Book Club Questions for Sophie, Standing There by Meg Mason

'Heartwarming, tender and so funny, Sophie, Standing There is a wonderful, bittersweet story of what it means to be truly, achingly lonely. I loved it' Gillian Anderson, Want

WellRead’s September 2026 selection was Sophie, Standing There by Meg Mason. Touching and witty, Sophie Standing There is a poignant story about loneliness and finding connection in the most unlikely of places. 

We invite you to dive deeper into these themes using our reading notes. They’re perfect for sparking conversations at your next book club or for reflecting on the story’s twists and turns in your own time.  

Reading questions for Sophie, Standing There by Meg Mason:

• How did you feel about the parasocial relationship dynamic Meg Mason explores through Sophie’s fixation on Lilac Dunne?

• We need to talk about Lilac Dunne. Go!

• Did the bookish setting add to your enjoyment of the novel?

• Sophie spends much of the book feeling deeply alone (She even went to the hairdresser on a whim, just to be touched). 

• How did her journey towards finding connection, and learning to value herself resonate with you?

• What do you think of Paul? We have to admit, he made us so angry, but we did pity him.

• Do you think Meg Mason has achieved her goal of writing ‘something completely different to Sorrow & Bliss: a cheerful character’?

• Did you cry? Did you laugh? Did you love it as much as we did?

• We don’t want to give anything away, but did you like the way it ended?