BOOK CLUBS
Discussion Guide for What Happens This Christmas
- The novel explores success, wealth, and privilege. How do you think those things affected Nick and Candy’s marriage?
- Materialistic possessions were used as a defense and shield for Candy. Let’s discuss her character and the deep-seated emotions that made her up. Did you empathize with her at some part? When did you begin to understand her and why she could be perceived as an ice queen?
- Discuss the way familiar marital relations take center stage. The main characters’ problem isn’t love. What is it?
- Nick and Candy’s pasts defines their combined future, but in what ways? Explore what made Candy pivot from a soft woman to an ice queen.
- The juxtaposition of Candy and Eloise is strongly highlighted. In what ways does this lend to the plot?
- Fifth Avenue fashion is prominent enough to be considered a minor lead. How would you say its impact bled into the narrative?
- Intermittently in the novel there’s mentions of the past. Did it aid in your understanding of the characters’ developments and motivations?
- Nick and Candy‘s relationship was affected by their friend group, but individually in different ways. What were those ways? How did you see the dynamic shift, particularly between Candy and Irina, throughout Candy’s development?
- Do you think it was the author’s point to draw parallels between a marriage of two privileged individuals and non-privileged ones?
- At the novel’s start, Nick asks for a divorce. Did you imagine it would wind up the way it did? Did you find yourself rooting for them to stay together by the end?
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