Discussion Questions
Spoiler Alert: Please note that the questions below contain spoilers.
1. At the end of the novel, Emma describes herself as a “lifelong student of the human condition.” In what ways was this evident in part 1 of the novel?
2. When Logan enters Emma’s life, do you believe she was vulnerable to a con artist who was only looking out for himself? Or do you believe that their marriage could have been a success if he had not committed a crime before arriving on Sable Island? Why or why not?
3. Consider Emma’s emotions and state of mind in the following passage from chapter 14, after she kisses Logan for the first time: “For a moment, Emma stood and looked up at the stars. It was all so astonishingly beautiful: The night sky. The constant roar of the ocean. Life. Eventually, she climbed the porch steps and smiled when she reached the door. There was so much joy in her heart. Where had it come from?” Where do you think it was coming from, for Emma? Discuss sources of joy in your own life.
4. At the time when the novel takes place, PTSD was not commonly understood in general society. How do you think this lack of understanding might have affected Oliver’s relationship with his wife, Mary? Consider both their points of view.
5. Discuss how the setting of a novel can be as important to the story as each of the main characters. Consider elements of this novel in your answer.
6. At the end of chapter 32, Oliver makes the following decision: “It was time to go home. Time to go home to his children.” Discuss how, in the book, the love of one’s children conflicts with the lure of a romantic or soulful love outside of a marriage. Do you believe the characters made the right choices?
7. Horses are a constant presence in the novel. What do you think they symbolize? Which scenes involving horses resonated the most with you as a reader, and why?
8. Do novels inspire you to travel? What places in the world would you like to visit because of a novel you’ve read, and what was the novel? Have you ever gone somewhere to experience a setting you admired in a novel, movie, or television show?
9. When Logan arrives at Ruth’s home and wants to meet his son, Matthew, did you think he and Emma might reconcile? At that point in the story, did you want them to try again?
10. The central love story between Emma and Oliver spans decades. Would you describe it as tragic? Why or why not?
11. Discuss the novel’s title, All Our Beautiful Goodbyes. Which goodbyes were beautiful? Was there any beauty in those that were painful? Explain.
12. What was your favorite scene in the novel, and why?