Summary and Reviews of Hello Goodbye by Emily Chenoweth

February 1990

By the time Helen comes in from her run, the first sparks of dawn, pale orange and chilly, are reaching through the bare trees in the backyard. On the other side of the fence, across a gully cut by a thin creek, the neighboring hospital puffs steam into the morning. From its vents and chimneys and pipes, clouds rise, catching light in their curling forms, turning pink and then fading to white.

She slides a filter into the coffeemaker, pours in the last of the dark grounds, and leans against the counter. She’s been dizzy since her last mile, and sometimes when she turns her head quickly, her vision takes a moment to catch up: the breakfast table seems to wobble in the corner, and a silver blob resolves itself belatedly into the refrigerator. Call eye doctor, she scribbles on the grocery list, then adds Folgers below milk and carrots.

When her daughter came home for winter break, Helen brewed endless pots of coffee; four months of college had turned Abby ...

Please be aware that this discussion guide will contain spoilers!

1. The novel is told from three different perspectives: Abby's, Elliott's, and Helen's. Whom do you see as the central character? Which is your favorite?
2. Although death is very much a large part of Hello Goodbye, the book doesn't feel depressing. Why do you think that's the case? What elements does Chenoweth include in her story that prevent it from being too sad of a read?
3. How does the setting of the hotel and its grounds affect the plot and characters? Why do you think Chenoweth chose this particular location? How does she use nature symbolically?
4. For Abby, the week in which Hello Goodbye takes place serves as a kind of coming-of-age. How does she change throughout the novel? How do you think she'll be...