CLOSURE — BOOK CLUB GUIDE
Tysheem Shamad Holt | Holt House Publishing

THEMES AND CHARACTERS

1. What does Eli ask for after losing his father? What do those requests reveal about the kind of safety he needs?

2. What makes someone a dependable caregiver in this novel?

3. When do you trust Akiva’s interpretation, and when do you question it?

4. How do phrases such as “I’m concerned” change meaning depending on who uses them?

5. Which memory of Marcus made him feel most real to you?

6. How do generosity and obligation become connected in Vivian’s relationships?

7. How do Tasha and Inez’s boundaries affect the meaning of support?

8. What would closure look like for Akiva? Would it look the same for Eli?


STOP HERE IF YOU HAVE NOT FINISHED THE BOOK
The following questions contain major ending spoilers.

AFTER THE LAST PAGE

1. How does Akiva’s message on pages 174–177 change your understanding of him?

2. How does Luis Aranda’s injury alter the moral weight of Akiva’s actions?

3. What does Tasha’s refusal to excuse Akiva suggest about loyalty?

4. Why does Vivian’s sentence fail to give Akiva the feeling he expected?

5. Compare the opening phone call with the final breakfast. What has changed?

6. Why is Eli’s freedom to leave a painful journal entry unchanged important?