Book Club Discussion Questions and Guide for If I Had Your Face by Frances Cha

1. What did you learn about Korean culture from this novel? What surprised you? How did the setting impact the story?
2. Why do you think the author chose to tell the story from multiple points of view? How did this impact your reading experience and connection to the characters?
3. Which character did you like the most and why?
4. Kyuri says, "Even as a girl, I knew the only chance I had was to change my face." What does she mean? What role does beauty play in this story? In what ways are beauty standards in Cha's portrayal of Korea different or similar to those in the US?
5. Discuss how social class exists in the novel. How does it impact the relationships between characters? What do you think the author is trying to say about class mobility in Korea?
6. Why do you think Miho is so enthralled by Ruby? What types of cultural currency does Ruby have that the other women don't, and how does this impact the trajectory of her life?
7. How does parenthood, particularly motherhood, factor into the story? How does the author push back at traditional notions of family?
8. When Miho finds out that Hanbin is cheating on her, she decides to use the relationship to benefit financially and enhance her reputation. What do you make of this? Do you think her choice is justified?
9. How does Cha explore Korean gender stereotypes, and how do they compare to those in the US?
10. Looking at a photo of Wonna's baby toward the end of the book, Kyuri says "I understand what it would be like to think only about tomorrow, instead of just today." Where do you think each character ends up a er the novel ends? What would your hopes for them be?

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