We All Live Here: Book Club Questions on Forgiveness and Family
Updated: Aug 6
Age: Adult
Genre: Contemporary
Quick Review of We All Live Here
This adult contemporary family drama has so much to say about forgiveness, ownership for faults, and the ties that bind us to family. I felt all the struggles so deeply, and while I didn’t agree with every decision the characters made, I was rooting for them to succeed the whole way.
Book Club Questions
This book revolves around cheating, which different characters do for different reasons. Why do you think the author included these various scenarios and rationales?
Did you agree with Gene’s choice to lie to Bill about the fling? If you were Bill, would you want to know the truth?
The book digs into the idea of forgiving people who don’t necessarily “deserve” it. Many people have made mistakes: Lila, Francesca, Gene, Gabriel, Dan, and Marja, to name a few. Who do you find the easiest character to forgive? What about the hardest?
Lila’s view of herself as a victim slowly changes as she realizes that she and Dan both had a hand in their marriage failing (though that doesn’t excuse Dan’s choice to cheat). How is this perspective helpful to Lila’s healing and growth? Are there situations in which you’ve seen yourself as a victim but that you’ve had a hand in creating or perpetuating?
For a chunk of the book, Lila isn’t interested in Jensen’s straightforward, down-to-earth personality because she’s intrigued by Gabriel’s mystique and passion. Have you ever found yourself drawn to a romantic interest (or a friend/friend group) even though they weren’t the best choice? What made you realize you should end the relationship?
Gene’s self-absorption never went away, but he did get outside himself to some extent. What helped him change?
What did Gene give Celie that Lila and Bill couldn’t?
Do you know anyone who found love late in life, like Penelope? What do you like about their love story?
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