Book Club Discussion Questions for The Fountain by Casey Scieszka
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Looking for The Fountain Casey Scieszka discussion questions? You’re in the right place. If you’re still wandering the Catskills in your mind and not quite ready to leave Vera behind, these questions are for you — perfect for book clubs, reading partners, or anyone who finished the last page and immediately needed someone to talk to about it.
Haven’t read it yet? Grab a copy of The Fountain here.
Want to see what we thought of it first? Read our full review → Review: The Fountain by Casey Scieszka
About This Guide
The Fountain follows Vera Van Valkenburgh — a woman who has been alive for over 200 years, forever 26, who returns to her childhood home in the Catskills hoping to finally uncover the source of her immortality and, maybe, end it. Part mystery, part literary fiction, part quiet meditation on what it means to be human, it’s the kind of book that leaves you thinking long after the last page.
These questions are organized by theme. Feel free to work through them in order or jump to the sections that sparked the most conversation for you.
Getting Started
1. What were your first impressions of Vera? Did you like her right away or did she grow on you as the story progressed?
2. Was this an easy book to get into, or did it take a while to pull you in? What was the moment it hooked you?
3. Did the ending surprise you?
Immortality & the Desire for Death
4. Vera has lived for over 200 years and yet longs for death. How did Scieszka make that desire feel relatable rather than bleak?
5. Vera is frozen at 26 — young in appearance but ancient in experience. How does that tension shape the way other characters interact with her? How does it shape the way she sees herself?
6. The novel opens with Vera trying to end her life — and failing. How did that scene set the tone for everything that followed?
Identity, Belonging & Home
7. Vera has wanted to end her immortality for a long time — but something finally pushed her to act. What do you think that breaking point was, and why do you think it took so long?
8. Vera exists in a strange in-between — she’s not fully part of the mortal world but she’s not embracing immortality either. Did you ever feel frustrated with her, or purely sympathetic?
Siblings, Family & Loyalty
9. Who did you find yourself more sympathetic toward — Vera or Eli? Did that change as the story went on?
10. Vera and Eli share the same immortality but carry it completely differently. How would you describe each of their approaches to living forever?
11. Eli calls Vera every year on the anniversary of when they left the Catskills. What did that detail say to you about their relationship?
Meaning, Time & What Makes a Life Worth Living
12. If you could be immortal, would you want to be? Did this book change your answer at all?
13. What do you think the title The Fountain refers to — beyond the literal?
14. What does the novel seem to argue about what makes a life meaningful? Do you agree?
15. Scieszka blends humor with genuinely heavy themes. Were there moments where the comedy felt like a defense mechanism — for Vera, or for the reader?
Power, Corporations & Ethics
16. The Fountain of Eternal Youth LLC represents a billionaire-funded effort to commodify immortality. What real-world parallels came to mind while reading?
17. Lydia frames her research as a medical breakthrough — a cure for disease. Do you think her motivation is genuine, or is something else driving her?
18. Vera discovers through a journal that Lydia flat-out lied about knowing Eli’s late wife, Lotte. What does that reveal about Lydia’s true character — and does it change how you see everything she’s been doing?
Wrapping Up
19. If you had to live like one of the characters — Vera, Eli, or Lydia — which would you choose and why?
20. If you could ask Casey Scieszka one question about this book, what would it be?
If you’re still somewhere in the woods with Vera and not quite ready to find your way back, here are a few places to wander before you let it go:
- Purchase your copy of The Fountain by Casey Scieszka here
- Follow Casey Scieszka on Instagram, where she posts about book-related things as well as her lovely inn located in the Catskills.
- Rate The Fountain on Goodreads
- Read our full review of The Fountain
This is part of our monthly sister co-review series, where we each share our honest, sometimes differing takes on the books we’re reading. Want to catch our next one? Follow along here
Would you live more like Vera, Eli, or Lydia if you were immortal? Share your thoughts in the comments!
