Book Club Discussion Questions
In a book club? Subscribe to our Book Club Newsletter!
Please be aware that this discussion guide will contain spoilers!
-
Rental House tells the story of Keru and Nate, college sweethearts who have made a life for themselves despite vast differences in their upbringings. Some years into their marriage, the couple invites their respective families of origin on vacation. What do these vacations represent for Keru and Nate? What trials do they present for the relationship and for themselves?
-
In some ways, both Keru and Nate feel like misfits in their own families. How does this shared sensibility impact their bond? In what ways is their marriage a refuge from these feelings?
-
Consider Keru's relationship to her Chinese heritage, and to the expectations of her parents. How do Keru's parents shape her actions and self-perception? Discuss the generational and cultural conflicts that arise.
-
Consider Nate's relationship with his own family and culture. What pressures do his parents put on him, and how to do they compare to those that Keru's parents place on her? In what ways has Nate made a life that accords with his parents' wishes for him, and in what ways has he rebelled?
-
Weike Wang employs her wry, sharp humor in different ways throughout the book. How does her humorous voice influence your reading experience? What are some of the different ways the author employs humor, and how does it serve the novel as a whole? Consider not just the author's language and comic timing, but the way that humor plays a role in the characters' interactions and coping mechanisms throughout the novel (starting from Nate and Keru's very first conversation about the joke behind his Halloween costume).
-
How do Keru and Nate handle the clashes that occur between their spouse and their family of origin? What strategies do they employ, and are they effective?
-
At the midway point of the novel, the following is said: "There is a tendency to take two halves of something and assign them equal weight. Marriage is fifty-fifty, but who said that? Who believes this to be true?" (107). What do you think about this statement? Is it reflected in the characters and their actions?
-
Discuss Mircea and Elena, whom Keru and Nate meet while they're vacationing in the Catskills. How do Nate and Keru compare themselves to this couple? What does the proximity to this second couple teach them about themselves?
-
Keru and Nate seem to agree about not wanting children, but both sets of their parents disagree with their decision. How do they navigate these pressures?
-
Nate's brother Ethan shows up for a visit unexpectedly with his girlfriend, Morgan. How do Keru and Nate respond to this intrusion? What does it reveal to them about their own relationship?
-
Consider Mantou the giant sheepdog and her presence in their lives. What does she symbolize for Keru and Nate? In what ways is she a character in her own right?
-
Discuss the ending of Rental House. What does it demonstrate about Keru and Nate's relationship? How has their dynamic changed? How does the novel challenge or reinforce different notions of family?
Unless otherwise stated, this discussion guide is reprinted with the permission of Riverhead Books.
Any page references refer to a USA edition of the book, usually the trade paperback version, and may vary in other editions.