Adult Book Discussion: Where the Heart Is

The second book discussion I led for my current group was for Where the Heart Is. I didn't pick the book, but I'm thankful to whoever did. It was an excellent discussion and I suggest using this as a book club pick.

I read this as a teen, and it was interesting to read from an adult perspective. I couldn't help but picture Novalee as Natalie Portman, but it didn't hurt things. What struck me the most was how important setting was to the story.

Oklahoma is a character in itself, populated by kind people (and some not-so-kind people) that help Novalee along the way. The Walmart serves as a hub for the life she creates, and a reminder of her past. Even the time period--the early 1990's, makes a difference. If a pregnant girl were abandoned at a Walmart today, I seriously doubt her story would play out as Novalee's did. Even in the last 20 years, the differences are huge: cell phones, custody laws, social services practices, and day-to-day life in rural Oklahoma was drastically different than the life we live now.

Major themes we touched on:

• Could this story have happened today?
• What makes Forney so in love with Novalee?
• Is Novalee a complete character? How are her flaws treated?
• The role of family in shaping a character--the family you're born with vs. the family you create

There are tons of reading guides out there for this title. There was even one in the back of my book! This is one of those books, though, that creates a discussion for itself. I didn't need to rely on my pre-written list of questions very often during this lively discussion.