Discuss the function of the novel’s two primary settings, Manhattan and Story Lake. How do the settings enrich the themes of the text? What makes them different from each other?

Explore the narrative function of the animal motif in Mistakes Were Made. How does Score use animal encounters, from Goose the eagle to Pepe the donkey, to disrupt the attempt of characters to control reality?

Drawing on the author’s note and the character of Opal, analyze the novel’s portrayal of Zoey’s late-in-life ADHD diagnosis. How does the text move beyond the “chaotic hot mess” trope to offer a nuanced representation of neurodivergence, and how does this reframing of Zoey’s struggles contribute to the central theme of self-acceptance?

Analyze how the climactic breakup scene following Gerald’s assault on Audrey functions as a conventional romance genre “dark moment.” How does the scene serve the novel’s plot and themes?

Trace the symbolic journey of the disco ball from Zoey’s personal necklace to the grand gesture Gage installs in his home.

The guide notes that Mistakes Were Made comments on its own genre through the plot device of Reader Weekend. Examine how the novel uses this event to engage in a meta-commentary on the real-world phenomenon of literary tourism and the cultural power of the small-town romance genre.

Explore the symbolic significance of the dimes. How does this private ritual, initially a way for Gage to manage his family’s grief, evolve to represent a broader understanding of love that he must extend to both Valerie Hillport and himself before he can truly commit to Zoey?

Analyze how the novel contrasts the Bishop and Moody family dynamics to argue for the value of chosen community over biological ties.