Reading Group Guide for

A Complicated Love Story Set in Space

By Shaun David Hutchinson

About the Book

What could be worse than three teens careening through space alone together on a derelict spaceship? A spaceship that they don’t know how to operate, that always seems to be thirty seconds away from blowing up or shutting down or otherwise killing them. A ship that could, at any moment, decide to start randomly hyperjumping through space. Add in the facts that those three teens—Noa, DJ, and Jenny—woke up on the ship without knowing one another, how they got there, or what they need to do to survive, and a terrible situation becomes even more complex. DJ and Jenny begin to accept this new life and that they will never see Earth again, but Noa just can’t. His life on Earth was far from perfect, but he’s not ready to give it up just yet. And then things start to get weird. Will Noa sort out his feelings for DJ? Will he figure out how to stop repeating the same day over and over again? Will he be eaten by the rogue alien attacking the ship? And will he ever make peace with spending the rest of his life on this rusty spaceship?

Discussion Questions

1. When Noa wakes up outside the Qriosity, he says, “I was tempted to do nothing, don’t think I wasn’t. It was the path of least resistance, which my mom and all of my teachers from first grade on would agree was my favorite.” Can you find evidence of this statement throughout the book? Are there times when Noa does not appear to take the path of least resistance? On these occasions, what spurs him to make an effort?

2. From the start, Noa decides he needs to assume their situation is real until he has proof otherwise. Later, however, he tells the others, “‘I’m not saying we’re not on a ship. . . . But I don’t think we should take it for granted that we are either.’” Why do you think he accepts his reality when he first wakes up outside the Qriosity? Why do you think he questions this as the story goes on? What are possible alternatives if they aren’t really on a ship?

3. Do Noa’s views on survival change as he learns more about the ship and his situation? What about when he learns the truth about the trio’s life on board the Qriosity?

4. How does Noa define love? How does DJ define it? How do their perceptions differ? How have their past experiences changed their views of love? Which view do you most identify with?

5. When do we first get an indication that Noa doesn’t like to be touched? Why do you think Noa struggles with this? What happens to make him more willing to let people get both physically and emotionally close to him? How does that impact his experiences on the ship?

6. As the teens search the ship, why does DJ say that he’s staying calm? How much truth is in this statement? Does DJ have a reason to be nervous? How do you think Jenny and Noa would have reacted if DJ had chosen to freak out? What if he had told them the real reason for his calm attitude?

7. At one point, Noa says that DJ “. . . put himself out there, tried to be nice to me, and I’d fashioned his good intentions into weapons and wounded him with them.” Why do you think Noa subjects himself to this cycle of pain? What does it say about Noa that he’s able to recognize this behavior? Has anyone ever responded the same way to Noa’s good intentions?

8. Why is it so important to Noa that his kidnapping and time on the ship not turn him into a victim? As horrible as the situation is, in what ways does his presence on the ship represent a fresh start? Do you think that he would have been able to redefine himself if he’d been kidnapped and held somewhere on Earth? Explain your answers.

9. When Noa is watching Murder Your Darlings and avoiding DJ and Jenny, why do the other two try to get him to reengage? Why do they need Noa to be present?

10. What advice from his mother does Noa remember and apply to this situation? Is he consistent in following this advice? Why is it important that the advice came from his mother? Does anyone else give him similar advice?

11. When Noa withdraws to the couch a second time, Jenny gets tough with him and has an honest conversation about his reaction to their predicament. Which of the things that she tells him do you agree with? What do you think about the points she’s making? Does her talk have an effect on Noa?

12. What does Noa think happens to a person when they die? Does his experience dying change his mind? Does Jenny change her views on the meaning of death after she is killed? How does learning the truth about their situation change what they think about death?

13. When Noa goes on a baking binge, he tells Jenny that it’s the only thing on Qriosity that makes him feel normal. What do you think feeling normal means for him? What does it mean for you? Do you think Noa can ever feel normal on the Qriosity?

14. Why does Noa resist DJ’s romantic overtures? How much truth is in the reasons he gives to Jenny and DJ? Do you think there are other reasons that he won’t admit?

15. Why does Noa resist following Dr. Kim’s advice for getting out of the time loop? What does it mean for Noa if it works?

16. How does Noa feel about Billy after the sexual assault? How does he feel about himself? Why doesn’t he tell anyone what happened?

17. DJ tells Noa, “‘You’re not a story, Noa. You’re a storyteller.’” What does DJ mean by this? Do you agree or disagree with his statement? How might Noa’s life change if he believed this? Does discovering the truth about their situation make this philosophy easier or more difficult for Noa to accept?

18. Given what we know about DJ, discuss why he tells Noa, “‘Well, memories are just stories we tell ourselves to make sense of the past, so don’t let that one memory become the only story you tell about yourself. Who we were isn’t who we are; it doesn’t limit who we can be.’”

19. Why is Jenny focused on the fact that DJ stole her story? Do you think she retains any of the traits of the leading lady she was meant to be? How do these traits help her?

20. Why does Noa find it so difficult to hold on to his identity once he finds out that his memories do not really belong to him? What do you think makes up a person: the experiences that they have, or their intrinsic qualities? How do you think DJ or Jenny would answer this question? Explain your answers.

21. Do you think Production is evil, or are there details that make what they’re doing understandable? What is Jenny Perez’s role? Do you think she is a perpetrator or a victim? Explain your answers.

Activities

1. In the novel, the Qriosity always seems to be on the verge of breaking down. In reality, while humans have achieved great things in the area of space travel, these achievements did not come without mistakes, breakdowns, and tragedies. Research one of these setbacks, such as with the Apollo 1 or Apollo 13 missions, the Challenger, or others, and report back to your class on what you found.

2. The fact that Noa was raped has a profound impact on his life and his relationships. Find a group in your community that either works to prevent sexual assault or supports those seeking help. Consider volunteering or helping to spread awareness of these resources. If there is no such group, you could consider starting one.

3. If someone were making a show about your life, what genre would it fall into? Would it be a comedy, a drama, a fantasy, or some combination of genres? Write a scene from your show and get some friends to help you perform it.

4. Noa feels so betrayed when he finds out that his memories belonged to someone else, because he believes that certain key memories define a person. What would some of your defining memories be, the events in your life that made you who you are today? Create a painting or a collage that illustrates these key moments.

5. If you could design a rocket ship, what elements would you include? A game room? A garden? A food synthesizer? Mock up plans for your personal spaceship and share them with your classmates.

Guide written by Cory Grimminck, Director of the Portland District Library in Michigan.

This guide has been provided by Simon & Schuster for classroom, library, and reading group use. It may be reproduced in its entirety or excerpted for these purposes. For more Simon & Schuster guides and classroom materials, please visit simonandschuster.net or simonandschuster.net/thebookpantry.