The Husbands

What is the thematic significance of Lauren’s decision to remain married to her final husband, Sam, despite not having met him? Are there other possible ways in which Lauren could have rejected The Myth of the Ideal Husband?

Amos, Lauren’s last boyfriend before the attic begins providing her with husbands, appears as her husband several times. Does this imply that they should have continued their relationship initially? Why or why not?

When Lauren discovers in one version of her life that Maryam and Toby have an open marriage, she is disappointed, having regarded them as having the ideal marriage. What qualities does their marriage seem to possess that Lauren admires? What does her disappointment suggest about her understanding of marriage?

What role does humor play in the novel? Find at least three instances of humor and describe how they advance the novel’s themes or articulate its central questions.

What degree do factors such as education, race, class, or profession impact Lauren’s view of the ideal husband? How do these factors (or similar ones) play a role in Lauren’s keeping or rejecting of particular husbands?

What might the novel achieve by shifting to Sam’s point of view in the final chapter? What are the advantages and disadvantages of this shift regarding the novel’s ending?

In what ways does Lauren’s experience with dating apps parallel the experience with the attic? In what ways are they different?

What does Lauren’s choice to destroy the attic suggest about her evolving view of marriage and her own agency? What forms of power or control does she lose by doing so, and what does she gain?