The Newlyweds Reading Guide & Discussion Questions

Book Club Discussion Questions

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For supplemental discussion material see our Beyond the Book article, Sondesh and our BookBrowse Review of The Newlyweds.

Please be aware that this discussion guide will contain spoilers!

1. Amina thinks, "Their courtship had more in common with her grandparents'—which had been arranged through a professional matchmaker in their village—than with her parents', who'd had a love marriage" (p. 28). Are there fundamental differences between finding a partner on the Internet and traditional matchmaking methods? What might make a traditional arranged marriage or one made online appealing to men and women in the twenty-first century?
2. What does Amina and George's online correspondence reveal about their respective personalities and expectations? In what ways are they well suited to each other despite their different backgrounds? What do their decisions to seek a spouse online indicate about their approaches to and ideas about marriage? How do their personal motivations influence the information they offer—and hold back?
3. "In spite of all the preparation, there was something surprising about actually finding herself in Rochester, waiting for a green card in the mail" (pp. 7–8). What aspects of Amina's new life does she find puzzling, pleasing, or difficult to accept? Consider, for example, the dinner at George's mother's house (p. 18); the wedding preparations and ceremony (pp. 38–40); and her various work experiences. What presents the greatest psychological challenges? What compromises does she make and why?

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