Book Club Discussion Questions and Guide for Honey by Victor Lodato

Book Club Discussion Questions

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Please be aware that this discussion guide will contain spoilers!

1. After the death of her friends Lara and Suzanne, Honey leaves Los Angeles and returns to New Jersey. Why do you think she does this? What is she looking for?
2. In the first chapter, Honey's grandnephew Michael comes to her house, asking for money. Does Honey treat him fairly? What was your opinion of Michael at this point, and how did your opinion change over the course of the book?
3. Honey mentions she knows where three bodies are buried in the state of New Jersey. Two of these are clearly the victims of murder. But what about the third body? Who is it? Is this third body real or metaphorical?
4. Honey spends a lot of time thinking about her father, the Great Pietro. How has her relationship with him affected her life? Toward the end of the book, Honey muses that "maybe she was her father's daughter, after all." Do you agree with this assessment? If not, why?
5. In Honey's art collection there are two major pieces: a painting by Odilon Redon and another by Giorgio Morandi. Did you know these artists prior to reading Honey? Discuss the paintings and how you imagine them. Why do you think these two works of art are so important to Honey?
6. Why do you think Honey is drawn to the paintings of Nathan Flores? At a certain point, there is a significant shift in Honey's friendship with Nathan. Were you surprised?
7. For much of her life, Honey has been haunted by the death of her brother Enzo. As children they were close. Why did they drift apart? What did you think of the Great Pietro's claim that Honey was responsible for Enzo's death?
8. Consider Honey as a portrait of aging. Do you think Honey is aging gracefully? Do you admire her style? Is she vain?
9. Honey has had a long complicated relationship with Angela Carini and some of the other women in Ferryfield. Do you think Honey treats these women fairly— and vice versa? Discuss Honey's final visit with Angela. What does it reveal about these two women?
10. What did you think of Jocelyn when she first appeared? Describe how your feelings about her may have changed as the novel progressed.
11. Did the comedy in the novel enhance the storytelling? What scenes made you laugh, even if that laughter seemed inappropriate?
12. What do you think of Corrado's argument that the Great Pietro was trying to protect his family, on the night of the intruder? Do you believe him? Or do you think Corrado, as Honey suggests, is attempting to justify terrible things?
13. How much sympathy, or lack of sympathy, do you have for Corrado? For Rina?
14. Honey's longest romance was with Mr. Hal, a man many years older than her. What did you think of their relationship? Also, how would you define Honey's romantic life in general? One of the epigraphs for the book is a quote from Osho: "It is beautiful to be in love. It is also beautiful to be alone." Do you think Honey believes this?
15. At a certain point we learn that Honey took mood stabilizers for years, as prescribed by Dr. Kleinerman. Do you think Honey suffers from a mental illness? Or do you agree with Honey when she says that that her illness "had a lot to do with geography?"
16. When Honey visits Dr. Blewis, she tells him that she's furious. What are the reasons for Honey's fury? Is she overreacting?
17. This book has much to say about bullies and violence, about misogyny and other forms of hatred. Considering this, discuss what happens between Honey and Lee. Is Honey's behavior justified?
18. (Spoiler) After Honey's final interaction with Lee, Honey decides to call Corrado for assistance. What did you think about this decision?
19. Toward the end of the novel, Honey tells her nephew Corrado that she'll "never forget anything." Do you think she forgives Corrado? How would you characterize their relationship?
20. In the final chapter of the book, Honey receives an unexpected visitor. Did you immediately know who this person was? What did you think of Honey's unspoken advice to her visitor: Don't go home. In regard to Honey's own return: do you think it would have been better had she not come back to New Jersey? Or was it worth it?

Unless otherwise stated, this discussion guide is reprinted with the permission of Harper. Any page references refer to a USA edition of the book, usually the trade paperback version, and may vary in other editions.