Quiz We All Live Here Jojo Moyes

We All Live Here Quiz – 20 Questions Covering the Entire Book

Welcome to the comprehensive quiz for Jojo Moyes’ We All Live Here (2025). This 20‑question quiz spans the entire novel, testing your memory on plot details, character motivations, themes and symbols, and asking you to synthesise key ideas. Each question draws directly from the story outline; distractors are plausible but verifiably wrong. After the quiz you’ll find a complete answer key with brief explanations.

If you need a refresher, visit the book overview, the questions and answers page, or the ending explained.

Quiz Questions

Plot and Sequence (Questions 1–8)

  1. What event first makes Lila suspect Marja is pregnant?

    • A. Dan tells Lila directly.
    • B. Marja blushes when another mother touches her stomach.
    • C. Celie finds pregnancy vitamins in Marja’s bag.
    • D. Lila sees a baby scan photo on social media.

  2. How does Celie learn about Marja’s pregnancy before anyone tells her?
    Short answer. She sees Marja’s pregnancy vitamins.

  3. How does Gene Kennedy first arrive at Lila’s house?

    • A. He knocks on the front door.
    • B. Lila picks him up from the train station.
    • C. He walks into the garden and is bitten by the family dog.
    • D. He is found hiding in the shed.

  4. What shocking letter does Lila discover in the attic in Chapter Twenty‑Eight?

    • A. Bill’s will leaving everything to Penelope.
    • B. A letter revealing that Francesca secretly visited Gene in Dublin.
    • C. Gene’s hotel bills from his casino trips.
    • D. Celie’s diary describing her bullying at school.

  5. After Bill’s heart attack, how does Lila reach the hospital?
    Short answer. Jensen drives her after chainsawing a fallen tree that had blocked her car.

  6. During the school play, what does Lila do when child actor Hugo freezes on stage?

    • A. She stays seated and looks away.
    • B. She stands up, claps, and cheers “Yes, Hugo! You can do it!”
    • C. She runs backstage to comfort him.
    • D. She signals to Mrs. Tugendhat to lower the curtain.

  7. In the chapter of the school play, what happens between Jessie and Gabriel at the end?
    Short answer. Jessie throws wine in Gabriel’s face, then invites Lila for a drink.

  8. By the Postscript, where does Bill McKenzie live?

    • A. In a nursing home near Lila’s house.
    • B. In Gene’s old flat above a pub.
    • C. In Penelope’s three‑bedroomed house six doors down from Lila.
    • D. Back in his own bungalow, alone.

Character Motivation (Questions 9–13)

  1. Why does Lila refuse to tell her daughters that Marja is pregnant?
    Short answer. She believes it is Dan’s responsibility to tell them, not hers.

  2. What motivates Gene to secretly help with the school play?

    • A. He hopes to land an acting role through Mrs. Tugendhat’s contacts.
    • B. He feels guilty about hiding in the shed and wants to earn Lila’s trust.
    • C. He genuinely wants to be part of the community and support his grandchildren.
    • D. He is bored and has nothing else to do.

  3. Why does Lila eventually withdraw her book contract?
    Short answer. She realises the cost of turning her life into material, especially after Jensen reads the intimate chapter and feels betrayed.

  4. What is Bill’s main reason for moving out of Lila’s house after his heart attack?

    • A. He cannot tolerate Gene’s presence any longer.
    • B. He needs quieter space to recover and Penelope will care for him.
    • C. He is angry at Lila for the nude‑portrait incident.
    • D. The stairs are too difficult for him.

  5. Why does Celie destroy Marja’s cosmetics in Chapter Thirty‑One?
    Short answer. She is resentful of the blended‑family situation and takes out her anger on Marja’s belongings while Marja is hospitalised.

Theme and Symbol (Questions 14–17)

  1. What does the garden bench that Jensen replaces symbolise?

    • A. Bill’s permanent departure from Lila’s life.
    • B. The foundation of Lila and Jensen’s new relationship and her willingness to be with him.
    • C. The memorial garden Francesca always wanted.
    • D. The chaos and unfinished projects that clutter the house.

  2. The piano’s repeated moves between Lila’s hallway and Bill’s bungalow symbolise:

    • A. The importance of music in the family.
    • B. Bill’s indecision about where to live.
    • C. The shifting family dynamics and the search for stability.
    • D. Lila’s refusal to let go of the past.

  3. What does the “Invisible Gene Shield” represent for Celie?
    Short answer. A mental trick her grandfather teaches her to ignore bullies and project confidence, helping her build resilience.

  4. The nude portrait of Francesca is used to explore themes of memory and grief. How does Lila ultimately relate to it?
    Short answer. In the Postscript, Lila re‑hangs the portrait and decides to focus on her mother’s love rather than her mistakes, accepting the past.

Synthesis (Questions 18–20)

  1. Compare Lila’s relationship with Dan to her relationship with Jensen. How does each reflect her personal growth?
    Short answer – your own analysis. With Dan, Lila experienced betrayal and felt stuck in the past. With Jensen, she learns to be vulnerable, accept imperfection, and embrace joy. Jensen challenges her to stop pushing people away, and by the end she feels released from the past and ready for a new relationship.

  2. What role does forgiveness play in the family’s reconciliation? Give two examples from the plot.
    Short answer. Forgiveness allows the fractured family to move forward. Examples: (1) Bill forgives Gene after learning the truth about Francesca’s Dublin visit – they share a moment of understanding. (2) Lila forgives Dan and allows her daughters to meet the new baby, Marius, embracing their “uneven shape” of a family.

  3. How does the school play serve as a device to unite the family and community?
    Short answer. The play brings together Lila, Gene, Bill, Penelope, Dan, Celie, and Violet in a shared effort. Gene’s secret help with costumes and staging leads to Lila’s emotional embrace of him. The audience’s support for Hugo shows the community’s kindness. The play also triggers Jessie’s public confrontation of Gabriel, enforcing accountability. It becomes a symbol of collective effort, reconciliation, and new beginnings.

Answer Key

  1. B. Marja blushes when another mother touches her stomach (Chapter One).
  2. She sees Marja’s pregnancy vitamins (Chapter Two).
  3. C. He is bitten by the dog after walking into the garden (Chapter Five).
  4. B. A letter reveals Francesca secretly visited Gene in Dublin (Chapter Twenty‑Eight).
  5. Jensen drives her after chainsawing the fallen tree (Chapter Thirty‑Three).
  6. B. Lila stands and cheers him on (Chapter Forty).
  7. Jessie throws wine in Gabriel’s face and invites Lila for a drink (Chapter Forty).
  8. C. Bill moves into Penelope’s house six doors down (Postscript).
  9. Lila believes Dan should be the one to tell the girls (Chapter Two).
  10. C. Gene genuinely wants to be part of the community and support his grandchildren (Chapter Forty).
  11. She realises the cost of using her life as material, especially after Jensen’s hurt reaction (Chapter Thirty‑Four).
  12. B. He needs quiet space to recover and Penelope will care for him (Chapter Thirty‑Seven).
  13. She is resentful of the blended‑family situation and lashes out at Marja’s belongings (Chapter Thirty‑One).
  14. B. It symbolises the foundation of Lila and Jensen’s relationship (Chapter Forty‑One).
  15. C. The piano’s moves symbolise shifting family dynamics and the search for stability (Postscript).
  16. A mental trick to ignore bullies and project confidence (Chapter Twenty‑Six).
  17. Lila re‑hangs the portrait and chooses to recall her mother’s love rather than judge her mistakes (Postscript).
  18. Sample synthesis: Lila’s relationship with Dan was marked by betrayal and inertia; with Jensen she learns vulnerability, accepts imperfection, and moves forward. Evidence: Jensen notes her habit of pushing people away (Chapter Sixteen); Lila feels released from the past (Chapter Forty‑One).
  19. Sample synthesis: Forgiveness enables the family to heal. (1) Bill forgives Gene after the Dublin‑visit misunderstanding is cleared up (Chapter Thirty‑Nine). (2) Lila forgives Dan and the family visits Marja’s baby, accepting their blended future (Postscript).
  20. Sample synthesis: The school play physically gathers all family members and the community. Gene’s secret involvement leads to his reconciliation with Lila. The audience’s support for Hugo shows collective empathy. Jessie’s confrontation of Gabriel publicly resolves that plotline. The play becomes a unifying, redemptive event (Chapter Forty, Postscript).

Want to dive deeper? Check the full book summary or the ending explained.