Still Me

In NYC, Lou meets Josh Ryan, Will’s charming—and very much alive—doppelganger. Understandably, Lou is enchanted by him, and their friendship quickly evolves to something more, until Lou comes to her senses. If you were in Lou’s shoes, would you have wanted to connect with Josh, or would you have stayed away specifically because the similarities with Will Traynor were so clear?

Sam and Lou’s relationship is strained because of the long distance between them, though they try to make it work. Have you ever been in a long-distance relationship? Did it work out? Why or why not? How do you think Lou and Sam could have done better by each other in the relationship?

Margot De Witt is the epitome of a difficult neighbor, or so it appears, until Lou has the opportunity to get know Margot better. Soon, Lou realizes that Margot has an incredible life story, and that they in fact share a love of fashion and clothes. Have you ever had to reconsider your perceptions of someone once you learned more about him or her? Might you have disregarded someone who later became a friend? If so, what happened?

Still Me is Lou’s story, but it also tackles themes of class, reinvention, and rediscovery. How do these themes appear in the book?

As Agnes’s personal assistant, Lou must take on any number of tasks—from scheduling her calendar to attending social events as Agnes’s “friend.” But Lou also finds herself caring for Agnes’s psychological wellbeing. Have you ever been in a relationship—through work, a friend, a partner, or family—in which you were the one doing most or all of the emotional labor?

Lou comes to New York as an outsider who is fascinated but also slightly daunted by the bustling, hustling city. Did her “fish out of water” story ring true to you? What did you learn about living in New York City that you’d never known before?

When Lou must choose how she wants to live, she must choose between life in England versus New York, an uber-wealthy world in which she is a bit of a hanger-on versus a less-glamorous life in which she immerses herself in the funky world of vintage fashion. Were you surprised by her choices?