Book Club Discussion Questions and Guide for What We Leave Behind by Sue Halpern

1. How does friendship influence the lives of Melody and Candace, and how influential are the "chosen" families in their lives?
2. How does the theme of trust and honesty play out in the story, particularly in light of the revelation about Melody's parentage?
3. How do Melody, Lily, Candace and Paul navigate the tension between happiness and expectations?
4. How are the stories of Candace and Melody related?
5. Imagine Melody and Candace a year after the book ends. What do their lives look like based on what you know about them now?
6. How does the novel balance elements of humor and reflection amid the somber events of the story?
7. To what does the title What We Leave Behind refer? Do we all leave behind things in our own lives?

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