Book Club Discussion Questions and Guide for Mouth to Mouth by Antoine Wilson

1. Mouth to Mouth opens with the narrator reflecting on his recent red-eye. Soon after that, he and Jeff Cook reunite, and the latter shares a story of a woman who only flies unconscious, as well as his feelings about going under general anesthesia for a surgery. How do the themes of these narratives—and the rest of the lead-up to Jeff's saga, including the narrator's memories and observations—echo throughout the novel?
2. What words would you use to describe Wilson's writing style? How does his attention to detail impact your reading of the book and its ideas?
3. Two paintings command longer descriptions in Mouth to Mouth: the one that hangs in Francis's office, and the large diptych that catches Jeff's eye in Sotheby's (p. 97 and p. 130). Perform a close reading of the passages in the context of both characters. Is there a deeper meaning to be gleaned?
4. Compare and contrast airport-lounge Jeff with younger Jeff. What adjectives would you use to describe him? Can you pinpoint moments when the younger Jeff starts to resemble present-day Jeff? Even if Jeff was obscuring the ways in which he and Francis are similar, can you identify traits the two men might share?
5. Although the central drama of Mouth to Mouth is between Jeff and Francis (and arguably the narrator), other characters—specifically women—play a major part in the book. In what ways do G, Chloe, Alison, and Astrid affect the trajectory of the plot? How do they each exercise control?
6. Brainstorm some minor characters—for example, Andrea, Saskia, Dennis, and Alex Post. Fill in their lives; what kind of people are they?
7. Consider if, instead of the narrator mediating Jeff's story, Wilson wrote Mouth to Mouth only from Jeff's perspective. Does the inclusion of a narrator make it easier or more difficult to form your own opinions? Do you find him trustworthy?
8. Jeff is obsessed with his perceived goodness, and he provides few details that make Francis out to be anything other than an asshole. Do you think the novel makes a case for what makes a moral or corrupt person? How does it comment on the human condition?
9. Jeff's story seems to have many endings: when he leaves Francis on the mountain, the immediate aftermath of the man's death and its consequences in Jeff's life, and the novel's final line. Knowing all this information, what do you think really happened? What does it mean for your reading experience that the reveal is left ambiguous?
10. Find a sentence or scene in Mouth to Mouth that especially struck you. What is it about this moment that affected you?

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