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Book club questions for Before We Were Innocent by Ella Berman explore the impact of media scrutiny on people’s lives, the complexities of loyalty, and the question of innocence in the face of public perception.
I loved how the book had a real literary feel but kept this mystery going. Kind of like the book I Have Some Questions for You, although it moves more slowly.
This book is also Reese’s Book Club pick of this month! Definitely an interesting, and unusual pick. For a complete list of celebrity book club picks of December 2023, click here!
What are your thoughts on this novel? ✨
Before We Were Innocent by Ella Berman
In this blog post you will find the discussion questions for Before We Were Innocent by Ella Berman. I’ve also added some additional recommendations worth reading below.
Have an amazing discussion with your book club! ✨
About the Author | Book Club Questions
About the Story
Before We Were Innocent is a story about two best friends, Bess and Joni, who were once accused in connection with their friend Evangeline’s death during a summer in Greece.
Despite being cleared of any involvement, the media’s scrutiny changed their lives. Joni becomes a motivational speaker, embracing the attention, while Bess chooses a quiet, controlled life. A decade later, Joni seeks Bess’s help, asking for an alibi.
As they try to leave their past behind, the story explores whether one can truly be innocent when society insists on guilt.
About the Author
Ella Berman grew up in both London and Los Angeles and worked at Sony Music before starting the clothing brand London Loves LA.
Her debut novel, The Comeback, was inspired by her own teenage diaries and the intense intense dynamics of close friendships. Her second novel, Before We Were Innocent, delves into the mind of a young women navigating the aftermath of a tragic event. It was selected as the Reese’s book club pick for December 2023 and earned critical acclaim.
Elle currently lives lives in London with her husband, James, and their dog, Rocky. For more about Elle, make sure to follow her on social media, here!
Book Club Questions for Before We Were Innocent
Disclaimer: the following discussion questions contain spoilers, so proceed with caution if you haven’t finished the book yet.
- Discuss the role of media in the lives of the characters. How did the media scrutiny affect Bess and Joni? In what ways does the story reflect real-life situations where individuals face intense media attention?
- Explore the portrayal of female friendships in the novel. How are Bess and Joni’s friendship and their interactions reflective of broader themes related to women’s relationships, both positive and toxic?
- What did you think about Joni’s decision to capitalize on her newfound infamy and become a motivational speaker. How does opportunism play a role in the characters’ lives, and what are the consequences?
- The novel draws parallels with real-life situations, particularly in the realm of true crime and media fascination. How does the author use these parallels to engage with contemporary issues, and does it change your perspective on such real-life events?
- What are your thoughts on motivations behind Joni’s return to Bess for an alibi. Do you believe her reasons were solely based on the current situation, or do you think there were deeper motivations at play?
- Examine how the characters, especially Bess and Joni, evolved over the ten-year period. How did their choices and experiences shape their personalities and life trajectories?
- Examine instances where perception differs from reality in the novel. How do the characters present themselves to the public, and how does this differ from their true selves? How is reality shaped by public perception?
- Do you think the characters were truly innocent in the events surrounding Evangeline’s death? How did public perception impact their sense of guilt or innocence?
- Discuss the portrayal of toxic friendships in the novel, particularly in the context of Joni and Bess. How did their friendship impact each other’s lives, and do you think it was ultimately beneficial or detrimental?
- How did the alternating chapters between the past and present enhance the storytelling? Did it contribute to your understanding of the characters and the unfolding mystery?
- What was the significance of the summer in Greece as the backdrop for the story? How did the setting contribute to the atmosphere and tension in the novel?
- The novel draws parallels with real-life situations, particularly in the realm of true crime and media fascination. How does the author use these parallels to engage with contemporary issues, and does it change your perspective on such real-life events?
- Explore the role of the media as a character in the novel. How is the media portrayed, and what commentary does the author make about the media’s impact on individuals’ lives, especially in the context of sensationalized events?
- Discuss the romantic elements in the novel, including Bess’s relationships. How do these relationships contribute to her character development, and do they serve as a form of escape or complication in her life?
- Were you satisfied with how the story concluded? Did it provide the closure you were expecting, or were there lingering questions that you wished were addressed differently?
Additional Recommendations
Hope you enjoyed the book club discussion questions and reading guide for Before We Were Innocent by Ella Berman.
Here are some more of my book club recommendations related to this book, along with their synopses:
The Golden Couple by Greer Hendricks and Sarah Pekkanen
Wealthy Washington suburbanites Marissa and Matthew Bishop seem to have it all—until Marissa is unfaithful.
Beneath their veneer of perfection is a relationship riven by work and a lack of intimacy. She wants to repair things for the sake of their eight-year-old son and because she loves her husband. Enter Avery Chambers. Avery is a therapist who lost her professional license. Still, it doesn’t stop her from counseling those in crisis, though they have to adhere to her unorthodox methods. And the Bishops are desperate.
When they glide through Avery’s door and Marissa reveals her infidelity, all three are set on a collision course. Because the biggest secrets in the room are still hidden, and it’s no longer simply a marriage that’s in danger.
For my book club questions for this book, click here!
None of This Is True by Lisa Jewell
This unputdownable psychological thriller by New York Times bestselling author Lisa Jewell follows a woman who finds herself the subject of her own popular true crime podcast.
Celebrating her forty-fifth birthday at her local pub, popular podcaster Alix Summer crosses paths with an unassuming woman called Josie Fair. Josie, it turns out, is also celebrating her forty-fifth birthday. They are, in fact, birthday twins.
A few days later, Alix and Josie bump into each other again, this time outside Alix’s children’s school. Josie has been listening to Alix’s podcasts and thinks she might be an interesting subject for her series. She is, she tells Alix, on the cusp of great changes in her life.
Josie’s life appears to be strange and complicated, and although Alix finds her unsettling, she can’t quite resist the temptation to keep making the podcast. Slowly she starts to realize that Josie has been hiding some very dark secrets, and before she knows it, Josie has inveigled her way into Alix’s life—and into her home.
But, as quickly as she arrived, Josie disappears. Only then does Alix discover that Josie has left a terrible and terrifying legacy in her wake, and that Alix has become the subject of her own true crime podcast, with her life and her family’s lives under mortal threat.
Who is Josie Fair? And what has she done?
For my book club questions for this book, click here!
Wrong Place Wrong Time by Gillian McAllister
New York Times bestselling author Gillian McAllister has created a thriller unlike any other in this endlessly clever, twisty story of a mother who must move backward through time to prevent tragedy from striking at the heart of her family.
Can you stop a murder after it’s already happened?
It is midnight on the morning of Halloween, and Jen anxiously waits up for her 18-year-old son, Todd, to return home. But worries about his broken curfew transform into something much more dangerous when Todd finally emerges from the darkness. As Jen watches through the window, she sees her funny, seemingly happy teenage son stab a total stranger.
She doesn’t know who the victim is, or why Todd has committed such a devastating act of violence. All she knows is that her life, and Todd’s, have been shattered.
After her son is taken into custody, Jen falls asleep in despair. But when she wakes up…it is yesterday. The murder has not happened yet—and there may be a chance to stop it. Each morning, when Jen wakes, she is further back in the past, first weeks, then years, before the murder. And Jen realizes that somewhere in the past lies the trigger for Todd’s terrible crime…and it is her mission to find it, and prevent it from taking place.
Both the story of a mother’s love and the sacrifices she will make for her child, and a thriller with a brilliant twist, Wrong Place Wrong Time is a one-of-a-kind novel that begs to be read in one sitting.
Happy reading! ❤️