56 pages • 1-hour read
Out of the Woods
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Summaries & Analyses
Plot Summary
Background
Chapter Summaries & Analyses
Character Analysis
Themes
Symbols & Motifs
Important Quotes
Book Club Questions
Reading Tools
Book Club Questions
General Impressions
Gather initial thoughts and broad opinions about the book.
1. Which moments in Sarah and Caleb’s relationship were most relatable or compelling to you? Why?
2. How does this book compare to other “marriage in trouble” romance novels you have read, like Taylor Jenkins Reid’s After I Do or Colleen Hoover’s All Your Perfects? Have you read any other romance novels that feature already-married couples?
Personal Reflection and Connection
Encourage readers to connect the book’s themes and characters with their personal experiences.
1. Are your family relationships and dynamics more like Sarah’s, or more like Caleb’s?
2. How has your life been shaped by unexpected grief, like the loss of someone close to you, or by unexpected setbacks, like Sarah’s feedback from Cecilia Floodgate?
3. Do you think some of Sarah and Caleb’s struggles with communication are typical of any long-term relationship?
4. Are the struggles with identity and work-life balance in this book reflective of current contemporary challenges and debates on this topic?
Societal and Cultural Context
Examine the book’s relevance to societal issues, historical events, or cultural themes.
1. How does the absence of technology for much of this book advance arguments about the nature of intimacy and communication?
2. How is the plot of this book, and the emotional arc, shaped by the specific setting? Could you imagine the same events playing out in a different remote location?
3. Though this book is a romance novel, Sarah’s relationship with Win is also central to the text. How does this advance an argument about the nature of a happy life, or what helps marriages succeed?
Literary Analysis
Dive into the book’s structure, characters, themes, and symbolism.
1. Discuss Hannah Bonam-Young’s use of past and present timelines to develop backstory and thematic meaning. What is the effect of only learning some things about Sarah and Caleb through flashbacks? Why do you think some events primarily appear in that format, as opposed to in the present?
2. Many romance novels switch between the points of view of both protagonists. What is the effect of narrating only Sarah’s perspective?
3. How does the setting of the Reignite retreat relate to the broader themes of self-discovery, recovery, and creativity?
4. How do paper airplanes and their use demonstrate the growth of Sarah and Caleb’s relationship over time?
5. Out of the Woods features a large cast of side characters. To what effect does Bonam-Young construct these characters?
Creative Engagement
Encourage imaginative and creative connections to the book.
1. Create two playlists that capture the mood of this book: one for the past timeline, and one for the present timeline. Discuss your song choice and arrangement
2. Imagine an alternate epilogue, where Sarah and Caleb do return to Reignite. What do they do there, and how does your alternate epilogue affirm their happy ending?
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