We Live Here Now

Gather initial thoughts and broad opinions about the book.

1. Emily and Freddie are deeply flawed characters. Did you find either of them sympathetic? Did your feelings toward them shift as the novel progressed?

2. What element of the book did you enjoy most—the plot twists, Gothic atmosphere, characterization, or symbolism—and why? Did any aspects of the narrative feel less effective to you?

3. If you’ve read other novels by Sarah Pinborough, such as Behind Her Eyes or Insomnia, how does We Live Here Now compare in tone, style, and themes? Where would you rank the book among the author’s other fiction?

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

1. The novel portrays marriage as an institution that harbors deep undercurrents of resentment and repressed violence. How did this depiction resonate with you? Did it feel exaggerated for Gothic effect, or did it tap into dynamics you’ve seen in real life?

2. Do you think Larkin Lodge is truly haunted, or do its horrors represent the characters’ psychological states? How did you interpret the novel’s balance between supernatural Gothic and psychological thriller?

3. Emily senses Larkin Lodge’s malign energy as soon as she sets foot in her new home. Have you ever had a supernatural experience or sensed that a location is the site of past trauma?

4. The inhabitants of Larkin Lodge use the house’s power to edit their partners’ flaws. Is the urge to reshape one’s partner a natural instinct? If you had the opportunity to do the same, would you take it?

5. After discovering Freddie has murdered her, Emily decides to retain the “best” version of herself for the sake of her unborn baby rather than reuniting the dual aspects of her personality. Would you have made the same decision? Why, or why not?

6. What was your reaction to the novel’s ending, particularly the contrasting experiences of Emily’s split selves, and the implication that Russell and Cat will become Larkin Lodge’s next victims? Did you find this conclusion satisfying, frustrating, or something else?

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

1. The novel portrays Larkin Lodge’s transformative powers as a sinister method of “fixing” marital conflict. How does We Live Here Now reflect or critique expectations of marriage and standards of perfection in today’s society?

2. The story repeatedly shows how past trauma is never erased but carried forward. In what ways does this theme connect to broader cultural conversations about inherited trauma, whether within families, communities, or societies?

3. Freddie views Emily’s self-doubt and anxiety about post-sepsis as weaknesses he can exploit. How does this dynamic reflect cultural stereotypes about women’s mental health?

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

1. Larkin Lodge is more than a setting; it also functions as a character. What do you think the Lodge symbolizes at different points in the novel, and how does it evolve as the story progresses?

2. Freddie shifts from a financially troubled, insecure husband into a dark, volatile character. Do you view him as a tragic figure, undone by circumstance, or as someone always predisposed to emotional cruelty and violence?

3. Many of the characters in the novel are split into two halves. How does this fracturing of identity deepen Pinborough’s exploration of human nature? Do you see it as primarily supernatural, psychological, or symbolic?

4. The author intersperses the narrative of We Live Here Now with references to Gothic literature, such as The Complete Tales & Poems of Edgar Allan Poe, and Emily Brontë’s novel Wuthering Heights. How do these intertextual allusions contribute to the themes and mood of the book?

5. The Raven’s narrative creates a parallel with the novel’s main plot. How did the bird’s perspective deepen your understanding of the story as a whole?

6. How does We Live Here Now compare to other classic Gothic novels you’ve read (e.g., Shirley Jackson’s The Haunting of Hill House, Robert Louis Stevenson’s The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde, or Charlotte Perkins Gilman’s “The Yellow Wallpaper”)? What felt familiar, and what felt fresh?

Encourage imaginative and creative connections to the book.

1. The novel’s title, “We Live Here Now,” conveys both the horror of moving to a haunted house and the condition of the Bennetts’ marriage. Brainstorm alternative titles for the book, explaining how they capture the novel’s tone, themes, or subject matter.

2. Create a playlist inspired by the Gothic atmosphere of We Live Here Now. In your choices, consider the arc of the plot, its significant moments and plot twists, as well as the climax and ending of the novel.