ABOUT THE BOOK
Joy Morris wants to draw her twin sister, Grace, out of her shell. But the promise
of a summer of harmless misdeeds ends with misfortune when Grace is date-
raped by Adam Gordon. Joy agrees to keep Grace’s secret, in addition to
keeping a secret of her own. When someone starts blackmailing her, she realizes
she wasn’t alone with Adam at the quarry the night of his eighteenth birthday
party and his death. Forced to make some difficult choices, Joy must uncover the
blackmailer’s identity before disaster strikes again.
DISCUSSION QUESTIONS
1. A
 t the beginning of the novel Joy says, “Silence is the worst thing
someone can give you. Your mind fills it with every possible bad thing.”
What does she mean? What are some of the secrets between Joy and
her twin sister, Grace?
2. T he author manipulates time by alternating between the events of fall
and summer. How does this add suspense? How does telling the events
from two different perspectives give the story more depth?
3. J oy believes that parents really “have no idea how little they
know about the people they gave life to.” Explain why you agree
or disagree with her. How do her parents view each of their twin
daughters? What are they missing? Joy feels her parents have made
them “each other’s responsibility so we wouldn’t have to be theirs.”
Explain her feelings.
4. L evi tells Joy that, as twins, maybe she and Grace are “too used to
being in the context of each other.” What does he mean? What is the
difference between Joy’s Grace and Grace’s Grace? How different is
Grace’s Joy from Joy’s Joy?
5. C
 onsider the secrets kept by Grace, Joy, November, and Cassius and
discuss if staying silent was more harmful than revealing the truth.
What might the author be saying about keeping secrets?
6. W
 hy was putting on excessive makeup so important to Grace? What
was she trying to cover up?
7. W
 hy was it important for November to publish her editorial about Adam
in the school newspaper? Should she feel guilty about what happened
to Grace? What do you think about Vice Principal Matthew’s decision to
ban November from writing for the paper?
8. J oy considers Preston her best friend and says, “There’s something so
special and strange about being loved by somebody who isn’t related
to you, someone who has no obligation.” Explain what she means.
9. C
 assius says that people wouldn’t see him if he was on his own, so he
attaches himself to Adam, who has a bigger personality. Explain how
this is similar to the way Grace feels about Joy.
10. W
 hat do you think of Joy’s decision to reveal the truth about Principal
Eastman and Officer Roseby? Would you have done the same so that
Grace’s rape remained a secret? Why or why not?
11. J oy says people are wrong to expect twins to have a “private
window” into each other’s minds. How did she misjudge Grace’s
feelings? Why does Joy tell Grace she needs professional help?
12. B oth November and Grace tell Joy she puts people on a pedestal.
Explain how she looks at people like they are “better versions of
themselves.”
13. W
 hen confronted by Joy at his birthday party, Adam dismisses her
rape accusation and accuses her of stirring up drama. He says he
was just being “nice” to Grace and “doing her a favor,” and that she
is a “prude” and a “repressed freak.” How do you view him and his
actions?
14. G
 race is told that when you love and hate someone at the same time,
you know they’re your family. Explain how Grace’s love and hate for
Joy motivated her. Does she deserve Joy’s forgiveness? Why does Joy
ask for Grace’s forgiveness?
15. W
 hat does the future of the Morris family look like, individually
and as a unit. If you could follow one of the twins after the story’s
conclusion, which one would you choose and why?
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