The People We Keep

1. General Impressions

Gather initial thoughts and broad opinions about the book.

• If you were describing The People We Keep to someone who had never read it, what three adjectives would you use?
• Alice’s journey takes her to several different cities, each of which corresponds to a different phase in her life. Which of these was your favorite section of the novel, and why? Which was your least favorite?
• What other coming-of-age novels have you read? How does April’s story compare to these?

2. Personal Reflection and Connection

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

• Consider all the people April meets during her travels. Whom would you most want to be friends with, and why? Has anyone ever filled a similar role in your own life?
• April’s relationship with Adam is one of the more sensitive elements of the novel, given that she is legally a minor at the time. How did you feel about April’s decision to lie about her age? How did learning about Adam’s history of sexual trauma complicate your views of the relationship, if at all? Overall, did you feel the novel handled the issue responsibly? 
• Many coming-of-age novels end with the