Book Club Discussion Questions and Guide for Forget Me Not by Stacy Willingham

1. Forget Me Not begins with an epigraph from Susan Atkins, about Charles Manson: "It was like I was a tool in the hands of the Devil." How does this quote relate to what took place at Galloway Farm? Would you compare Mitchell Galloway to a Charles Manson figure? Why or why not?
2. Claire's sister died twenty-two years ago. On page 20 she says, "Grief is not a rational thing." How does Claire face her grief? How does she avoid it? How does her summer at Galloway affect her grief?
3. Claire returns home for the first time in years. On page 25, she says, "I know I'm close by the scents seeping through the open windows: salt, mud, the sticky film of the air itself gripping to my skin like drying glue." What scents, tastes, and feelings instantly remind you of home?
4. On page 73, Marcia writes in her diary, "My name feels like the only thing that's mine." What does she mean by this? How has she lost herself at Galloway? Has she lost herself even before she arrives at Galloway? Do you think the same happens to Claire?
5. Mitchell says to both Claire and Marcia at different times, "I want you to think of this as your home now." Why do you think he told both of them this? What does he mean?
6. How do the different forms of media, like Marcia's diary and various articles, play a role in Claire unraveling the secrets of Galloway? How does Claire's background as a journalist help her?
7. Claire hasn't returned home in many years, Marcia runs away from home, and Mitchell tells the girls to consider Galloway like their home. What role does the theme of "home" play in the novel? How do different characters view home?
8. Are there any parallels between Marcia, Natalie, and Claire's experiences at Galloway?
9. What do the girls from Marcia's past, like Lily, Katherine, and Annie, have in common? How are they different? How do they relate to the greater theme of sisterhood?
10. What did you think about the ending? Do you think Mitchell was the only villain? Do you consider Lily a villain or a victim?

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