SuitabookBetting blind
Stephanie Guerra
- Reading
- Talk before or during reading about the difference between helping friends and enabling harm. Afterwards, revisit whether Gabriel’s decisions are presented as understandable, justified, or consequential.
- Themes
- Belonging and status: Gabriel enters a school where students compete for prestigious futures and uses his new reputation to join a social group. The situation clearly involves status-seeking, but the book’s judgement of Gabriel’s strategy and its consequences is unclear.
- Risk, money and responsibility: Gabriel becomes a drug connection for parties because he wants money to keep up with his friends and impress Irina. The motivation is presented, but whether the narrative condemns, excuses or meaningfully examines his conduct cannot be determined.
- Loyalty and relationships: The book addresses loyalty and relationships; the detail of how it is developed remains unclear. The relationship is central to Gabriel’s choices, but the quality and resolution of the romance are unknown.
- Worth knowing
- Consider whether the book gives enough attention to the people affected by Gabriel’s choices, rather than focusing mainly on his reputation, romance or hopes of fitting in.