READERS GUIDE
Reader’s GuideSophie Go’s Lonely Hearts Club by Roselle Lim
Discussion Questions:
1. Sophie is a matchmaker who is passionate about her vocation. Do you believe in love and matchmakers? What do you think about the idea of having only one soul mate?
2. Sophie is addicted to candy and its comforts. What is your favorite candy from childhood? Do you eat it to remember moments from your past or to cope with life’s rocky bumps?
3. What is the significance of Sophie’s unique nickname system for her clients? What nickname do you think Sophie would choose for you?
4. When signing up new clients, Sophie uses a simple questionnaire to help her to gain insight into the person. In what ways do her four questions help a matchmaker make a better match?
5. Seniors are not the conventional demographic when one thinks about matchmaking, yet the Old Ducks all chose to become Sophie’s clients. What are some challenges to finding love later in life?
6. Parental relationships are often complicated; sadly, they’re not all supportive and loving. Discuss Sophie’s relationship with her mother and father and how Irene and Raymond’s own marriage contributes to this dynamic.
7. The music of the Beatles is featured prominently as they are Sophie’s favorite band. Did you find all the references, and can you list the titles of all the songs? Which is your favorite song, and why?
8. The exploration of love and all of its forms—familial, romantic, platonic—is a central focus of the novel. How do you think Sophie handles all of these relationships? Is she successful?
9. What is the difference between biological and found families, and how many families can you identify in the book? Which are stronger, and why?
10. Mr. Porcupine and Sophie had a rocky start to their friendship. What was the cause of the initial antagonism, and how did they manage to develop a lasting friendship by the end of the novel?
