SuitabookThe First Move
Jenny Ireland
- Reading
- Before reading, discuss how online and offline identities can differ. During the book, pause to consider what each character knows or assumes about the other; afterwards, revisit whether the ending resolves those tensions.
- Themes
- Disability and self-image: Juliet is adjusting to worsening arthritis and avoids some social situations because she fears being singled out as the girl with crutches. The book presents this favourably.
- Hidden experiences and empathy: The cast includes characters whose lives may appear perfect or desirable while they face their own struggles, including the two protagonists. The book is presented as encouraging readers to recognise that visible appearances do not disclose everything someone is experiencing.
- Online and offline identities: Juliet and Ronan connect both in real life and anonymously through an online chess game, forming different ideas about each other. The structure invites attention to what people reveal or conceal in different settings; whether the book ultimately endorses or criticises those choices is not clear.
- Worth knowing
- The book includes worsening arthritis, grief after a close family member’s death, social discomfort around being singled out, and the emotional complications of anonymous online connection.