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Then We Came to the End Reading Guide & Discussion Questions

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Then We Came to the End by Joshua Ferris

Then We Came to the End

A Novel

by Joshua Ferris
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  • Critics' Consensus (10):
  • Readers' Rating (7):
  • First Published:
  • Mar 1, 2007, 400 pages
  • Paperback:
  • Feb 2008, 416 pages
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Book Club Discussion Questions

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For supplemental discussion material see our Beyond the Book article, and our BookBrowse Review of Then We Came to the End.


Please be aware that this discussion guide will contain spoilers!

  1. Although Then We Came to the End is told predominantly in the first person plural, there is a brief departure to describe Lynn Mason's last night before she undergoes surgery. Why do you think the author chose this point in the novel for the shift in perspective?
  2. What was the most humorous moment in the novel for you? Does the author's incarnation of the office remind you in any way of your own work environment?
  3. Then We Came to the End features a large and diverse cast of characters. Which character is your favorite? Which do you find least likable? Does any character closely resemble a person with whom you work?
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  1. How does the author develop themes of identity and belonging throughout the narrative?
  2. What role does the setting play in shaping the characters' decisions and relationships?
  3. Discuss how the ending reframes the events of the story. Were you surprised?


Unless otherwise stated, this discussion guide is reprinted with the permission of Back Bay Books. Any page references refer to a USA edition of the book, usually the trade paperback version, and may vary in other editions.

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