Book Club Questions for The People We Keep by Allison Larkin

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Book club questions for The People We Keep by Allison Larkin invite readers to explore the complex themes of coming-of-age, self-discovery, and the power of human connection.

This lyrical novel tells the story of April Sawicki, a young woman who sets off on a journey to find herself after growing up in a small town where she’s never quite fit in. As she travels through the country, meeting new people and discovering her passion for music, April must confront her past and learn to trust herself and others.

Through April’s experiences, The People We Keep offers a profound meditation on the resilience of the human spirit and the transformative power of empathy and love. From the challenges of family relationships to the joys of creative expression, this novel explores a wide range of topics that are sure to inspire lively discussion among book club members.

So, whether you’re meeting in person or virtually, get ready to delve into the richly imagined world of Allison Larkin’s latest novel, and share your thoughts and insights with fellow readers.

I hope the following book club discussion questions for will enhance your exploration of The People We Keep by Allison Larkin! ✨

The Synopsis

Little River, New York, 1994: April Sawicki is living in a motorless motorhome that her father won in a poker game. Failing out of school, picking up shifts at a local diner, she’s left fending for herself in a town where she’s never quite felt at home. When she “borrows” her neighbor’s car to perform at an open mic night, she realizes her life could be much bigger than where she came from. After a fight with her dad, April packs her stuff and leaves for good, setting off on a journey to find a life that’s all hers.

Driving without a chosen destination, she stops to rest in Ithaca. Her only plan is to survive, but as she looks for work, she finds a kindred sense of belonging at Cafe Decadence, the local coffee shop. Still, somehow, it doesn’t make sense to her that life could be this easy. The more she falls in love with her friends in Ithaca, the more she can’t shake the feeling that she’ll hurt them the way she’s been hurt. As April moves through the world, meeting people who feel like home, she chronicles her life in the songs she writes and discovers that where she came from doesn’t dictate who she has to be.

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Selected Reviews for The People We Keep

“Raw, surprising and ultimately uplifting, Allison Larkin’s The People We Keep will break your heart a million different ways before putting it back together again.” —Julia Claiborne Johnson

“What does it mean to feel at home in the world? To find our true family? In Larkin’s luminous new novel, a young songwriter steals a car, hits the road, and struggles against all odds to try to find the answer. About the people we choose—and even more importantly the people who choose us—The People We Keep is both a profound love letter to creative resilience and a reminder that sometimes even tragedy can be a kind of blessing.” —Caroline Leavitt

“Tender, tragic, and triumphant. Allison Larkin has created a cast of characters in The People We Keep that thrums with realism—stripped bare, naked humanity—and a story that sings of what it means to build the family you need when life doesn’t give that to you from birth. This is a story you will never forget. I loved it with all my heart.” —Therese Walsh

“You’ll root for this often lonely, ceaselessly interesting underdog and her family of friends every step of the way.” —People Magazine

Book Club Questions for The People We Keep

Spoiler alert: my book club questions may contain spoilers, so make sure to discuss them after you’ve finished reading.

Sometimes, small, unexpected acts or chance encounters can have a profound impact on our lives. Can you think of a moment like this in your own life? Is it possible to predict when these moments will occur, or do they always catch us by surprise?
Think about a time when you were in a new place, such as starting a new job or moving to a new city. How did the people you met shape your experience? In what ways did you learn about yourself and the world around you? Did your perspective change as a result of these interactions?
April’s departure from Little River was a significant moment in the book. Do you think her leaving was inevitable, or could she have stayed? How might staying have changed her story? Can April’s decision to leave tell us anything about why her mother left years earlier?
April’s decision to accept Adam’s offer to stay on his couch was a risk, but it ultimately led to a deepening of their relationship. Have you ever found yourself in a similar situation, where accepting someone’s help led to something more significant? How difficult is it to build trust with someone new, especially in a situation like April’s?
Loss can be a powerful force in shaping our lives, even when it is just the fear of losing someone. Reflect on a time when you experienced loss and how it affected your relationships with others. Can the idea of losing someone affect how you respond to building new relationships?
April’s experience of having a hot shower and feeling at home in Adam’s apartment initially felt strange to her. Can you recall a time when someone’s kindness made you feel uncomfortable or unsure? How did you eventually come to accept it?
In The People We Keep, the campground by the lake serves as a recurring setting for April. How does the location and timing of April’s visits to the lake contribute to the themes of the novel? How do the experiences April has at the lake influence her personal growth and understanding of herself?
When April reunites with Matty in New York, she reflects on what her life would have been like if she had stayed in Little River with him. How does her decision to leave shape her perspective on her past and present? In what ways do April’s experiences on the road shape her identity and personal growth?
The book is written in the first-person narrative from April’s perspective. How does this affect your reading of the novel? What do you think would have been different if the novel were written from a different perspective?
The book deals with themes of abandonment, loneliness, and finding one’s identity. How do you think April’s experiences with these themes shape her as a character throughout the novel?
April’s relationships with the people she meets throughout her journey are complex and varied, from her strained relationship with her father to her intimate relationships with Justin and Adam. How do these relationships contribute to the themes of the novel, and how do they help April grow as a person?
The People We Keep takes place in the 1990s, a time before social media and widespread internet use. How does the setting affect the plot and themes of the novel? Would the story have been different if it took place in a different time period?
Music plays a large role in the novel, with April writing songs as a way to express herself and cope with her emotions. How does music affect the mood and tone of the novel? Are there any particular songs or lyrics that stood out to you?
In part two of The People We Keep, April makes a living performing in cafes and bars, drawing inspiration from her life experiences to write music that resonates with her audience. How does April’s art reflect her personal struggles and journey? What does her music mean to her and how does it influence her identity?
April finds solace in building deep, meaningful relationships with others who feel lost and alone. Reflect on a time when you connected with someone over shared experiences or struggles. How can these connections help us feel less alone and more understood? Who else in the novel shares a lot with April in terms of their experiences?
Justin, a college student struggling with career pressure, joins April on a road trip to escape his responsibilities. How does Justin’s desire to escape compare and contrast with April’s reasons for leaving? How do their similarities and differences shape their relationship and their respective journeys?
Tattoos can hold significant meaning for many people, and Carly’s decision to get a mayflower tattoo speaks to the idea of finding hope after difficult times. Would you ever consider getting a tattoo? In what ways can tattoos represent personal growth and change?
April’s choice to withhold her age from Adam was motivated by her fear of losing him. Can you think of a time when fear influenced your decision-making? How can the fear of losing something important to us impact our actions, even if we know it’s not the right choice?
April’s relationship with Robert prompts her to reflect on the difference between merely existing with someone versus being intimate with them. How does this realization contribute to April’s understanding of love and relationships? How does April’s evolving perspective on leaving and home influence her decision to stay with Robert?
When Rosemary discovers April’s fabricated date of birth on her ID, April is faced with the fear of her true age being exposed. How does this fear trigger April’s tendency to leave and run away from her problems? In what ways can April’s actions be seen as a form of impostor syndrome? What is April trying to prove by constantly reinventing herself and her identity?
When April arrives in Asheville, she meets Ethan, a theatre teacher who helps her find work and offers her a place to stay. How does April’s interaction with Ethan and Robert challenge her perspective on her journey and the idea of home? In what ways does April’s perception of her path and dreams change throughout the novel?
April struggles with the idea of belonging and feeling like she doesn’t fit in, both in Little River and in Ithaca. How do her experiences in these two towns differ, and what does she learn about herself and her sense of belonging through these experiences?
The People We Keep is a novel that celebrates creative resilience and the power of music to connect people. How do you think this message is conveyed throughout the novel, and what impact does it have on the reader?
Throughout the novel, April makes choices that have significant consequences for herself and the people she cares about. Do you think her choices were ultimately the right ones? How do they shape her as a character, and what lessons do they teach her?
April’s journey takes her across the country and introduces her to a variety of people from different backgrounds and walks of life. How do these experiences broaden her perspective and contribute to her growth as a person?
The People We Keep is a novel that explores the idea of family, both biological and chosen. How does the novel challenge traditional notions of family, and what do you think it has to say about the importance of community and connection?

Enhance your book club

Leaving or staying: weighing the pros and cons of April’s choices. If you were in April’s shoes, would you leave the people and places you love to protect them, or would you stay and face the consequences? Divided into two groups, discuss the different factors that would influence April’s decision to leave or stay. What could be the potential benefits and drawbacks of both choices? How would each option impact April’s growth and relationships throughout the novel?
The impact of time on place: exploring the changes in the settings of The People We Keep. Time passes, and places transform. In the book, April revisits some of the places she left behind and notices how they have changed. Similarly, in our own lives, we may return to places we once knew and find them remarkably different. Together, brainstorm places that have drastically changed in your life or in the world around you. How do these changes affect your memories of those places? What do they say about the passage of time?
The many meanings of home: understanding April’s quest for belonging. Home can be a physical place, a group of people, a feeling, or a combination of all of the above. In The People We Keep, April discovers various types of “home” throughout her journey. In your own life, what does “home” mean to you? Discuss different kinds of homes that you have found, whether they are related to family, friends, hobbies, or personal interests. How have these homes helped you feel a sense of belonging?
The power of music: reflecting on lyrics that resonate. Music can convey emotions, stories, and messages in a unique way. In The People We Keep, April’s music is a reflection of her experiences and feelings. Together, share song lyrics that have been meaningful in your life. Alternatively, try writing a verse or a chorus inspired by a moment, a character, or a theme in the novel. How does music help us process our emotions and connect with others?

Additional Recommendations

Hope you enjoyed book club questions for The People We Keep by Allison Larkin! Here are some more book recommendations along with their synopses.

In Five Years by Rebecca Serle

A striking, powerful, and moving love story following an ambitious lawyer who experiences an astonishing vision that could change her life forever.

Where do you see yourself in five years?

Dannie Kohan lives her life by the numbers.

She is nothing like her lifelong best friend—the wild, whimsical, believes-in-fate Bella. Her meticulous planning seems to have paid off after she nails the most important job interview of her career and accepts her boyfriend’s marriage proposal in one fell swoop, falling asleep completely content.

But when she awakens, she’s suddenly in a different apartment, with a different ring on her finger, and beside a very different man. Dannie spends one hour exactly five years in the future before she wakes again in her own home on the brink of midnight—but it is one hour she cannot shake. In Five Years is an unforgettable love story, but it is not the one you’re expecting.

Where the Forest Meets the Stars by Glendy Vanderah

In this gorgeously stunning debut, a mysterious child teaches two strangers how to love and trust again.

After the loss of her mother and her own battle with breast cancer, Joanna Teale returns to her graduate research on nesting birds in rural Illinois, determined to prove that her recent hardships have not broken her. She throws herself into her work from dusk to dawn, until her solitary routine is disrupted by the appearance of a mysterious child who shows up at her cabin barefoot and covered in bruises.

The girl calls herself Ursa, and she claims to have been sent from the stars to witness five miracles. With concerns about the child’s home situation, Jo reluctantly agrees to let her stay―just until she learns more about Ursa’s past.

Jo enlists the help of her reclusive neighbor, Gabriel Nash, to solve the mystery of the charming child. But the more time they spend together, the more questions they have. How does a young girl not only read but understand Shakespeare? Why do good things keep happening in her presence? And why aren’t Jo and Gabe checking the missing children’s website anymore?

Though the three have formed an incredible bond, they know difficult choices must be made. As the summer nears an end and Ursa gets closer to her fifth miracle, her dangerous past closes in. When it finally catches up to them, all of their painful secrets will be forced into the open, and their fates will be left to the stars.

Forever, Interrupted by Taylor Jenkins Reid

“Have you ever heard of supernovas? They shine brighter than anything else in the sky and then fade out really quickly, a short burst of extraordinary energy. I like to think you and Ben were like that . . . in that short time, you had more passion than some people have in a lifetime.”

Elsie Porter is an average twentysomething and yet what happens to her is anything but ordinary. On a rainy New Year’s Day, she heads out to pick up a pizza for one. She isn’t expecting to see anyone else in the shop, much less the adorable and charming Ben Ross. Their chemistry is instant and electric. Ben cannot even wait twenty-four hours before asking to see her again. Within weeks, the two are head over heels in love. By May, they’ve eloped.

Only nine days later, Ben is out riding his bike when he is hit by a truck and killed on impact. Elsie hears the sirens outside her apartment, but by the time she gets downstairs, he has already been whisked off to the emergency room. At the hospital, she must face Susan, the mother-in-law she has never met—and who doesn’t even know Elsie exists.

Interweaving Elsie and Ben’s charmed romance with Elsie and Susan’s healing process, Forever, Interrupted will remind you that there’s more than one way to find a happy ending.

Thank you for reading my book club discussion questions & happy reading! ❤️