Eliza and Her Monsters - Discussion Questions

 

 

1. Why doesn’t Eliza want to reveal her as LadyConstellation?  

2. Eliza makes the choice to keep her online life and her personal life separate. Do you think this was a smart decision? Why or why not?   

3. The magnitude of Eliza’s webcomic weighs pretty heavily on her head whenever she needs to draw and write new panels for the comic. Do you think that she’s managing the stress well? Why or why not? What could she do differently?  

4. When Eliza first meets Wallace, she doesn’t confide in him that she’s the creator of Monstrous Sea. She continues to lie to him as their relationship develops. Do you believe Eliza was justified in doing this? Why or why not?  

5. Why does Eliza feel disconnect towards her parents and two little brothers. If you were her would you feel the same?  

6. In the novel, we learn the truth about Wallace and his father. How do you think he copes with his loss?   

7. In her graduation piece in the local newspaper, Eliza’s parents mention that she’s the creator of Monstrous Sea, something Eliza has managed to keep hidden. Do you think that Eliza was justified in being angry at her parents?  

8. If you were her, could you have handled it differently?  

9. After her identity has been leaked to the world, Eliza’s anxiety hits a breaking point. Should she have gotten help before she hit this point? 

10. Throughout the novel, the author includes some of Eliza’s sketches and panels from Monstrous Sea. How do you think these play into the narrative of the story? Would the story still have the same effect if these drawings had been left out? 

11. Place yourself in Eliza’s shoes. Do you think you would have made the same decisions that she did regarding her friends and family? Why or why not?  

12. After Eliza’s identity is revealed, she doesn’t feel like she can finish Monstrous Sea because of everything that happened. Do you think Eliza was justified in her decision to take a break from writing the webcomic? Why or why not? 

13. Do you like the ending of the book? If you were the author, would you end the story differently?  

14. From 1 to 5 stars, how many stars would you rate the book?