WellRead’s October 2023 selection was Green Dot by Madeleine Gray, a story about smart people making bad decisions. It’s about self-deception, longing, the joys and indignities of coming into adulthood against the pitfalls of the twenty-first century. It’s funny and gutsy and witty, often dark, sometimes maddening, and always entirely enthralling.
Use these discussion questions to engage with the book further, whether in a book club with friends, or just on your own as you digest the story.
Reading questions for Green Dot by Madeleine Gray:
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An early reviewer on Goodreads wrote: “Although I was tearing my hair out at Hera’s complete unwillingness to put that man in the trash where he belongs - despite being totally aware of the bleak reality of the situation - I devoured this book.” Was this your experience too? What reactions did it elicit in you?
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Madeleine Grey said that she wanted to explore why smart people do things that they know are doomed to fail. Do you think she answered why?
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What do you think Hera’s motivations were for the affair? And how about Arthur?
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Hera’s friends don’t support her new relationship – but they also don’t talk her out of it. Only one confronts her about her actions. What would you do if it was your friend? What are our responsibilities to our friends when they make decisions we don’t support?
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‘You were right. You predicted it. Everyone was right but me.’ Is that true – did you predict it? Did you ever believe there was any other outcome for Hera?
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Do you think Hera was really in love with Arthur? Do you think Arthur was really in love with Hera? What did they represent to each other?
- The book’s title refers not only to the icon on social media where a lot of the romance plays out, but also to a famous novel. Do you know which one and what it represents (feel free to email us if you need to know)?
Please note, these questions were written and distributed in October, 2023.