Book Club Discussion Questions and Guide for The Husbands by Chandler Baker

1. In your ideal world, what is one thing you wish a partner would do to help without being asked?
2. At what point in the story did you start to believe something was off about the residents of Dynasty Ranch, and what does that reveal to you about your own sense of social norms?
3. The book spends a significant amount of time exploring the plight of the working mother through the eyes of Nora, but how does the undue burden of domestic and emotional labor negatively impact not just mothers but all women?
4. Can a husband know what a 50/50 split of domestic labor looks like when they've never shouldered all of it before?
5. Comparisons are often drawn between The Husbands and The Stepford Wives. What is the difference between the Stepford wives and the husbands in this novel?
6. Cornelia seems to live by a code of teleological ethics, believing that if the goal is morally important enough, any method of achieving it is acceptable. Up to what point were you willing to buy into Cornelia's logic? Is there a moment when you think Cornelia broke with her own moral code?
7. Penny specializes in giving warm, thoughtful advice. What is the kindest piece of advice you could offer to yourself during this period of your life?
8. Do you feel sorry for the men of Dynasty Ranch? Why or why not?
9. What do you make of Nora's decision in the last line of the book? Were you surprised? Did you find this final choice in or out of character for her? How so? Is she justified?
10. Let's say tomorrow you are given the keys to a new house in Dynasty Ranch complete with all the amenities. How does your life change?

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