Lucy by the Sea

Content Warning: This section of the guide contains discussion of illness.

Gather initial thoughts and broad opinions about the book.

1. Do you think Lucy made the right decision at the end? Why or why not?

2. Which of Lucy’s daughters did you relate to most, and why?

3. Was there anything about this novel that was distinctly American, or could it have happened anywhere?

Encourage readers to connect the book’s themes and characters with their personal experiences.

1. How did you deal with the events of the COVID-19 lockdown? Did any of the characters’ experiences reflect your own? If you’ve read other novels set during this period, like Ann Patchett’s Tom Lake or Louise Edrich’s The Sentence, which depiction have you found most impactful or realistic?

2. Toward the end of the story, Lucy says, “We are all in lockdown, all the time” (287). Do you agree with this statement? Why or why not?

3. Consider the novel’s depiction of motherhood. If you’re a mother yourself, did it resonate with your own experiences? If you’re not, did it remind you of mothers you’ve known?

4. Lucy and William’s move to a smaller community is rife with uncomfortable class divides.