1. And Sometimes Why centers on a tragedy, but the tone is far from melancholy. Were you able to find levity in some scenarios? How do you think this fits in with the central themes?

2. Early on, Sophia reflects that she and Darius have each chosen one of their daughters as theirs to “protect” – Helen is hers, Miranda is his. How does this dynamic evolve over the course of the story? How does it affect the outcome?

3. The author includes several characters who can’t quite get things right: Harry, who strives for importance after a failed acting career; Anton, who aspires to greatness in film; and Misty, who just wants to be famous. What do these characters add to the book? What is their thematic relationship with the McMartins?

4. How does the trajectory of Harry’s fish-pool venture parallel the main plot? Did you see this storyline as an entertaining aside, or did you feel that it had larger meaning and purpose in the novel?

5. As Helen’s condition persists, a rift develops between Darius and Sophia: She thinks they need to be more realistic about Helen’s prospects, while he believes they need to hold out hope. With which character do you most sympathize? How do you think you would approach such a dilemma?

6. At one point in the story, Sophia remembers an Israeli scholar she met at one of Darius’ faculty dinner parties. The man asked, “When you come to a red light in the middle of the night… Do you stop?” After Sophia says that she does, he tells her that America is “a country of sheep.” How does this fit into the larger themes of the book? Do you agree with his assessment?

7. Near the end of the novel, Miranda kills a fox she finds suffering in a trap. Though she is initially repelled by the experience, she quickly comes to realize that “a body without life [is] an empty container. Nothing to be afraid of. Nothing to weep over.” How did you feel about this scene and what it says about Miranda’s character trajectory?

8. The author intentionally leaves some uncertainty at the end of the novel. For instance, it’s not clear whether Darius and Sophia reunite. Do you feel that each character’s story is resolved? What do you imagine happens in these characters’ lives after the book ends?

9. Why do you think the author chose to end the book with a final tape recording from Helen’s friends?