People Watching

Gather initial thoughts and broad opinions about the book.

1. What were your overall impressions of Prue and Milo’s romance? Did the emotional growth and the circumstances of their combined arc feel realistic?

2. Compare this book to one of Bonam-Young’s other works (including Next of Kin, Out on a Limb, and Out of the Woods). Do you notice story or writing similarities across the books you chose? Which book or storyline do you prefer, and why?

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

1. Reflect on Milo’s family, his past, and the shared trauma of him and his siblings. How do their experiences in dealing with childhood trauma reflect your own or those of someone you know?

2. Throughout the novel, Milo and Prue reflect on and reestablish boundaries with their families and each other. Have you ever struggled to define healthy boundaries in a relationship? What consequences did not establishing those boundaries bring about?

3. Have you or someone you know ever cared for a loved one with Alzheimer’s or another type of dementia? If so, compare and contrast your experience with Prue’s. Did the novel’s representation of the condition and Prue’s ways of coping with the duties of caregiving seem realistic and genuine?

4. Discuss the multi-faceted roles of the women, like Sef and Prue, in the story. Have you ever struggled to fulfill multiple roles in your relationships?

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

1. Analyze how the book reflects on the issues that caregivers face, both in taking care of loved ones and in finding a support system to do so. Did People Watching make you think about where the responsibility for caregiving lies? How does the novel enter into contemporary conversation about caregiving and the responsibilities of community and family?

2. The narrative explores how small changes in one’s life resonate in large and sometimes unexpected ways. Explore how this idea applies to different aspects of the real world (politics, cultural acceptance, etc.). With this in mind, how can you (or any individual) help to bring about positive change?

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

1. Analyze Bonam-Young’s choice to include the first-person perspectives of both Prue and Milo. Do the alternating points of view add to the story and the understanding of both characters? How would the novel be different if told from only one character’s point of view?

2. Discuss the roles played by Prue’s and Milo’s family members in the narrative. Consider what they add to the plot, character development, and thematic meaning of the novel.

3. Explore the significance of Bonam-Young’s choice to set the novel in a small town. How does the tight-knit community of Baysville contribute to the development of relationships and individual character arcs? How would the book have been drastically different if it were set in a larger city?

4. Identify and discuss the role of sex in Prue and Milo’s relationship, as well as in their development as individuals. How does their experience and understanding of one another through sex move the story forward?

Encourage imaginative and creative connections to the book.

1. Using the scene where Milo changes Prue’s music as inspiration, craft two playlists for the story—Prue’s and Milo’s. Explain each of your song choices and why you think they fit that character. Do you have any overlapping songs?

2. Visual art plays an important role in the novel. Draw, paint, or otherwise create a picture that captures Prue and Milo’s romance without using images of people. Why did you choose the images and colors you did? How does each represent Prue, Milo, or both together?