The Things We Leave Unfinished

Compare the love stories of the dual timeline and discuss how they complement and develop one another. How does this historical story drive the contemporary narrative forward? How do these stories, together or separately, speak to the theme of romantic love?

Make an argument for which love affair in the book is the “epic” story. Noah argues it is his and Georgia’s, but your interpretation may be different. Establish the terms of definition using examples from the book, then discuss the actions, incident, and emotional impacts that make the couple of your choice the most compelling, memorable love story.

It is suggested in the novel that readers turn to romance for stories of love affairs that end happily as a kind of escape because those stories are rare in real life. Extend or respond to this argument with your own reasons for why readers may be drawn to romance, including evidence from the text in your response.

One technique of storytelling discussed, and demonstrated, in the book is an author using a character’s flaw to help them change and grow. Discuss the characters in the book whom you see obeying this logic. Which character grows the most, and what is the flaw they must overcome? Use passages from the text to support your argument.

Discuss the theme of family loyalty as it plays out in the novel, including the sacrifices that characters make because of or for their families. In what ways does the theme of family loyalty comment on the theme of love?

Deception is another theme in the novel. Events in the book seem to suggest that some types of deception can be productive or protective, while other deceptions hurt and betray. Make an argument for when the novel suggests deception is helpful or hurtful, using textual evidence to support your answer.

Discuss the themes of healing and resilience. Compare a character who heals and grows in the story with one who does not. Make an argument for what qualities or conditions allow or help characters to heal, as compared to those characters who do not change or progress.

Read another contemporary romance by Rebecca Yarros and compare the themes, symbols, characters, and events across the novels. What is shared? What is different? What do you make of these similarities and differences?