Oona Out of Order

Content Warning: This section of the guide includes discussion of substance use, emotional abuse, and death.

Gather initial thoughts and broad opinions about the book.

1. How did you initially respond to Oona’s time-traveling experience? Did your feelings about this storytelling approach change as the novel progressed from her first leap to her final return to 1983?

2. Which moments in Oona’s fragmented timeline evoked the strongest emotional reactions from you, and why do you think these particular scenes had such impact?

3. Margarita Montimore’s approach to time travel differs from works, like Audrey Niffenegger’s The Time Traveler’s Wife, where characters have no control over their travels but maintain chronological consciousness. How does Oona’s experience of living linearly in consciousness but nonlinearly in time create a unique narrative effect?

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

1. Oona ultimately learns that the key to happiness is appreciating the current moment. How do you navigate the balance between living in the present and planning for the future?

2. Throughout the novel, Oona’s relationship with Madeleine evolves from resistance to appreciation of her mother’s “sneaky wisdom.” How has your relationship with parental figures or mentors changed as you’ve matured?

3. The novel explores various forms of “highs,” from Dale’s love to drugs to Edward’s manipulation to music. What activities or pursuits give you a healthy “high,” similar to what Oona eventually finds in playing guitar?

4. When Oona returns to 1983, she stands up for her desire to play guitar rather than keyboard. When have you regretted not being true to yourself, and how did that experience shape your future choices?

5. Oona must reconcile herself to the fact that she cannot change certain events, especially regarding Kenzie’s adoption. How have you come to terms with circumstances in your life beyond your control?

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

1. The novel spans the early 1980s to 2017, capturing numerous cultural shifts. Which time period depicted in the book most interested you, and how does Montimore use music to anchor Oona in each era?

2. How does the novel reflect changing attitudes toward family structures across the different decades Oona experiences, particularly in relation to Kenzie having two mothers and Oona’s unconventional role as his birth mother?

3. Oona’s experiences with her transgender friend Cyn in the early 1990s capture a specific moment in LGBTQ+ history. How does this subplot contribute to the novel’s broader exploration of identity and authenticity?

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

1. How do the recurring symbols of guitars, Dale’s watch, and the leather jacket track Oona’s emotional and psychological development throughout her nonlinear journey?

2. The novel is described as a bildungsroman focusing on Oona’s education and maturation. How does Oona’s nonlinear experience transform this traditional coming-of-age structure, and what does this suggest about personal growth? You might, for instance, compare Oona out of Order to Allison Larkin’s The People We Keep, which also focuses on a young musician’s coming-of-age but employs a chronological structure.

3. Water and drowning appear as recurring motifs connected to Oona’s father’s death. How do these images evolve throughout the novel to reflect Oona’s changing emotional state?

4. How does the brownstone house function as both a physical constant and a symbolic space in Oona’s otherwise chaotic timeline?

5. How do the various mother-child relationships in the novel (Madeleine and Oona, Oona and Kenzie, Kenzie and his adoptive mothers) explore different aspects of maternal love and sacrifice?

6. Each section of the novel is titled after a song from the era Oona is visiting or influenced by the Velvet Underground. How do these musical references enhance your understanding of Oona’s emotional journey?

Encourage imaginative and creative connections to the book.

1. What path do you envision for Oona’s life after she returns to 1983 with her band, now called Candy Stranger? How might her relationships with Dale, Kenzie, and Peter evolve given her accumulated wisdom?

2. What would you write in a letter to your future self, à la Oona’s annual messages, knowing they might be experiencing a completely different phase of life than you are now?

3. Which songs would you include on a soundtrack for Oona’s story beyond those referenced in the part titles, and how would each selection capture a specific aspect of her emotional journey?

Need more inspiration for your next meeting? Browse all of our Book Club Resources