We All Live Here

Gather initial thoughts and broad opinions about the book.

1. Moyes explores family complexity and reconciliation in We All Live Here much as she examined caregiving relationships in Me Before You. What similarities or differences did you notice in how she handles these emotional dynamics across these works or others of hers that you’ve read?

2. What struck you most about Lila’s journey from heartbreak to healing? What felt most relatable and why?

3. Which character underwent the most surprising transformation in the novel? Why was their change unexpected?

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

1. Lila struggles to balance family responsibilities with personal fulfillment. In what ways have you experienced similar tensions in your own life?

2. When have you faced a situation where letting go of past hurts was necessary for moving forward, as Lila must do with Dan and Gene?

3. Which father figure in the novel, Bill or Gene, resonated most with your own experiences or ideas about father figures?

4. If you or someone you know has ever had to restart romantic life after a long relationship, what aspects of Lila’s experiences with Jensen and Gabriel felt familiar?

5. What places in your life have shifted in significance as your circumstances changed, similar to how the meaning of Lila’s house transforms throughout the story?

6. What was your reaction to Lila’s decision to abandon her memoir project when she realized it might harm others?

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

1. What pressures does Lila face as a single mother that reflect broader societal attitudes about divorce and parenting?

2. In what ways does the novel’s portrayal of blended families challenge or reinforce contemporary views about what constitutes a “real” family?

3. What societal shifts in attitudes toward marriage, divorce, and parenting are reflected in the generational differences between the characters?

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

1. The novel’s narrative shifts between the perspectives of Lila, Celie, and Francesca. How does Moyes distinguish their voices? How do their different points of view develop the novel’s themes?

2. In what ways do the sick tree’s presence, deterioration, and eventual fall parallel Lila’s emotional journey?

3. What role does Lila’s manuscript play as both a plot device and a symbol of her identity throughout the story? How does it help readers understand her as a character?

4. What do Lila’s potential romantic partners, Jensen and Gabriel, represent in terms of authentic versus superficial connection for her? How are they contrasted with each other?

5. How does Lila’s house represent family life? How does it reflect the changing dynamics among the characters?

6. What effect does Francesca’s single chapter have on our understanding of the complex relationships between her, Bill, and Gene?

Encourage imaginative and creative connections to the book.

1. If you were to write a chapter from Dan or Marja’s perspective that isn’t included in the novel, what insights might this reveal about the Kennedy family?

2. Create a brief outline of Lila’s life five years after the novel’s conclusion, considering her relationships with Jensen, her daughters, and her fathers.

3. What actors would you cast to bring the complex characters of We All Live Here to life in a film adaptation?

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