Printable Book Club Questions for Oona Out of Order by Margarita Montimore

Oona Out of Order is a time travel story but in a fairly unique way. Do you tend to read time travel stories or is this one of the first ones you’ve read?
We never learn why exactly Oona experiences this “condition” so let’s speculate. Why do you think Oona travels to a different era in her life every year on her birthday?
Let’s go back to the Prologue at the start the novel. When are we first meeting Oona? What do you think she means by when she says, “I can still get this right?'”
Let’s dissect this book by each of its parts. Starting with Part I in 1982 were 18-year-old Oona is in love with her boyfriend Dale and she deciding whether to tour with him or go to economics school in London. What were your initial impressions of Oona in this section?
Part II comes quickly and Oona is transported to 2015 and she’s age 51. Let’s talk about Oona’s jump to her future. What would you have done if you were Oona and went from being 19 to 51?
Throughout all her “jumps” in time, her mother is always there. Let’s talk about their relationship.
Oona says she’s never been susceptible to nostalgia and wonders: is this what it means to get older, replaying happy memories because the best times are behind you? Do you agree with this? Why or why not?
Oona goes from an unhappy and confusing year at age 51 to back being in her 20s again in 1991. What did you think about Oona partying in this era? Why was it important for her to let loose?
Do you think that Oona had any control of her past and present or do you think her fate was inevitable and no matter what changes she tried to make, her life would always end up the same?
After the ’90s, Oona is 40 and in 2004. And she’s married to a Brit named Edward. In this section, she never really falls for Edward and instead has feelings for her guitar instructor Peter. Let’s talk about Oona’s relationship with Edward and Peter in this section.
And, in a twist, the next section is when Oona is 39 and in 2003—right before she meets Edward. So she experiences the romance with Edward backward. Were you surprised when she did actually fall for him, even though she knows how it ended up?
Oona is then back to her 30s and in 1995. She’s grieving over her failed marriage to Edward and a fight with her mother. But in this time period, she goes with her mother to Asia. Let’s talk about how Oona matured throughout this year.
When Oona goes to 1999 at age 35 she learns that Kenzie is not just her assistant but also her son she had with Dale. Did you suspect that he was her son or were you surprised by this? Do you agree with her mother that Oona wasn’t fit to raise him in her condition?
In 2017, Oona is 53 and has a repaired relationship with Kenzie but her mother dies of cancer. Let’s talk about this chapter.
The chapter ends with her running into Peter, her former guitar teacher, and they agree to meet up in 2018 for a dinner date. Do you think they will get together?
And it ends with Oona back in 1983 and at age 19 where she’s learned from all the different eras. How did it change Oona for good?
If you could jump back (or forward) into any era of your life, when would it be?