Remain Book Club: Discussion Questions and 'A Letter to the Other Side'

As we all plunge into the latest book release from #1 New York Times bestseller Nicholas Sparks, you may find that the story deserves a deeper dive. Remain is a story about grief, healing, love and the idea that we never fully lose those who we treasure most.

In Sparks’ new novel (written with legendary filmmaker M. Night Shyamalan), Tate is trying to recover from the death of his beloved sister. She left him with a haunting truth—that she can speak to people in the afterlife. After a stretch in a psychiatric facility, he is looking for a fresh start in Cape Cod where his best friend has asked him to design a home. At the bed and breakfast he’s staying at, Tate meets an intriguing woman, but something is off about their interactions. Soon, Tate finds himself deep into a mystery of Wren’s past, the town’s history and the jealousy that lurks in the hearts of many of its residents.

This book is such a great book club pick so we wanted to provide everything you might need to gather your book besties and enjoy. We have everything from a menu for your meeting, to a playlist for your gathering. We’ve even pieced together what a full-blown reading retreat to Cape Cod might look like.

Below we’re providing some discussion questions to get the conversation started whether you wanted to gather locally, virtually or on a destination vacation to the story’s setting.

In addition, we’re providing a printable sheet you can share with your Remain-reading friends to use as a journal prompt that will allow you to go deeper and explore the story’s themes more intimately on your own time.

Sparks calls this a “supernatural love story.” How effectively do the romantic elements and the supernatural elements complement each other?
Tate is recovering from acute depression and wrestling with his sister’s death. How do you think the book handles grief and mental health?
What scenes from the book are you most hoping to see translated into film?
The book frames love as transformative but sometimes frightening. Which character’s choices felt morally ambiguous to you?
Do you believe in ghosts? Do you have a ghost story of your own? (Bonus: Check out our interview with Nicholas Sparks to hear about his story.)
How would you describe Tate’s arc from the beginning to the end of the novel? What internal obstacles does he need to overcome?
How did your feelings about Wren evolve over time? Did you continue to feel sympathetic towards as the mystery unfolds?
How does Cape Cod function as a character or mood-maker in the book?
Family gifts and powers are central to the story. How does inheritance of traits, stories, or trauma shape the characters’ choices?
Where do you think Tate’s story goes from here? How can you imagine his gift operating going forward?

If you’d like to explore the story on a more personal level, enjoy this Remain-inspired journal prompt.