Dana Cann

Ghosts of Bergen County Book Club Questions

 

1. What do you think of how the author introduces and portrays Amanda? At what point in the novel did you realize she isn’t entirely “there”?

2. Gil and Jen are not stereotypical heroin users. How does the depiction of heroin use and addiction come across?

3. Gil, Mary Beth, and Jen are all dealing with trauma and loss. Which character did you sympathize with most and why?

4. What parallels did you notice in the characters’ pasts and how does their ability (or lack thereof) to amend for their past actions affect their current relationships?

5. How does the impending financial crisis influence the tone of the novel? 

6. The fine line between fate and coincidence is a major theme of the novel; what takeaways do you think it gives readers about accountability and justice?

7. Dr. Yoder’s theory that those who are haunted share a “collective burden” certainly affects Gil and his marriage. What other implications did you notice stemming from that suggestion?

8. What do you envision happens next to the characters?