Yesteryear by Caro Claire Burke is a sharp, unsettling, and darkly funny novel that blends satire, psychological thriller, and social commentary. At its center is Natalie Heller Mills, an influencer who has built a massive following by performing the “perfect” traditional life… until she’s forced to actually live it.

If you are reading this for your book club, or want to start one, these questions are to help spark layered, honest conversations. They are perfect for Bookum, where readers can host audio discussions, react in real time, and unpack interesting books like this with a community.

Performance, Identity, and Social Media

1 - Natalie begins the novel by saying she was “perfect at being alive.” What does “perfection” actually mean in her world?

2 - How much of Natalie’s identity is authentic versus performed for her audience?

3 - The novel constantly blurs the line between performance and reality. Where do you think Natalie herself loses that line?

4 - How does social media influence the way Natalie sees herself and how others see her? How does it influence you?

5 - Do you think Natalie believes in the lifestyle she promotes, or is it purely strategic?

6 - In what ways does the book critique influencer culture and curated “ideal lives”?

Tradition, Gender Roles, and Power

7 - Natalie promotes traditional values, yet she is the breadwinner and decision-maker. How do you interpret this contradiction?

8 - What does the novel suggest about “tradwife” culture and the romanticization of traditional gender roles?

9 - How are power and control distributed in Natalie’s modern life versus her 1855 life?

10 - Do you think the book is critiquing tradition itself, or the way it’s marketed and consumed today?

11 - How does Natalie’s understanding of womanhood evolve (or not) throughout the story?

12 - What does the novel reveal about the pressures placed on women to perform certain roles? What pressures do you feel in yours?

13 - Do you interpret Natalie’s experience as time travel, psychological breakdown, punishment, or something else entirely? Why?

14- How does the uncertainty of what’s “real” impact your reading of the story?

15 - What role does paranoia play in Natalie’s experience?

16 - The discovery of the microphone fragment suggests surveillance. How does that detail shift your interpretation of events?

17 - How does the 1855 setting function as both a physical and psychological challenge for Natalie?

18 - Do you think Natalie changes because of her experience, or does she remain fundamentally the same?

Romanticizing the Past vs. Reality

19 - The novel has been described as “be careful what you wish for.” Do you agree? Why or why not?

20 - Why do you think modern audiences are drawn to nostalgic or “simpler” past lifestyles?

21 - How does the book dismantle the fantasy of pre-modern life?

22 -What moments most clearly expose the harsh realities of the past compared to Natalie’s curated version of it?

23 - How does physical labor and survival reshape Natalie’s understanding of her own life?

24 - What does the novel ultimately say about our desire to escape the present?

Download Bookum and add Yesteryear to your TBR list to start or join a powerful book club conversation today.