The Unwedding

1. General Impressions

Gather initial thoughts and broad opinions about the book.

• What did you like most and least about The Unwedding?
• Compare the novel’s plot, character development, and emotional impact to other novels by Allie Condie (such as her 2016 young adult novel Summerlost) or to novels by other authors in the mystery genre. Did The Unwedding particularly remind you of another novel?

2. Personal Reflection and Connection

Encourage readers to connect the book’s themes and characters with their personal experiences.

• Reflect on any part of The Unwedding that evoked a strong emotional response (Some examples might be Ellery’s discovery of a body floating in the infinity pool; the isolation posed by the highway mudslide, which cuts off all access to and from the town; the discovery of second body; or the various suspicions and revelations throughout the novel). What made this aspect of the novel powerful?
• One of the novel’s themes concerns survivor’s guilt. Have you had any experiences with survivor’s guilt? If so, did the novel’s depiction seem realistic to you?
• How did the novel’s setting in a luxury resort influence your reading? Have you ever been to such a resort?
• Weddings are high-emotion events. How did the non-murder-related wedding plot points, like Olivia being pressured into having a bigger wedding than she wanted or Ben calling off the wedding, make you feel? Have any similar developments happened to you or someone you know?

3. Societal and Cultural Context

Examine the book’s relevance to societal issues, historical events, or cultural themes.

• How does The Unwedding reflect or comment on class, privilege, and culture?
• How does the Big Sur setting, including the art installations, influence the story?
• How do the novel’s themes (The Trauma of Survivor’s Guilt, Class Tensions in Luxury Tourism, The Importance of Maintaining Friendships, or any other themes you identified) resonate with today’s world?

4. Literary Analysis

Dive into the book’s structure, characters, themes, and symbolism.

• The novel groups chapters within sections named for each day of the week, indicating the one-week overall timeline, and uses the third-person omniscient point of view. How does this narrative structure and narrative approach affect the story? Did you find them effective? Why or why not?
• Discuss the development and relatability of key characters. Who did you empathize with, and why?
• Discuss the novel’s use of symbols and motifs (Mystery Media, The Aidan Stone Cake, the Big Sur Landscape, and any others you identified) and their relevance to the story. Do they relate to specific characters, themes, or plot points?

5. Creative Engagement

Encourage imaginative and creative connections to the book.

• If you had the opportunity to adapt The Unwedding into a movie, series, or play, which format would you choose and why? Who would you cast in the lead roles? How might you approach other aspects of the project, such as scripting, set design, direction, and crafting a musical score?
• Imagine you are Ellery and going through a heartbreak after 20 years of marriage. Make your ultimate break-up playlist. Is it sad? Empowering? Compare with your fellow book club members.
• Imagine a sequel or continuation of Ellery’s story. Where does she go next? What did she learn in this book that informs her choices going forward?

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