When Reason Breaks
by Cindy L. Rodriguez
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A Goth girl with an attitude problem, Elizabeth Davis must learn to control her anger before it destroys her. Emily Delgado appears to be a smart, sweet girl, with a normal life, but as depression clutches at her, she struggles to feel normal. Both girls are in Ms. Diaz’s English class, where they connect to the words of Emily Dickinson. Both are hovering on the edge of an emotional precipice. One of them will attempt suicide. And with Dickinson’s poetry as their guide, both girls must conquer their personal demons to ever be happy.
In an emotionally taut novel with a richly diverse cast of characters, readers will relish in the poetry of Emily Dickinson and be completely swept up in the turmoil of two girls grappling with demons beyond their control.
Discussion questions for When Reason Breaks
Bring these to your book club — or discuss them with readers on Readfeed.
- 1
How does the contrast between Elizabeth’s outward anger and Emily’s concealed depression highlight the different ways teenagers process emotional pain and mental health struggles?
- 2
In what ways does Ms. Diaz’s English class and the poetry of Emily Dickinson serve as a lifeline or a mirror for Elizabeth and Emily as they navigate their personal crises?
- 3
The book explores the concept of "breaking" versus bending under pressure; how do societal expectations and academic stress contribute to the emotional precipice both girls find themselves on?
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