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Book club questions for The Starfish Sisters by Barbara O’Neal explore the themes of enduring friendship, forgiveness, the impact of secrets, the resilience of women, and the transformative power of love and art.
Quite a powerful novel! The complex relationship between two very different young girls and how it bends and sways and breaks and rebuilds over the rest of their lives is so finely drawn and so cleverly written.
I loved every moment of reading this story with all its nuances and would highly recommend it to anyone who loves reading about complicated, multifaceted, flawed characters who could be the person looking back at you in the mirror, or your best friend.
What were your impressions of this novel? ✨
The Starfish Sisters by Barbara O’Neal
In this blog post, you will find my thoughtfully crafted discussion questions for The Starfish Sisters.
At the bottom of this post I have also prepared a downloadable PDF version of the book club questions for your personal use, along with some additional suggestions for novels that share similar themes and narratives.
For a complete list of Barbara O’Neal’s books in order, click here!
Let me know if you find these book club questions useful. I’m excited to hear your unique perspectives during your book club discussions!
Book Club Questions | Additional Recommendations | Printable List
About the Story
The Starfish Sisters is a heartfelt novel about the enduring friendship between Phoebe and Suze, who were as close as sisters in their coastal Oregon town.
However, secrets from their past strained their bond. Decades later, Suze, a famous actress, returns to town seeking refuge after a brutal attack. Phoebe, a successful artist, grapples with her own secrets and the impending departure of her granddaughter to London.
The book explores their journey to confront their past and heal their friendship, showcasing the resilience and power of women and the complexities of female friendship.
About the Author
Barbara O’Neal is a renowned author with over a dozen award-winning novels, including the international bestseller “When We Believed in Mermaids.” She’s known for her captivating storytelling and has received recognition on bestseller lists like the Wall Street Journal and USA Today.
Barbara’s love for travel and cooking led her to discover the Oregon coast, where she now resides in a unique beach house overlooking the sea with her British husband and their pets.
Notable achievements include “The Art of Inheriting Secrets,” a chart-topper in Australia and England, and “How to Bake A Perfect Life,” which won a prestigious RITA award. She was inducted into the Romance Writers of America’s HALL OF FAME in 2012 for her contributions to romantic women’s fiction.
Barbara is also an adventurous traveler, having explored various countries and tackled challenging hikes, such as the Camino de Santiago in Spain. She continues to find inspiration for her writing through her journeys.
Book Club Questions for The Starfish Sisters
Disclaimer: the following discussion questions contain spoilers, so proceed with caution if you haven’t finished the book yet.
- Phoebe and Suze’s friendship is described as being “closer than sisters.” How does their friendship evolve throughout the book, and what challenges do they face?
- The story alternates between the past and the present. How does this dual timeline narrative enhance your understanding of Phoebe and Suze’s relationship?
- Beryl plays a significant role in both Phoebe and Suze’s lives. How does her presence shape the story, and how do her actions impact the characters?
- Phoebe’s granddaughter, Jasmine, is preparing to move to London. How does Jasmine’s impending departure affect Phoebe, and what does it symbolize in the larger context of the story?
- The book touches on themes of forgiveness, love, and grace. In what ways do these themes manifest in the lives of the characters, particularly Phoebe and Suze?
- Suze’s abusive relationship with her father is a central part of her backstory. How do you think this traumatic experience shaped her as a person and influenced her choices in life?
- Phoebe’s career as an illustrator and fabric designer is an integral part of her character. How does her creativity and artistic expression impact the story?
- Suze’s fame as an actress is a significant aspect of her life. How does celebrity status affect her relationships and the challenges she faces?
- Letters and diary entries play a role in the narrative. How do these written records provide insights into the characters’ inner thoughts and emotions?
- The book explores the Oregon coastal setting. How does the author’s vivid description of the landscape enhance the story’s atmosphere and mood?
- Phoebe and Suze both have romantic interests in their lives. How do these relationships contribute to their personal growth and the overall plot?
- The book mentions the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic. How does the pandemic affect the characters and their interactions?
- The story touches on themes of friendship, sisterhood, and the enduring bonds between women. How do these themes resonate with your own experiences or beliefs?
- Were you satisfied with the resolution of Phoebe and Suze’s relationship? Did you feel it was a realistic portrayal of forgiveness and reconciliation?
- The title of the book, “The Starfish Sisters,” is a reference to the coastal landscape. How does the symbolism of the starfish relate to the themes and characters in the story?
Additional Recommendations
Hope you enjoyed the book club discussion questions and reading guide for The Starfish Sisters by Barbara O’Neal!
Here are some more of my book club recommendations related to this book:
She Gets the Girl by Rachael Lippincott
Alex Blackwood is a little bit headstrong, with a dash of chaos and a whole lot of flirt. She knows how to get the girl. Keeping her on the other hand…not so much. Molly Parker has everything in her life totally in control, except for her complete awkwardness with just about anyone besides her mom. She knows she’s in love with the impossibly cool Cora Myers. She just…hasn’t actually talked to her yet.
Alex and Molly don’t belong on the same planet, let alone the same college campus. But when Alex, fresh off a bad (but hopefully not permanent) breakup, discovers Molly’s hidden crush as their paths cross the night before classes start, they realize they might have a common interest after all.
Because maybe if Alex volunteers to help Molly learn how to get her dream girl to fall for her, she can prove to her ex that she’s not a selfish flirt. That she’s ready for an actual commitment. And while Alex is the last person Molly would ever think she could trust, she can’t deny Alex knows what she’s doing with girls, unlike her.
As the two embark on their five-step plans to get their girls to fall for them, though, they both begin to wonder if maybe they’re the ones falling…for each other.
The Night of Many Endings by Melissa Payne
From Melissa Payne, bestselling author of Memories in the Drift, comes an emotionally rich, feel-good novel about hope, second chances, and seeing the world through someone else’s eyes.
Orphaned at a young age and witness to her brother’s decline into addiction, Nora Martinez has every excuse to question the fairness of life. Instead, the openhearted librarian in the small Colorado community of Silver Ridge sees only promise.
She holds on to the hope that she’ll be reunited with her missing brother and does what she can at the town library. It’s her home away from home, but it’s also a sanctuary for others who, like her brother, could use a second chance.
There’s Marlene, an elderly loner who believes that, apart from her husband, there’s little good left in the world; Jasmine, a troubled teen; Lewis, a homeless man with lost hope and one last wish; and Vlado, the security guard who loves a good book and, from afar, Nora.
As a winter storm buries Silver Ridge, this collection of lonely hearts takes shelter in the library. They’ll discover more about each other, and themselves, than they ever knew―and Nora will be forced to question her brother’s disappearance in ways she never could have imagined. No matter how stranded in life they feel, this fateful night could be the new beginning they didn’t think was possible.
The Reading List by Sara Nisha Adams
An unforgettable and heartwarming debut about how a chance encounter with a list of library books helps forge an unlikely friendship between two very different people in a London suburb.
Widower Mukesh lives a quiet life in Wembley, in West London after losing his beloved wife. He shops every Wednesday, goes to Temple, and worries about his granddaughter, Priya, who hides in her room reading while he spends his evenings watching nature documentaries.
Aleisha is a bright but anxious teenager working at the local library for the summer when she discovers a crumpled-up piece of paper in the back of To Kill a Mockingbird. It’s a list of novels that she’s never heard of before. Intrigued, and a little bored with her slow job at the checkout desk, she impulsively decides to read every book on the list, one after the other. As each story gives up its magic, the books transport Aleisha from the painful realities she’s facing at home.
When Mukesh arrives at the library, desperate to forge a connection with his bookworm granddaughter, Aleisha passes along the reading list…hoping that it will be a lifeline for him too. Slowly, the shared books create a connection between two lonely souls, as fiction helps them escape their grief and everyday troubles and find joy again.
Printable PDF
Feel free to distribute these discussion questions to your book club members before your meeting. Simply click the link below to download and print the PDF file.
Happy reading! ❤️