Book Club Discussion Questions and Guide for What's Mine and Yours by Naima Coster

1. At the beginning of What's Mine and Yours, Robbie Ventura tells Ray Gilbert to get property that no one will ever take away from his children, in order to build a legacy. What other legacies do the parents in this novel leave their children? What would you want to leave your loved ones?
2. The parents and children of What's Mine and Yours exist with a significant chasm between them. Discuss the ways that the Ventura daughters and Gee don't often see the motivations behind their parent's choices, nor the sacrifice, and how did it resonate with you and your own life?
3. When Inéz visits Noelle in Golden Brook, she's afraid that her friend is losing her sense of self while out in the suburbs, especially when hearing the story of how a Black woman and her son were threatened with the police by a neighbor. How did you feel about the party's reaction to that story, and Inéz's criticism of Noelle's silence?
4. There are many versions of caregiving in this novel that go beyond just parent and child. Discuss the ways that these characters are playing the role of mother for one another.
5. The two mothers in the novel, Lacey May and Jade, both want what is best for their children, regardless of how it's received by them and the broader implications of their actions. Do you believe Noelle and Gee ultimately reach an understanding as to why their mothers behave how they do?
6. The town hall in which the school integration is discussed is set in 2002, yet this issue is still present today. How did this storyline relate to your understanding of the current school integration debate?
7. When Noelle, Margarita, and Diane come together in their search for Robbie, Noelle attempts to heal the rift between them, despite their fraught relationship. She tells Margarita, "I've been thinking. Our parents are always going to have their problems, but that doesn't mean we have to stay away from each other. We can be family on our own terms." Noelle is attempting to heal a longstanding wound. How do other characters in the book attempt to do the same with the people in their lives?
8. Noelle is labelled as white multiple times, and most notably by Inéz and Ruth, which results in two different reactions in the moment. Why did Noelle's response vary in each instance? Have there been moments where you have not been seen in the way that you identify?
9. Identity politics is an important thread throughout this novel. Discuss the ways in which Diane has internalized some of Lacey May's prejudices. How does that affect her relationship with Alma?
10. Jade fights for her son's place in the world, wanting him to have more opportunities than she or Ray had. Discuss how this influences Gee and shapes what he expects from the world and other people.
11. This novel is filled with mostly fraught relationships that ultimately show the depth and complexities of love. Was there a particular relationship in the novel that spoke to you the most? Did it remind you of a relationship in your own life?
12. When Noelle and Ruth speak about Lacey May's acceptance of Alma, Noelle comments, "It's not the same as being black." Discuss what Noelle means by this.
13. By the final scenes at the wedding, it appears that Noelle has reconciled with her family. Yet she grapples with their limitations and the way they can progress in certain ways, accept some things but not others. Discuss what is meant by the line, "They'd never admit how willingly they'd played their parts."

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