Contemporary fiction · Book club
The Storied Life of A.J. Fikry book club questions
Here are 12 book club questions for The Storied Life of A.J. Fikry by Gabrielle Zevin, ordered to open easily and end somewhere worth arguing about. Copy them, print them, or bring them up one at a time.
The 12 questions
- 1.
The chapter-opening short story recommendations are a formal choice that might feel gimmicky. Did the device work for you? What would the novel lose without them?
- 2.
A.J. is initially a snob — he dismisses commercial fiction and difficult customers alike. Do you find his eventual softening earned or convenient?
- 3.
Amelia is the novel's most underexplored character. What do you know about her that A.J. doesn't, and what does that gap tell you?
- 4.
The decision to leave Maya in the store, and the mother's note, are the inciting premise. How does the novel handle the ethics of that situation?
- 5.
The novel is beloved by booksellers and librarians. Does knowing that change how you read it — does it feel like preaching to the choir?
- 6.
Compared to Tomorrow, and Tomorrow, and Tomorrow (Zevin's later novel about creative collaboration and love) — what themes persist? What did she learn between them?
- 7.
The island setting isolates the characters in ways that are both charming and slightly convenient. Would the same story work in a city?
- 8.
How does the novel treat commercial fiction versus literary fiction? Does it reach a satisfying position on that question?
- 9.
The short story selections include Flannery O'Connor, Raymond Carver, and Roald Dahl, among others. What do those choices tell you about A.J.?
- 10.
Maya grows up in a bookstore. What does the novel suggest about what that kind of childhood does to a person?
- 11.
Who in the novel do you think is most changed by the experience of reading, and what specific books did the changing?
- 12.
Would you have liked more or less of Amelia's perspective? What would the novel look like told entirely from her point of view?
How to run the discussion
- Pick six to eight, not all of them. An hour of real discussion covers fewer questions than anyone expects, and racing the list is what makes a book club feel like homework.
- Open with what people noticed, not what they concluded. Asking for a verdict first hardens opinions before anyone has heard each other.
- Let the disagreement run. The questions below that split a room are the ones worth the time; the ones everyone answers the same way can be skipped.
- Ask the quiet person a specific question. A direct, narrow question is far easier to answer than an open invitation to contribute.
Themes worth steering toward
If the conversation stalls, these are the threads that usually restart it.
Common questions
What are good book club questions for The Storied Life of A.J. Fikry?
Here are 12 book club questions for The Storied Life of A.J. Fikry by Gabrielle Zevin, ordered to open easily and end somewhere worth arguing about. The strongest openers ask what each reader noticed rather than what they concluded, and the discussion usually turns on books and reading, grief and recovery, community and belonging.
How long should a book club discussion of The Storied Life of A.J. Fikry last?
Most groups run 60 to 90 minutes of actual discussion. That is roughly six to eight questions, not all of them, so pick the ones that suit your group rather than working down the list in order.
What are the main themes in The Storied Life of A.J. Fikry?
Books and reading, Grief and recovery, Community and belonging, Unexpected family, Love after loss. Those are the threads most likely to divide a room, which makes them the useful places to steer a discussion that has gone quiet.
Picking the next one? See books like The Storied Life of A.J. Fikry or questions for other book club picks.
