Remain: A Supernatural Love Story

Gather initial thoughts and broad opinions about the book.

1. This novel is a collaboration between Sparks, known for romance, and Shyamalan, known for suspense. How did you feel that this blend of emotion and mystery worked throughout the story?

2. Reflect on Tate’s ability to see spirits. The guide notes the influence of Shyamalan’s films, like The Sixth Sense, which features a character who can communicate with the dead. How does Tate’s journey of accepting his “gift” compare to similar stories you’ve encountered?

3. The Epilogue provides a glimpse of Tate’s life eight months later. Did you find this a satisfying conclusion to his journey, and why?

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

1. Sylvia leaves Tate several posthumous video messages to guide him through his grief. If you could receive a final message from someone you’ve lost, what kind of guidance would you hope for? Alternatively, what final messages might you leave for someone in your life?

2. Does the novel’s portrayal of a charming small town with dark secrets resonate with your own perceptions of rural life? Why or why not?

3. Tate is confronted with multiple, conflicting stories about who Wren really was. Have you ever been in a situation where you had to piece together the truth from significantly different accounts?

4. The novel uses a literal haunting to explore how grief or trauma can haunt people. Has a memory or experience ever felt like its own kind of haunting to you?

5. Sylvia’s message about the “infinite potential” of talking to strangers is a key idea. Can you recall a time when a brief interaction with a stranger left a lasting impression on you?

6. Wren’s final advice to Tate is to “honor the gifts you’ve been given” (322). What do you think it means to honor your own gifts in your daily life?

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

1. The novel touches on Tate’s stay in a psychiatric hospital and his use of dialectical behavior therapy. What are your thoughts on the book’s portrayal of severe depression and of seeking mental healthcare?

2. The novel’s ending involves possibly supernatural justice for Reece and the human legal system for Louise. What might this suggest about the legal system’s limits in delivering justice or closure?

3. Multiple characters discredit Wren, labeling her as manipulative. One even refers to her as a “sociopath.” How does the story engage with the use of women’s reputations to undermine their credibility or justify harm against them?

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

1. Sparks is famous for epic romances like The Notebook. How do the romantic elements in Remain, particularly between a human and a ghost, compare to the more traditional love stories in his other works?

2. What is the significance of the old Victorian house as a setting? How do specific spaces within the house, such as the parlor and the upstairs bathroom, contribute to the novel’s atmosphere?

3. Why do you think the authors chose to reveal that Wren is a ghost to readers early on by alternating perspectives, rather than making it a plot twist when Tate discovers it later?

4. Games, particularly the “no-touching game,” are a motif central to Tate and Wren’s bond. Beyond what the guide describes, how do games help them build a relationship that defies physical boundaries?

5. What purpose do Oscar and Sylvia serve in the narrative? How do these two characters, one grounded in the present and one a voice from the past, help shape Tate’s journey toward healing?

Encourage imaginative and creative connections to the book.

1. If you were to write a fourth and final video message from Sylvia to Tate, what would it say, and when in the story would Tate receive it for the greatest impact?

2. Imagine that you are Tate, designing Oscar and Lorena’s new house on the bluff. What architectural or design elements would you incorporate to subtly honor Wren’s memory and her story?

3. The novel ends as Tate approaches the spirit of a young boy in Central Park. What is one possible backstory for this boy, and how might Tate, having accepted his ability, help the boy?