This month’s FYA Book Club selection is Last Night at the Telegraph Club by Malinda Lo. Check out the discussion questions below! (Slight spoilers ahead.)
P.S. If you’ve already read the book, feel free to add any other discussion questions of your own in the comments!
Icebreaker
Discovering Strange Season at Thrifty Drug Store opens Lily’s mind to new possibilities.
A) Did you have a formative experience that changed your worldview when you were young?
B) Did you browse for mass market paperbacks in drug stores and grocery stores as a kid? (Or do you still?) Which type of books were you drawn to?
Questions
1. Lily’s Chinese heritage is a big part of both her identity and this novel. Regardless of your familiarity with them beforehand, what did you think of how these cultural details were woven into the story?
2. What did you think of the romance between Lily and Kath? When did you start shipping it?
3. Lily is immediately enthralled and intimidated during her first visit to the Telegraph Club. Did you enjoy your time there as much as she did? Are there any characters that you would have liked more time with?
4. Historical fiction often has the challenge of representing a troubling time for modern sensibilities. Do you think this book was successful in bridging the gap between past and present?
5. This book contains elements that are not typical in North American YA, like the third person narration, non-English text, and the occasional chapter from the older members of the Hu family. What did you think of these narrative choices?
6. Shirley: complicated character or straight up mean girl?
7. Will you be reading the companion novel, A Scatter of Light, that offers “a poignant note of closure for Lily and Kath”?
