Book Club Discussion Questions for Utopia Avenue by David Mitchell

Book Club Discussion Questions

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For supplemental discussion material see our Beyond the Book article, Top of the Pops and our BookBrowse Review of Utopia Avenue.

Please be aware that this discussion guide will contain spoilers!

1. Can artists influence society at large, or are they only the weather-vanes of change?
2. Discuss Elf's role in Utopia Avenue and the adversity she faces as a woman in a 1960s rock band.
3. Elf, Dean, Jasper, and Griff become more than bandmates and more like family. How does their relationship change over time? How does their relationship with each other compare to their respective families?
4. Utopia Avenue delves into the 1960s' shifting attitudes on sexuality, gender politics, fame, success, and mental health. Discuss how these topics and the stigmas associated with each of them intersect in the novel.
5. Elf writes, "Art is memory made public." What do you think about that idea? What art can you think of that is a recreation of someone else's memory? What can we gain, as a culture, from shared memories?
6. How does the trajectory of the band's success affect each member of Utopia Avenue?
7. Discuss Jasper de Zoet's relationship with Knock Knock, and how their worlds come together in "Timepiece" (The Third Planet, Track 4). Were any of the characters familiar to you from David Mitchell's previous works? If so, how does that familiarity enhance your reading experience?
8. Were you surprised by the ending? How did you think Utopia Avenue's story was going to evolve prior to the penultimate chapter?
9. In some ways, Utopia Avenue can be seen as a love letter to music. What music has shaped your life?

For the full book club kit please refer to the publisher's page.

Unless otherwise stated, this discussion guide is reprinted with the permission of Random House. Any page references refer to a USA edition of the book, usually the trade paperback version, and may vary in other editions.