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1. In Still Me, Lou has crossed the
ocean to New York City—the first time she’s been to America. As a Brit
herself, Moyes spent time in New York researching the city for the
novel. Do you think she’s done a good job portraying New York City and
the mannerisms of Americans? What details might Moyes have focused on if
Lou had visited your own city or town?
2. Agnes bemoans her relationships with her old friends, telling Lou she
has fallen out of touch with them since marrying Mr. Gopnik. She says
her new wealth—and the financial disparity among her friends—is the
culprit. Has money ever created a rift between you and a friend? If so,
how did you resolve it? If unresolved, what did you learn from the
experience?
3. Family is a prominent theme in the book. Lou often feels at odds with
being so far away from her close-knit family, which became especially
poignant with Grandad’s death, while the Gopnik clan attempts to balance
the strong attitudes—and secrets—among their own. Meanwhile, Mrs. De
Witt is lucky enough to reclaim her long-lost family, finding support
where there once was none. Did you recognize elements of yourself and
your family within any of these relationships? Did you think Moyes
portrayed the dynamics accurately?
4. Near the very end of the book, Lou writes to Sam, "All my life I’ve
ended up looking after other people, fitting myself around what they
need, what they wanted. I’m good at it." Yet she makes the choice to
follow her own dream, to put herself first for once. Do you know anyone
who is like Lou in this way? Have you seen others take advantage of
people who are like Lou?
5. Lou and Sam have a turbulent long-distance relationship. Lou wants
them to write to each other by snail mail, which she thinks is utterly
romantic and will keep them connected. He resists, and it becomes a
point of contention between them. Have you ever had a long-distant
relationship? Did it work? If not, why not? What could Lou and Sam have
done differently in order to save their relationship?
6. In the very last scene, Lou is scrambling to find Sam, desperate to
locate him and in a panic that he won’t show—how do you envision the
rest of Lou’s story after this scene? Where does she go—and grow—from
here?
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