44 pages • 1-hour read
November 9
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Book Club Questions
General Impressions
Content Warning: This section of the guide contains discussion of physical abuse, emotional abuse, mental illness, graphic violence, and sexual content.
Gather initial thoughts and broad opinions about the book.
1. How does Hoover’s use of alternating perspectives between Fallon and Ben shape your understanding of their relationship? Have you read other novels that employ this narrative technique, such as Rainbow Rowell's Eleanor & Park? How does this novel compare?
2. What was your initial reaction to Ben and Fallon’s arrangement to meet only once a year? Did your feelings about this premise change as the story progressed?
3. In what ways does the novel challenge or reinforce your beliefs about fate, timing, and second chances?
Personal Reflection and Connection
Encourage readers to connect the book’s themes and characters with their personal experiences.
1. How has your own experience with physical or emotional scars influenced your perception of Fallon’s journey toward self-acceptance?
2. The novel explores how past trauma shapes future relationships. How do you think our past experiences influence our ability to trust and connect with others?
3. Consider Ben and Fallon’s initial meeting. When has a seemingly chance encounter significantly impacted the direction of your life?
4. Consider Ben’s decision to keep his role in the fire hidden. Have you ever withheld information from someone you cared about, believing it was for the best? Did your feelings about this decision change over time? Why or why not?
5. How do you relate to Fallon’s mother’s advice about waiting until age 23 to pursue serious relationships? What age or life experience do you think is necessary for meaningful commitment?
Societal and Cultural Context
Examine the book's relevance to broader societal issues, cultural trends, and ethical dilemmas.
1. How does the novel address society’s emphasis on physical appearance and its impact on self-worth?
2. What does the story reveal about the ways trauma and grief are processed differently across generations and relationships?
3. How does social media’s absence from Ben and Fallon’s relationship comment on modern dating culture?
Literary Analysis
Dive into the book's structure, characters, themes, and use of narrative techniques.
1. Analyze how Ben’s manuscript functions both as a plot device and a symbol. What does it reveal about truth, confession, and redemption?
2. How do the characters’ physical and emotional scars serve as both literal and metaphorical elements of the story?
3. Examine the role of Donovan’s classic car as a catalyst for both destruction and eventual healing. What does this symbolize about the relationship between anger and forgiveness?
4. How does the author use the annual November 9th meetings to explore themes of growth, change, and timing?
5. Consider how Jordyn’s character arc affects the central relationship. How does her presence complicate or illuminate Ben and Fallon’s connection?
Creative Engagement
Encourage imaginative and creative connections to the book's content and themes.
1. If you were to write your own manuscript about a defining relationship in your life, what would you title it, and which perspective would you choose to tell it from?
2. Design an alternative cover for November 9 that captures the novel’s central themes. Which symbols or images would you include, and why?
3. If you could add one more November 9th meeting between Ben and Fallon, what would happen during that encounter?
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