Gather initial thoughts and broad opinions about the book.

1. The novel opens by telling you someone will die, then alternates between the minute-by-minute countdown on the platform and deep dives into the characters’ pasts. How did this structure affect your reading experience? Did you find it built suspense effectively, or was it jarring to jump between timelines?

2. The author was influenced by Lionel Shriver’s We Need to Talk About Kevin, which also explores maternal ambivalence and the “evil child” trope. For those who haven’t, how did you react to the portrayal of a mother’s complicated, sometimes frightening, feelings toward her child? How did this remind you of We Need to Talk About Kevin or another novel you have read?

3. Of the five central characters whose lives converge on the platform, which character’s backstory did you find the most compelling or surprising? What was it about Emma, Liam, Sonny, or Mrs. Worth that stayed with you after you finished the book?

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

1. The train platform is a space where strangers make instant, often incorrect, judgments about each other. Have you ever caught yourself creating a story about a stranger in a public place? How did this book make you think differently about the hidden lives of people you see every day?

2. Liam’s entire sense of self is built around his role as Danny’s protector, a dynamic that becomes controlling. Think about a time you’ve seen or experienced a relationship where someone’s identity was strongly tied to a specific role, like “the helper” or “the responsible one.” How can these roles, even when started with good intentions, shape or limit a relationship?

3. Luna fights tirelessly for Sonny when teachers and institutions label him as “oppositional” or a behavioral problem. Can you recall a time when you had to advocate fiercely for someone you cared about, or when someone did the same for you? What challenges did you or they face when up against a larger system?

4. Emma feels a deep loss of her former high-powered identity after becoming a mother, with her designer shoes becoming a symbol of a life she no longer lives. What are some of the ways that major life changes can alter your sense of who you are? How do we hold on to parts of our old selves while embracing new roles?

5. The theme of generational trauma shows how family histories influence the characters’ present-day actions, like with Mrs. Worth and her father. Think about a family story or trait that has been passed down through generations. How do you see these inherited patterns shaping the way people in your own life connect with each other?

6. When faced with his mother’s illness and his father’s death, Sonny turns to online gambling as a way to cope with his pain. What are some of the ways you have sought refuge when dealing with overwhelming emotions?

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

1. In what ways does the novel’s theme of The Social Vilification of Mothers resonate in our culture today? Do you think society has become more or less understanding of the complexities of motherhood and the challenges faced by parents of children with severe behavioral issues?

2. Danny and Liam’s story is set against the backdrop of 1980s Britain, a time of shifting attitudes toward disability. How has our society’s understanding and support for individuals with disabilities, like cerebral palsy, evolved since that time? What challenges highlighted in the novel persist today?

3. Sonny’s addiction is worsened by online gambling platforms specifically designed to exploit dopamine-seeking behaviors common in people with ADHD. What does the novel suggest about corporate responsibility in the digital age? Where do you think the line falls between offering entertainment and preying on psychological vulnerabilities?

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

1. Discuss how the narrator repeatedly breaks the fourth wall and speaks directly to the reader, such as the phrase, “Please do not judge this mother” (4). What impact did this have on you as a reader?

2. To what extent is the tragedy on the train platform the result of fate, and to what extent is it the result of individual choices? Discuss how coincidence, timing, and personal decision interact throughout the novel to produce its central event.

3. Choose another novel you have read about motherhood in difficult situations, such as We Need to Talk About Kevin (2003) by Lionel Shriver or Room (2010) by Emma Donoghue. How does Five build upon or challenge other complex portrayals of motherhood you have read?

4. Discuss the effect of the novel’s omniscient narrator. How does the ensemble cast contribute to its overall messages? Would the novel differ greatly if it were told only from Emma’s point of view?

5. Despite revealing that someone will die at the start of the novel, how does Bannister create tension and suspense throughout the novel? Discuss scenes that still felt dramatic and why.

Encourage imaginative and creative connections to the book.

1. Imagine you are writing an epilogue set one year after the novel’s final scene. What does the future hold for the relationship between Gideon and his uncle Danny? Do you envision them finding a path toward healing, or do you think their shared history will lead to more conflict?

2. If you were adapting Five for the screen, which of the five main backstories would be the most challenging to translate visually? What creative choices would you make as a director to capture that character’s internal world and history for an audience?

3. The novel ends with the revelation that Bad Back, hailed as a hero, later develops an addiction to painkillers. If you could write a short story from his perspective, what would it be about? How would you explore the unseen, long-term consequences of a single moment of public heroism?