Gather initial thoughts and broad opinions about the book.

1. Sallie reflects that “even the most extraordinary life feels ordinary when you’re living it” (3). Did you find her story ultimately hopeful, tragic, or something else entirely? How did you feel when you finished the last page?

2. Christina Baker Kline often writes about women navigating difficult historical circumstances, as in her novel The Exiles (2020). How does Sallie’s experience in The Foursome compare to other historical fiction you’ve read about women’s lives and their search for autonomy?

3. What was the most surprising aspect of the twins’ life for you? Was it their business savvy, their assimilation into the Southern planter class, or the day-to-day logistics of their conjoined existence?

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

1. The theme of family loyalty is central, often acting as a suffocating force that demands personal sacrifice. Think about a time when you felt caught between your own needs and the expectations of your family. How did you find a balance in such a situation?

2. Sallie’s initial agreement to marry Eng is driven by her sister’s ambition and a sense of obligation. Have you ever felt pressured into a major decision by someone else’s desires or expectations? How does Sallie’s journey of finding her own way resonate with you?

3. Aunt Joan is a model of independence and moral clarity for Sallie, offering her an alternative way of seeing the world. Who in your life has played a similar role, encouraging you to question the status quo or live more authentically?

4. For much of the novel, Sallie finds solace and a path to her own ideas through reading. What role have books played in shaping your own understanding of the world or your place in it?

5. The sisters’ relationship is a complex mix of rivalry, codependence, and deep affection. Discuss someone with whom you have a similar relationship. How do your experiences impact your understanding of Addie and Sallie?

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

1. The twins shift from exploited curiosities into enslavers themselves. What does the novel suggest about how experiencing oppression can, paradoxically, lead someone to perpetuate it in a bid for power and acceptance?

2. The novel is set against the backdrop of P. T. Barnum’s exhibition circuit, which profited from public curiosity about physical differences. In what ways do you see this blend of spectacle and exploitation reflected in today’s media or reality television?

3. Sallie’s growing abolitionist beliefs, fueled by her Quaker faith, create a deep rift within her family during the Civil War. How does the novel explore the tension between personal conscience and social conformity during times of intense political division?

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

1. The story is told entirely from Sallie’s perspective. How did this narrative choice shape your understanding of the other characters, particularly Eng and Addie? What might have been revealed if the perspective had shifted?

2. Many characters in the novel blur the line between hero and villain. Which character changed the most as the novel progressed? What specific moments caused you to reassess your opinion?

3. Discuss the internal or external conflict involving Sallie that you found most compelling. How did its resolution—or lack thereof—change Sallie as a character?

4. The novel ends with Sallie’s life after the deaths of Chang and Eng. Why do you think Kline chose to end the story this way? What does the Epilogue add to your understanding of the novel’s central ideas?

5. Consider another novel that portrays how physical differences shape how others perceive them, such as Bernard Pomerance’s The Elephant Man (1979) or R. J. Palacio’s Wonder (2012). How do that novel and The Foursome challenge readers to look beyond physical differences? Specifically, discuss how both authors use point of view to provide insight into the conflict between public identity and private humanity.

Encourage imaginative and creative connections to the book.

1. If you were adapting this novel into a film, which relationship would you focus on most: Sallie and Eng, Sallie and Addie, or Eng and Chang? What makes that dynamic the most compelling for a screen adaptation?

2. Imagine you’re Aunt Joan writing a letter to Sallie after visiting her in Surry County for the first time. What advice or observations might you offer about her marriage, her children, and her growing moral convictions?

3. At the end of the novel, Sallie has created an unconventional household with Grace, Joan, and Grace’s son Isaac. What do you imagine a typical day looks like for them on the farm, years after the main events of the story have passed?