Sandwich

1. General Impressions

Gather initial thoughts and broad opinions about the book.

• What were your overall impressions of Sandwich? Discuss what you liked most and least about the novel.
• How did you like this novel compared to Catherine Newman’s other novel, We All Want Impossible Things, or novels in the same genre by other authors (such as Summer of ’69 by Elin Hilderbrand or Tom Lake by Ann Patchett)?

2. Personal Reflection and Connection

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

• Consider some of the novel’s more shocking elements, like Rocky’s father’s revelation about the murder of several of his family members at an extermination camp during World War II or Nick learning about Rocky’s abortion when he overhears her telling Willa. Did these plot points seem realistic to you? 
• One of the novel’s themes concerns how family dynamics shift over time. Does the novel’s depiction overlap with your experiences? 
• Another of the novel’s themes explores how nostalgia increases over time as people age. Do you find this to be the case in your life? 
• Which of the novel’s characters did you most relate to and why?

3. Societal and Cultural Context

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

• One of the novel’s main themes concerns pregnancy and abortion. How does the novel reflect the current societal debate about reproductive freedom? 
• Sandwich is set on Cape Cod at a cottage the family has rented each summer for more than 20 years. How does the book’s setting and the family’s familiarity with it influence the narrative?

4. Literary Analysis

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

• Rocky is both the protagonist and narrator of Sandwich. Is this technique effective for telling a family story? Did you wish the novel was narrated from multiple characters’ point of view? Why do you think Newman chose to use only Rocky’s?
• Identify and discuss the novel’s major themes (Women’s Reproductive Health, Shifting Family Dynamics, and Nostalgia and the Passage of Time). How do the themes interweave and inform the plotlines and character development? Did you notice any other themes?
• Discuss the novel’s use of symbols and motifs (sandwiches, the cottage, the female body, and any others you identified) and their relevance to the story and characters.
• What do you think the novel’s title means? How is it significant for the story?

5. Creative Engagement

Encourage imaginative and creative connections to the book.

• If you were charged with adapting Sandwich into a movie, who would you cast in the roles of Rocky, Nick, Willa, Jamie, and Maya?
• What kind of soundtrack would bring this tense Cape Cod vacation to life? Build a playlist and share it with the group. Are their songs or genres that appear on multiple playlists? What’s unique to each person’s interpretation?
• Imagine a sequel or continuation of the story centering on Jamie and Maya’s life together. Does Maya’s pregnancy give them a healthy baby, and if so, is it a boy or a girl? Where do you think the characters might go next?