SuitabookDeadly design
Debra Dockter
- Reading
- Consider discussing whether being designed or labelled ‘perfect’ should determine someone’s value. You could also pause after major discoveries to explore how suspense, grief and personal choice are being balanced.
- Themes
- Perfection and self-worth: Kyle lives in the shadow of Connor, who is presented as exceptionally successful, while Kyle sees himself as an underachiever. His investigation prompts him to act for himself. The contrast invites reflection on whether socially rewarded achievement defines personal value, but the final judgement on perfection is not established.
- Genetic engineering and responsibility: Kyle and Connor were conceived through Genesis Innovations after their parents sought to improve their chances of having healthy children; a doctor’s work is linked to a fatal flaw. The premise raises questions about scientific responsibility and parental consent, but whether the book condemns or endorses particular choices is unclear.
- Survival under pressure: After Connor’s death, Kyle searches for answers about other deaths and tries to prevent his own possible death before time runs out. The book?s stance on this remains unclear.
- Worth knowing
- Expect sudden death from a heart attack, bereavement and an ongoing threat to teenagers’ lives. Genetic experimentation, hidden medical consequences and a frightening investigation are central; romantic feelings and a crush are also mentioned.