Funny Story

1. General Impressions 

Gather initial thoughts and broad opinions about the book.

• This novel falls into the “forced together” subgenre of romance novels. When you read romance, is this your favorite way for characters to find one another? If so, why? If not, what other types of starting situations do prefer and why?
• How does this novel compare with other Emily Henry titles? Will you be revisiting this one? Why or why not?

2. Personal Reflection and Connection 

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

• In the novel, Daphne makes a spur-of-the-moment decision to move in with Miles after a shock breakup. Have you ever made an unlikely/whimsical/out-of-character choice after an unexpected piece of news, either good or bad?
• One of the appealing things about Miles is his deep knowledge of Waning Bay. Why does his embeddedness in the community attract Daphne, and how does she follow his example? Have you ever been transplanted to a new location? What did you learn from the experience of having to make a new home in an unfamiliar place?
• Did you enjoy the chemistry and build-up of sexual tension between Miles and Daphne? Why does the novel have them almost have sex several times only to have something interrupt them unexpectedly? In real life, would this heighten desire or create awkwardness that was hard to overcome?
• As a librarian and a lover of books, Daphne often describes her life as though she is narrating a story. Is this a helpful way to create some distance from overly turbulent events? What are the drawbacks to experiencing life in this way? Do you ever pull back to try to see yourself as a disinterested narrator would?
• Which familial relationships—the sibling dynamic between Miles and Julia, the mother-daughter bond between Daphne and Holly, the estrangement between Daphne and her father—rang truest to you, and why? Which were most removed from your experience?

3. Societal and Cultural Context 

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

• Social media plays a big role in Daphne’s understanding of Peter and Petra’s relationship. What does the novel say about the ways curated self-presentation affects its consumers? How should we approach this aspect of our culture?
• A criticism sometimes leveled at novels that feature white, heterosexual protagonists is that characters from marginalized or minority groups often get little development outside of their relationship to the main characters. Is this a fair critique of the way Ashleigh is portrayed? What does Henry do to avoid flattening Daphne’s fellow librarian into the Black best friend stereotype? Is the attempt successful?
• The romance genre depicts intimacy with a broad spectrum of approaches, from explicit and graphic sex scenes to fade-to-black implications. Where does this novel fall on that continuum? How does Henry tackle modern ideas about consent within these scenes?

4. Literary Analysis 

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

• As a first-person narrator, Daphne must be appealing to readers on her own merits—without an objective third-person voice telling us to like her. How and why does her self-deprecating tone and observant approach to the world endear her to readers? Is anything about her narrative voice off-putting?
• Compare and contrast the novel’s several mothers. How does Ashleigh’s maternal style differ from and align with Holly’s? How do these mothers compare to Miles and Julia’s mother?
• The novel features several second chances: Peter and Petra act on their long-simmering attraction, Daphne and Miles get another shot at love, Ashleigh allows Daphne to make up for her mistakes and reconnect as friends, and Daphne’s father has an opportunity to turn over a new leaf. How do these second chances work out for the characters? Why are some successful and some mistakes?
• How does the setting play into the novel’s message about the importance of community? Why does Henry choose to have Daphne work in a library and Miles in a wine bar? What do these settings have in common?

5. Creative Engagement 

Encourage imaginative and creative connections to the book.

• The novel’s title is a reference to how Daphne comes to think of the way she and Miles got together. Do you like this hindsight title? What else could this novel have been named?
• Cooking and eating are featured prominently in the story, as Miles shows Daphne how to appreciate all of her senses and the many physical pleasures she has not been enjoying. Which of the many dishes that the main characters eat would you most want to try and why?

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