1. Jasper curated the challenges for his beloved people of Redford seemingly with a specific intention in mind. What about his Redford experience do you think led him to orchestrate such a challenge? If you were a participant, how would you have reacted to Novak’s announcement? How did your initial impression of the game’s purpose evolve over the course of the story?
2. Jess finds comfort in words. She says, “I love how you can put exactly the right combination of them together to make something sound better or worse . . . the way the letters in them fit together so perfectly” (pages 168-169). How does Jess’s role as a book editor influence her approach to life?
3. Jess is a small-town girl, and Carter is a big-shot city boy. The worlds they’ve each known for so long are literally miles apart. Similarly, Jess’s best friend and sole confidante lives far from her. Using a challenge as an example, discuss how proximity can either foster or hinder a sense of intimacy.
4. Out of all the challenges, choose one and discuss the tactic you’d use to win. Now, pair up and reenact that challenge.
5. Like Jasper, author Lacie Waldon deftly depicts the nature of opposites, from insider versus outsider roles to the Sally-versus-Luanne muffin rivalry. Discuss which pair of thematic opposites spoke to you best and how the tension between the two made for interesting reading.
6. For a narrative with such a colorful cast of characters, there must be a villain. Who in the narrative would you say is a “bad guy”? In what ways does this person emanate a sense of villainy?
7. Jess and Carter naturally grow closer throughout the course of the competition. What was your favorite moment between them, and why?
8. Carter, like Jess, has dealt with many forms of familial loss. What are the similarities and differences between Jess’s and Carter’s respective relationships with their parents? How do these show themselves in Jess and Carter’s day-to-day dynamic?
9. Novak is a quiet but almost omnipresent character in this story. Apart from carrying out the instructions in Jasper’s will, what would you say is Novak’s purpose?
10. For one ambitious game, there are a series of many wacky challenges. Discuss the implications of the title The Only Game in Town , and answer what you believe to be the one and only true game.
11. The Only Game in Town pays homage to many kinds of love. Recall an incident in the book that you deemed an act of love among two or more Redford residents, and explain why this moment spoke to you.