Wellness

How does the novel’s non-linear chronology shape the story? What details are withheld from the reader and why?

How are Jack’s and Elizabeth’s parenting styles and interactions with Toby shaped by their interactions with their own parents? Where do they repeat the ways their parents parented and where do they depart from it?

Consider how Jack and Elizabeth are affected by their narcissistic parents. What generational traumas do they inherit?

Elizabeth, Brandie, and Lawrence turn to science and pseudo-science. What does each one trust and what does this reveal about their character?

Examine the novel’s interest in art. How do Benjamin’s hyperlink project, Evelyn’s acrylic landscape paintings, renowned works in the Art Institute of Chicago, and Jack’s photography reflect what is valued artistically?

Interpret the ambiguous ending. Although Jack and Elizabeth’s future together is left uncertain as the novel closes, does Hill offer hints about what will happen? Why or why not?

The novel’s title references Elizabeth’s workplace, the wellness industry, and wellness in general. How does the novel juggle these definitions and play them off against one another? How do various characters define wellness or well-being? What does the novel say about self-improvement?

Why does the novel refer to famous psychological experiments from the real world? How does the popularizing of such research affect the novel’s characters?