Tell Me Lies

Fiction | Novel | Adult | Published in 2018

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Summary

Background

Chapter Summaries & Analyses

Part 1

Part 2

Part 3, Chapters 23-30

Part 3, Chapters 31-38

Part 4

Character Analysis

Themes

Symbols & Motifs

Important Quotes

Book Club Questions

Tools

Beta

Discussion Questions

Book Club Questions

General Impressions

Content Warning: This section of the guide includes discussion of disordered eating and emotional abuse.

Gather initial thoughts and broad opinions about the book.

1. What are your favorite and least favorite aspects of the book? Who is your favorite character? Who is your least favorite character?

2. How did the shifting first-person perspective impact your experience of the book? What did you gain by having access to both Lucy’s and Stephen’s perspectives?

Personal Reflection and Connection

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

1. At the end of the book, CJ states, “Everyone has that guy” (371). Have you ever known someone like Stephen DeMarco? What were some indicators that the person was not truthful? What similarities did that person have with Stephen?

2. How does the atmosphere at Baird College compare with the college experience that you or someone you know had? How accurate is the depiction of college life in the novel?

3. Do you think the relationship between Lucy and CJ is realistic? Have you ever experienced conflict with a parental figure?

Societal and Cultural Context

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

1. The book explores body dysmorphia, eating disorders, and unhealthy attitudes and perceptions about weight. How do the characters’ attitudes and perceptions of weight reflect societal beauty standards and the way society portrays and perceives thinness and body fat? How well does the book handle this topic?

2. How does the novel’s exploration of manipulation and psychological abuse in romantic relationships reflect societal awareness of toxic relationships and abuse? How has society’s awareness and understanding of abusive relationships grown and changed over time?

3. How do the pop-culture references in the novel reflect 2010s American culture?

Literary Analysis

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

1. How does music, such as that of Fleetwood Mac and The Cranberries, drive the themes and characters of the novel?

2. How relatable are the characters in the novel? Why do you think the author chose to focus on multiple affluent characters?

3. What is the effect of the novel’s narrative structure? How does dividing the story into four parts impact the reading experience? Does the dual timeline affect how you process the novel’s events?

4. How do the settings of California and New York set the tone for the novel? How do these settings drive the novel’s characterization and themes?

Creative Engagement

Encourage imaginative and creative connections to the book.

1. Create a mood board reflecting the novel’s themes or characters. Explain any images, colors, and words you have chosen and how they reflect the themes or characters.

2. Summarize an alternate version of the novel exploring toxic relationships through the perspectives of other girls and women with whom Stephen has relationships (e.g., Diana, Jenna, Alice, Jillian, or Macy).

3. Imagine a sequel that focuses on the lives of the characters after Bree and Evan’s wedding. What do you think would happen? How would the characters further develop and grow?

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