51 pages • 1-hour read
We Used to Live Here
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Book Club Questions
General Impressions
Content Warning: This section of the guide contains discussion of graphic violence, emotional abuse and mental illness.
Gather initial thoughts and broad opinions about the book.
1. Kliewer’s novel begins with a simple premise—strangers showing up at the door wanting to see their old home—and gradually escalates into psychological and supernatural horror. At what point did you realize this wasn’t going to be a conventional home invasion story, and what early clues did you notice?
2. We Used to Live Here plays with the classic haunted house trope, similar to Shirley Jackson’s The Haunting of Hill House, in that the house itself seems alive and malevolent. How does Kliewer’s Old House compare to Jackson’s Hill House, and what makes both settings so effectively disturbing?
3. The novel blends psychological thriller elements with supernatural horror and eventually violent slasher components. Which aspects did you find most effective, and how did they contribute to your emotional experience while reading?
Personal Reflection and Connection
Encourage readers to connect the book’s themes and characters with their personal experiences.
1. Eve struggles to stay true to herself despite external gaslighting from Thomas and others. Have you ever experienced a situation in which you trusted your perception despite others questioning it or trying to mislead you? How did you navigate this challenge?
2. The novel explores how memories shape our identity. What memories do you consider most crucial to your sense of self, and how would losing or questioning those memories affect who you are?
3. Eve initially chooses to avoid conflict and thus struggles to assert herself, letting Thomas’s family into her home against her better judgment. How do you balance being kind and accommodating with maintaining healthy boundaries in your life?
4. Charlie’s locket containing Eve’s photo becomes a powerful symbol of their connection and Eve’s true identity. What physical objects in your life serve as anchors to important memories or relationships?
Societal and Cultural Context
Examine the book’s relevance to societal issues, historical events, or cultural themes.
1. The novel depicts a mental health system that dismisses Eve’s experiences as delusions, effectively imprisoning her. How does this portrayal compare to the real-world treatment of mental health conditions?
2. We Used to Live Here explores home invasion on both physical and psychological levels. How does this narrative reflect contemporary anxieties about security, belonging, and identity?
3. The story was originally serialized on Reddit before becoming a published novel. How might its origin in a community-based platform have influenced its development and eventual success?
Literary Analysis
Dive into the book’s structure, characters, themes, and symbolism.
1. What do you think of the documentary-style inserts throughout the novel—do they enhance the storytelling? What purpose do they serve beyond providing factual information?
2. Eve’s character changes from timid and conflict-avoidant to someone willing to fight violently for her identity. How does her arc reflect the theme of Knowing and Staying True to Oneself?
3. The basement of Old House functions as both a physical space and a psychological threshold. How does this setting symbolize Eve’s journey into increasingly disturbing revelations?
4. Photographs play a crucial role as evidence that remains unchanged while reality shifts. How does this motif contribute to the novel’s exploration of memory and identity?
5. The novel reveals that Thomas is not just a human antagonist but an ancient entity who proclaims, “We were here when the light of DAY was BORN” (278). How did this revelation transform your understanding of his character and his motivations?
Creative Engagement
Encourage imaginative and creative connections to the book.
1. If you were to write an epilogue to the novel, what would happen to Eve? Would she find a way back to her original reality or forge a new path within her current circumstances?
2. The novel ends with the revelation that Charlie is still searching for Eve in their original reality. Imagine a sequel told from Charlie’s perspective. What challenges would she face, and how might her story reconnect with Eve’s?
3. Create a brief character sketch of the next person Thomas might target. What vulnerabilities might make this person susceptible to his manipulation, and what strengths might help them resist?
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