WellRead’s September 2021 selection was Everyone in This Room Will Someday Be Dead by Emily Austin. Beneath the deadpan humour of this story is an authentic and tender portrayal of living with anxiety and reckoning with the absurdity of the chaotic modern world. And it's this, along with the endearing cast of characters and snappily paced plot, that makes it a surprisingly charming and cathartic read.
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 Everyone in This Room Will Someday Be Dead by Emily Austin:
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Gilda’s anxiety is often debilitating. It leaves her unable to do simple tasks like the dishes, it causes her to obsess over things she can't control (like the missing cat), and it often makes her break into tears or have panic attacks. Was this behaviour eye-opening or familiar to you? What impact did reading about Gilda's anxiety have on you?
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Why do you think Gilda says yes to offers without thinking them through (the job at the church, the date with Giuseppe etc)?
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Gilda’s parents are particularly unresponsive to the pain of their children. What do you think the author wanted to portray in writing this type of parent-child relationship?
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Do you think it surprises Gilda when she hears Jeff crying after the death of a teenager from the congregation? How does witnessing someone else’s grief affect Gilda, who is constantly anxious about peoples’ deaths?
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Why do you think the author chose to weave the story of the rabbit throughout Gilda’s present storyline?
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“I find it so bizarre that I occupy space, and that I am seen by other people. I feel like I am falling through space and Eleanor just threw me a rose. It’s such a sweet, pointless gesture. It would be less devastating to fall through space alone, without someone else falling next to me. Whenever someone does something nice for me, I feel intensely aware of how strange and sad it is to know someone." Were you as moved by this passage as we were? What does it mean to you?
Please note, these questions were written and distributed in September, 2021.