In her fifth book, The Most Likely Club, Elyssa Friedland showcases the highs and lows of being a woman in her forties. When Melissa, Priya, Tara, and Suki graduated from high school, they all had high hopes for the future. Now, as their twenty-fifth high school reunion is upon them, not one is where she wished to be in life. Hit with the nostalgia of 1997 and their high school superlatives, the women decide to course-correct their lives and take on new challenges in an attempt to fulfill their teenage goals.
Friedland’s latest novel is an homage to female friendships — the ones often taken for granted but most needed during tough times. The banter amongst these friends will make you want to text the best friend you haven’t spoken to in weeks, just to remind them that you’re thinking of them. While all of the women bring diverse backgrounds and identities (including Melissa’s Jewish heritage), they all reach a common consensus: being a woman is hard. It’s easy to catch glimpses of oneself in any of them.
At the core of the novel, readers will discover a way of redefining what it means for a woman to have it all in today’s world. Friedland does an excellent job of portraying each character’s journey toward self-kindness as she pursues second chances in love, work, and motherhood. The Most Likely Club will without a doubt make readers of all ages feel a range of emotions, but Friedland infuses so much humor that the book is a constant source of joy.
Elizabeth Slotnick works in the technology space but has a growing presence on bookstagram, where she reviews books spanning across all genres. She graduated from the University of Virginia and lives in Seattle, WA.
Discussion Questions
Courtesy of Elyssa Friedland
<p>1. If you had a high school superlative, do you remember what it was? Or what do you think it would have been?
<p>2. How have your dreams and goals evolved since you were a teenager?
<p>3. Which one of the four women in <em>The Most Likely Club </em>did you identify with the most, and why? Who did you relate to the least? Did any of the characters remind you of friends in your own life?
<p>4. The women all struggle with the idea of “having it all.” What does <em>having it all </em>mean to you? The entrepreneur Randi Zuckerberg wrote a book called <em>Pick Three: You Can Have It All (Just Not Every Day) </em>where she encourages women to pick three things to focus on each day among work, sleep, family, fitness and friends. What would be your top three (not limited to the above choices)?
<p>5. Priya and Melissa, the two mothers in the group, try to prevent their children from making the same mistakes and avoiding the same lows they experienced in high school, but it’s not easy. Why do you think it’s so hard to help your children avoid some of the pitfalls you experienced in your own life?
<p>6. Can you name one way that each of the women in the group have changed since high school? In what ways have they stayed the same?
<p>7. Suki faces unique difficulties as a female CEO. What do you think is at the root of why powerful women face a double standard in our society when they act like strong leaders?
<p>8. The primary issue in Priya and Dev’s marriage is division of labor, a common issue between many couples, particularly in households with two working parents. Dev promises to change and contribute more. Do you think he will hold up his end of the bargain? Explain why or why not.
<p>9. Melissa’s weight is a continuing source of concern to her, even as the culture around her has made strides towards embracing body positivity. Why do you think she is hung up on wanting to be thin? Should she have worried more about how her behavior could affect her daughter?
<p>10. Nathan is brutally honest with Melissa about why he gave the donation to Bellport. Have you ever made a choice in your life that was clearly influenced by something that happened to you in high school?
<p>11. Do you think high school superlatives are a good idea? Do you think students should choose their own superlatives?
<p>12. What do you wish you could tell your teenage self today? How would your adult advice have sounded to you back when you were in high school?
<p>13. Discuss the friendship between the four women. How does their bond help them through difficult times? Do you agree with the saying “Make new friends, but keep the old. One is silver and the other is gold”?
