Buckeye

Each character struggles with the gap between who they are and who they're expected to be. Which character's internal conflict resonated most with you? Why is being true to yourself so difficult?

Buckeye stretches over more than 450 pages and covers over 50 years. Did the book feel long or short to you? Slow or rushed or just right?

Before this debut novel, Patrick Ryan was primarily known for his collections of short stories. Do you detect any influence of the short story form on this novel?

Ryan creates two families' worth of memorable characters in Cal, Becky, Margaret, Felix, Skip and Tom. Who was your favorite character and why? Did the character(s) you were most rooting for switch at all over the course of the novel?

The fictional Bonhomie, Ohio is the backdrop to the story. How familiar are you with small-town America? Did the setting ring true to you? How does the small-town setting intensify the impact of secrets?

War runs as an underlying presence throughout the novel. How does war affect the characters, both those who serve and those who stay behind?

Cal's disability shapes his experience from childhood onward. How does Ryan portray Cal's interior life, and did you find his perspective authentic? How do other characters' reactions to his disability reflect the attitudes of that era?

The author deliberately chose to make Becky's spiritual gift genuine rather than portraying her as a fraud. How does this decision affect the story and your connection to her character?

How does the book explore what it means to build a life with someone over decades? What did you take away about long-term relationships, whether romantic, platonic, familial or other?

Discuss the impact of secrets in the book and their ripple effects. What is the difference between a mistake and a secret? How do the lies protecting secrets cause more damage than the original wrongdoings?

Forgiveness is a central theme in the novel, and something that requires ongoing effort rather than a single moment of grace. How does the way in which the characters respond to their mistakes define them? Which characters achieve forgiveness, and which cannot? What makes the difference?