Literally Leander discussion

Our last book of the summer was This Golden State by Marit Weisenberg. Please be aware that there will be spoilers for the end of the novel in this thread, so proceed at your own risk!

Our discussion prompts for this month were written by a staff member. As always, you can use the prompts if you would like to. Otherwise, we look forward to seeing your discussion for this month!

1. When talking about her parents, Poppy says: “If I didn’t know who they were, I didn’t know who I was.” Do you agree or disagree with this statement? What would you say is the importance of knowing your family history and heritage, if any?

2. Poppy’s favorite school subjects are math and science, and she directly links her love for them to the instability in her life. What are your favorite school subjects? What do you think your choice says about your personality?

3. Describe Poppy’s relationship with Harry. Do you think her relationship with him influenced any of her decisions over the course of the novel, and if so, which ones?

4. Before knowing that they are going to California, Poppy says that she has wanted to go to there for years. What does California symbolize for Poppy? What about the rest of her family?

5. Discuss the dynamics in Poppy’s family. How does Poppy see her mom and dad? As she figures out more about their history, how do her opinions change?

6. Were you surprised that Poppy separated from her family at the end of the novel? What do you think the future holds for her?

I did not love this book. I gave it a two-star, it's-just-okay rating. For a contemporary fiction, it relied a lot on the reader not knowing how criminal cases and investigations work.

Furthermore, it was a little bland and slow-paced; it takes forever for Poppy to actually take the DNA test, and we're well over halfway through the novel when she learns of her genetic results. After finding out, of course, the novel picks up as she links her familial match to her mother, and uncovers the secret her parents have been keeping.

And even more so, I kind of hated this romance? It's far too instalovey. I felt like Poppy's actions were not indicative of the personality she supposedly had, and if Harry had any sway on that, I don't know. I also was shocked that she decides to separate from her family for Harry, when they barely know each other.

1. When talking about her parents, Poppy says: “If I didn’t know who they were, I didn’t know who I was.” Do you agree or disagree with this statement? What would you say is the importance of knowing your family history and heritage, if any?
I think this is kind of an interesting question. Is Poppy the culmination of her parents? In some ways, yes. In other ways, no. It's not like she ceases to exist if she doesn't know her parents' secrets, but at the same time, I can get where she's coming from. If your parents are not who they tell you, is there any confidence in defining yourself? For some, when asked to tell about themselves, they refer to their familial relationships (a daughter, a sister, etc.) But of course, Poppy is her own person with the capability to carve her own path in her life.

2. Poppy’s favorite school subjects are math and science, and she directly links her love for them to the instability in her life. What are your favorite school subjects? What do you think your choice says about your personality?
I've always been more of a literature/history type of gal. Even now, my free time is often spent reading or watching historical documentaries. (I've been on a WWII kick lately, specifically). Where Poppy's math and science favorites link to the fact that they're always stable, never changing, I have a hard time picturing what literature and history allude to. I don't think that I can claim their correlation to curiosity, and it's not like I feel that I am the opposite of stalwart. I suppose that enjoying literature might be linked to a high level of creativity.