My Summer Darlings

Reader's Guide
My Summer Darlings by May Cobb
Discussion Questions:

1. Early in the novel, we learn that Kittie is mourning the passing of her once-striking looks. Even though she is still stunning, in her mind her beauty has faded, and we find out that she’s actually jealous of her teenage daughter’s figure and good looks. Could you relate at all to her feelings? What did this make you think about Kittie?

2. When the novel opens, Jen—recently divorced and for all purposes a single mom—has moved back to her hometown and into her parents’ rental house. Unlike the well-to-do Kittie and Cynthia, Jen is in financial straits. Did her plight make you feel more sympathetic toward her than the other women?

3. Each of the main characters—Jen, Kittie, and Cynthia—eventually falls for and becomes obsessed with Will. In Kittie’s and Cynthia’s cases, they even go behind one another’s backs. Were you rooting for any of the three women, and why? Which of the women did you relate to the most?

4. What role did the insular East Texas setting play in the novel for you?

5. Each of the women falls pretty hard and fast for Will. Could you see this playing out in real life?

6. How did you feel about Cynthia making the drastic decision to leave with Will?

7. One of the themes of the novel is the increasingly toxic relationship between teens and their parents. This is especially shown with Kittie and Chloe’s relationship. Did you find yourself understanding both Kittie’s and Chloe’s strained feelings about the other? Was there a teen you related to the most?

8. Were you shocked to discover what Will was actually up to?

9. Were you surprised when you discovered who the victim was (or victims were)?