Nothing Like the Movies

Wes Bennett and Liz Buxbaum have known each other since they were young. How does their relationship history inform their interpersonal dynamic in the present? How do they attempt to embrace or overwrite this history? Consider how their encounters with trauma and heartbreak lead to fraught interpersonal dynamics.

The novel is written from Wes’s and Liz’s alternating first-person points of view. How does this formal choice depict the characters’ internal experiences and contribute to the narrative tension? Consider how the narrative would unfold differently if the author wrote it from an alternate point of view.

Examine the role of vulnerability in the novel. How do Wes’s and Liz’s fear or reluctance to open up about their emotions create tension or miscommunication between them? How do these barriers affect their ability to connect, and what events or realizations usher them to confront their vulnerabilities? Consider the role that trust and emotional honesty play in their growth as individuals and as a couple.