1. What experiences have exacerbated Beth’s insecurity about her weight?
2. Why does Beth get a rush out of trolling “the Beautiful People” on social media?
3. How does Amy upend Beth’s assumptions about “Beautiful People”? What problems does Amy have in her life that aren’t obvious on the surface?
4. In what ways are Beth and Brad similar? How have they responded differently to the stresses of their home life?
5. In what ways are Patrick’s comments about Beth’s weight harmful, even though Beth recognizes that he doesn’t mean them maliciously? How does Beth’s view of Patrick, and his of her, evolve over the course of the novel?
6. As she falls for Tori, Beth becomes convinced that the internet can foster genuine connections between people who haven’t met. What kinds of online communities and interactions might make this possible? What kinds of online interactions create distance between people? How does Beth walk this line in her relationship with Tori?
7. Beth comes to realize that most people haven’t figured out the secret to happy, fulfilled lives and are “just winging it.” Aside from Amy, give an example of someone who illustrates this reality for Beth.
8. On some level, Beth has known all along that her trolling is wrong. What else does she realize about her behavior after Dizzy’s crisis? What does she realize about Tori?
9. Why did Beth lie about being enrolled in university? How does this compare to her other deceptions? Do you agree or disagree with Beth’s reflection that this is “the worst thing” she has done?
10. What does Beth come to understand about her mother’s depression? How do you think it is similar to and different from Beth’s emotional state after Tori’s betrayal?
11. Why do you think “Tori” targeted Beth? Who do you think “Tori” actually is? If you were to write an epilogue from Tori’s point of view, what motivations would it reveal?
12. In what ways is Beth changing her life at the end of the novel? How do you think the choices she’s making now will affect her future?