One Perfect Couple

How does Lyla misjudge her fellow contestants? Choose at least two different people whom she grossly underestimates. What indications of their later behavior are concealed within Lyla’s first impressions?

How do Lyla’s attitudes toward surveillance and scrutiny change throughout the text, and how do her morals shift as she pursues Survival Under Extreme Conditions?

Analyze the multiple shifts in Ware’s portrayal of Conor as his characterization transforms from charming contestant to competent ally to deadly enemy. What events precipitate each shift, and what details foreshadow his increasingly ugly behavior?

How does the trauma of grief and loss transform the characters? Focus your analysis on Joel, Angel, and Lyla and use specific examples to support your interpretation.

How does Lyla grow and change as the narrative progresses, and what events initiate the greatest shifts in her outlook?

How does Lyla’s scientific mind influence her moment-to-moment decisions and fuel her assessment of who to trust?

Analyze how Joel’s character changes over the course of the novel. Decide whether the ambiguous circumstances of his death are evidence of murder or suicide, using evidence from the text to support your interpretation.

How does the novel’s conclusion alter the portrayals of Nico and Baz? What does Lyla learn about their intentions, and how does this new understanding change her perspective on her recent ordeal?