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We Live Here Now
Limited edition printing with stenciled edges
USA TODAY BESTSELLER! "Atmospheric, immersive, surprising and as dark as wet tires." —New York Times Book Review
“Brilliant. . . The twist completely blew my mind. I adored every page.” —Lisa Jewell
Award-winning author of New York Times bestselling breakout novel (and hit Netflix show) Behind Her Eyes returns with a haunting Gothic novel about a house—and a marriage—gone terribly wrong.
After an accident that nearly kills her, Emily and her husband, Freddie, move from London to a beautiful Dartmoor country house called Larkin Lodge. The house is gorgeous, striking—and to Emily, something about it feels deeply wrong.
Old boards creak at night, fires go out, and books fall from the shelves, and all of it stems from the terrible presence she feels in the third-floor room. But these things happen only when Emily’s alone, so are they happening at all? She’s still medically fragile; her postsepsis condition can cause hallucinatory side effects, which means she can’t fully trust her own senses. Freddie doesn’t notice anything odd and is happy with their chance at a fresh start.
Emily, however, starts to believe that the house is being haunted by someone who was murdered in it, though she can find no evidence of a wrongful death. As bizarre events pile up and her marriage starts to crumble, Emily becomes obsessed with discovering the truth about Larkin Lodge.
But if the house has secrets, so do Emily and her husband.
And they live here now.
These discussion questions were provided by the publisher, Flatiron Books.
Book club questions for We Live Here Now by Sarah Pinborough
Use these discussion questions to guide your next book club meeting.
We Live Here Now begins with an excerpt from a children’s book called “Happy House.” How does this quote set the tone for the story?
Why do you think the story begins from the perspective of a raven? What is the significance of ravens in this book?
Due to her post-sepsis condition, Emily feels she cannot fully trust her senses. Are there any other forces at play which prevent Emily from listening to her instincts?
How does living in Larkin Lodge affect Emily and Freddie’s relationship? Do you feel that their relationship also has an impact on the house?
We Live Here Now is written in the tradition of the Gothic, a genre dating back to the 18th century which often features a dark atmosphere, collision of the past and present, and houses which are haunted in some way, either by supernatural forces or by the people who live there. What elements of We Live Here Now would you consider to be Gothic?
What is the significance of the characters’ references to authors such as Charlotte Brontë, Joseph Conrad, and especially Edgar Allan Poe?
Do you believe that Freddie feels guilt over what happened to Emily? How does he respond to his feelings about her condition?
How does Emily’s friendship with Sally and Joe affect the way she feels about Larkin Lodge?
Are the ghosts in this story malevolent spirits? What are they trying to communicate to Emily?
We Live Here Now has a big twist ending. What clues did the author leave throughout the story? Did you see it coming?
We Live Here Now Book Club Questions PDF
Click here for a printable PDF of the We Live Here Now discussion questions