Book Club Discussion Questions and Guide for The Girl He Used to Know by Tracey Garvis Graves

1. What was your impression of the book? Did the story engage you quickly or did it take a while for you to become invested in the plot and characters? What were some of the emotions you experienced while reading The Girl He Used to Know?
2. This book is quite a bit different from the author's debut novel, On the Island. How did you feel about that? Did you enjoy exploring a different genre, premise, and characters, or do you prefer to read books that stay within one genre and/or are part of a series?
3. How did you feel about the main characters? Did you find their actions realistic and believable? Was there one character that stood out for you more than the others? If so, why? What about the other characters (Annika's mother, Annika's friend Janice, Annika's therapist, Jonathan's boss Bradford, etc…)?
4. How did you feel about the character development in The Girl He Used to Know? Do you think the main characters showed growth and change by the end of the book?
5. How did the bullying and abuse Annika endured for most of her life make you feel about her character? How did it make you feel about the choices she makes?
6. Why do you think Jonathan kept pursuing Annika in the chapters dealing with their past? How do you think this influenced his behavior and decisions in the present?
7. What did you think about the way the point of view was handled in The Girl He Used to Know? Did you like the fact that the chapters set in the past were told from Annika's point of view? Is there a particular character's point of view that really captured your attention?
8. The Girl He Used to Know is a blend of women's fiction and romance, and places significant emphasis on the importance of family and female friendships. Did you enjoy those aspects? How do you feel about the blending of the two genres?
9. What did you think about the relationships Annika had with her mother, father, and brother? How do you think each of those people helped to shape her life?
10. What did you think about Jonathan's dismissal from Northwestern? Did you agree with what he did? Did you understand why he made the choices he did?
11. What did you think of Janice? Do you feel that she and Annika truly had an authentic friendship?
12. How did the characters' backstories shape their future actions in the story?
13. Were there moments when you disagreed with the course of action a character chose?
14. What scene was the most pivotal in the book? How do you think the story would have changed had that scene not taken place?
15. What scene, if any, affected you personally in either a positive or negative way? Why?
16. What surprised you the most about the book? Were there any plot developments you didn't expect?
17. How did Annika's worldview negatively affect her safety and well-being? What emotions did these choices evoke in you?
18. What moral/ethical choices did the characters have to make? What did you think of these choices? Would you have done the same thing?
19. What did you think of the ending? Was it satisfying?
20. What did you take away from this book? Would you recommend it to others?

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