The Well-Read Woman Book Club discussion

Our Contemporary/Popular Pick for March 2020 is Little Fires Everywhere by Celeste Ng.

What has motivated you to want to read this novel? Do you have any expectations or assumptions before you've opened it? Have you heard anyone else talking about it? Will you buy the book, or were you lucky enough to put yourself on the library waitlist for it? Did you know that Hulu is starting a miniseries adaptation?

I have about 100 pages left in the book at this point, how is everyone else's reading going?

I found a reading group guide and written by the author, Celeste Ng, on her book that I've posted below. It includes Spotify playlists for each character in the book and more information and pictures about Shaker Heights in addition to the discussion questions and insight from the author.
Little Fires Everywhere Book Club Guide

Just finished this book the other day!
Thanks for the link, I found it quite interesting.

For all those currently quarantining themselves for the safety of others, Hulu has added the screen adaptation today! I’m starting now! Anyone else?

I saw that was on Hulu as well. That’s a good idea for a quarantine activity!

I heard it was coming out and released early, though I have limited internet access and streaming takes a lot so I might wait on watching. I definitely enjoyed the book and must admit I am also hesitant to watch as I developed such a vivid picture of Shaker Heights in my mind.

I'm definitely enjoying comparing the two. Did you guys find that the differences between the book and the adaptation changed the voice of the novel for you?

I find Kerry Washington intense. She's portraying the role with a harder aura than my own reading of Mia, anyone else? It isn't that I don't like her for the role, but entirely different and less whimsically artistic than how I read it. I did think it a poor choice to have Mia almost warrior-like about sex, wherein the book she remained a virgin, I think it took away from her character?

Being that Celeste Ng published the book in 2017, it's interesting to me that they made the screen adaptation even more political than that within the book, where race/motherhood/abortion/human rights are all mentioned, the series brought it an even more heightened portrayal.

I do have a couple of discussion questions from the Book Club Guide above that I think may be somewhat provoking, but super interesting to hear you guys' opinions, nonetheless.


The debate over the fate of May Ling/Mirabelle is multilayered and heartbreaking. Who do you think should raise her?

What ultimately bothers Elena about Mia?

The novel begins with a great conflagration, but its conclusion is even more devastating. What do you think happens to Elena after the novel ends? To Mia and Pearl? To Izzy? Do you think Izzy ever returns to Shaker and her family?


Also, did you LIKE the 90's vibes?! What a throwback! I highly suggest opening the book guide and checking out the playlist Celeste Ng created for what each character would be listening to.

This is a re read for me. I still love it. Little Fires Everywhere is a great story with very relatable characters. Some so cringeworthy like Mrs. Richardson. And the 90’s vibe to boot. All the convoluted twists in the plot kept me entertained. I also loved the ending. Good for Izzy...she needed to get the heck out of that narcissistic household. I do hope she connects with Mia. She will thrive. I don’t think Izzy will return to Shaker Heights. Perhaps Elena will change, and years later she goes looking for Izzy. I am looking forward to watching the Hulu adaptation with Reece Witherspoon.

One last comment. Elena is threatened by Mia because Mia does what she wants. Elena envies Mia. Elena is confined to too many rules and too Mitch planning. A. Combination of both Elena and Mia is the ideal.