Under a Neon Sun is witty, humorous, poignant, and timely — and the perfect read for your book club.
If you are a book club coordinator who is interested in receiving a copy to review (or in ordering a bulk order) of Under a Neon Sun, please reach out to piper.gourley@redhen.org.
BOOK CLUB QUESTIONS
1. Does Mia feel like a relatable character? What traits make Mia feel authentic?
2. Does the shift that takes place in both Ed and Mrs. Royal seem
believable? Do you believe they accurately reflect a capacity for change?
3. How does placing the novel in the early days of the pandemic affect the reading experience? Does this timeline deepen the narrative?
2. Does the shift that takes place in both Ed and Mrs. Royal seem
believable? Do you believe they accurately reflect a capacity for change?
3. How does placing the novel in the early days of the pandemic affect the reading experience? Does this timeline deepen the narrative?
4. Mia finds a type of happiness at the end of the book. Do you feel that her peace is earned, or is there a different ending that would serve the story?
5. Mia doesn't have a family, but she gathers her own close collective of loved ones who fill in. Do you think that we can create our own family? How do you feel that her chosen family serves her?
6. Author Kate Gale is primarily a poet; this is her first novel. How do you think her poetic skillset shows up in the language/structure of Under a Neon Sun?
7. How does Mia's humor and resilience affect your empathy towards her? Do you think you would feel less invested in Mia if her outlook were bleaker? Why or why not?
8. Kate Gale has spoken comprehensively on the subject of homelessness and the difficulty of achieving secure housing for those who are presently unhoused. Did your reading of Under a Neon Sun give you a new perspective on this subject?
9. What responsibility does an author have to speak on modern issues in writing that is set in the present day?