1. There are three mothers in MOTHER MAY I who go to extreme lengths to protect their children. Did you identify with one mother more than the others? Why?

2. In MOTHER MAY I, Bree talks about the close bond between a mother and her child, but we see this connection played out in different ways through each of the women’s personalities. What makes someone a “good mother?”

3. Bree’s decisions in this book are greatly influenced by her own mother and her best friend, Betsy. Why do you think women’s relationships are so formative?

4. Bree often thinks of herself as an actress playing a part. Do you consider her actions “performances”? Have you ever felt like you were playing a role in life?

5. Bree reflects on how Anna-Claire’s upbringing may have tipped scales in her favor for the lead in the school play over Cara. Can you see other parallel situations in the book? In your lives? How is it dealt with in each?

6. Bree is able to connect with the “other mother” because of their shared experiences and backgrounds. Why is this such a strong bond?

7. Trey and Bree met at an art gallery. He initially made assumptions about who she was and her family background. Do you think Trey would have fallen in love with Bree if they had met under different circumstances?

8. Once Lexie Pine drops out of school, her life falls apart. Do you think that there might have been a different outcome if she came from a more privileged family?

9. To what extent is a person responsible for the actions of their partner, past and present?

10. Each of the characters in the book has done things that they aren’t proud of, but they have reacted to them differently. Do you think we are all defined by our sins? Do we always carry our mistakes with us, or is it possible to move on from them?

11. MOTHER MAY I explores the many facets of shame through characters’ past misdeeds, trauma, addiction and even recasting personal narratives. Why do you think shame is such a strong motivator? Is there one instance of shame in the novel that had the strongest repercussions?

12. Each character in MOTHER MAY I has a different truth. Do you think that more than one person’s truth can be a reality? What do you think happened that fateful college night?

13. Do you think Bree, Spence, Trey, Ansel and the others got what they deserved?

14. How has MOTHER MAY I affected your understanding of victimhood, agency and consent? Who do you consider the victim in this novel?

15. What is the difference between justice and revenge? Does anyone in MOTHER MAY I get justice? Revenge?