, and the potential relationship between Phoebe and Gary. Imagine you are writing a sequel: What happens next in Phoebe’s life?
• Lila initially mistakes Phoebe for one of Greg’s family members. If you were Phoebe, would you tell the truth or go along with this mistake? Imagine this decision and its aftermath.
• Lila was given $1 million to make the “perfect” wedding, something she takes very seriously. Imagine you are Lila taking care of the music for your wedding: Do you get a band or a DJ, or some other form of music? What music is in your setlist?

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