Carrie Soto Is Back

Encourage readers to connect the book’s themes and characters with their personal experiences.

1. Carrie struggles with the fear of losing, both on and off the court. When in your life have you had to confront the fear of failure, and how did it impact your ability to find joy in what you were doing?

2. Javier tells Carrie that she was destined to be the world’s best player. Have you ever felt destined for something specific, or have someone else’s expectations shaped your path? 

3. Throughout the novel, Carrie is criticized for being “cold,” “ruthless,” and a “bitch” when she displays the same confidence and determination celebrated in male athletes. When have you witnessed or experienced similar double standards in your own life?

4. Carrie initially resists vulnerability in her relationship with Bowe because she fears abandonment. How have your past experiences shaped your willingness to be vulnerable in relationships?

5. At the end of the novel, Carrie finds peace in no longer needing to be “the greatest.” Have you ever experienced the relief of letting go of an identity or goal that once defined you?

Examine the book’s relevance to societal issues, historical events, or cultural themes.

1. The novel highlights how media personalities like Briggs Lakin criticize Carrie for lacking “grace” and “poise” while celebrating male competitors, regardless of their behavior. How have these double standards in sports coverage evolved or persisted since the 1990s?

2. Both Nicki and Gwen point out to Carrie that they face additional challenges as women of color in professional spaces. How does the novel address the intersection of gender, race, and sexuality in sports and public life?

3. Carrie’s career spans several decades, and tennis evolves significantly through this time. How does the novel reflect the changes for women in sports from the 1970s through the 1990s, and what parallels do you see with current discussions about women athletes?

Dive into the book’s structure, characters, themes, and symbolism.

1. The motif of Achilles appears throughout the novel, as Javier calls Carrie his “Achilles” from a young age. How does this comparison both empower and burden Carrie? What significance does it hold when Nicki quotes The Iliad to her before their final match?

2. How does the “hum” Carrie feels while playing function as a symbol in the story? What transformation does this symbol undergo by the novel’s conclusion?

3. Carrie’s relationship with Javier shapes her identity and her understanding of greatness. How does their relationship evolve throughout the novel, and what pivotal moments mark these changes?

4. The novel is told entirely from Carrie’s first-person perspective. How does this impact your understanding of other characters, particularly Javier and Nicki?

5. In Malibu Rising, Carrie appears briefly as Brandon Randall’s mistress. How does knowing this additional context about Carrie’s life affect your reading of her character, and what does Jenkins Reid’s wider fictional universe add to her exploration of fame?

6. How does the structure of the novel—opening and closing with matches between Nicki and Cortez—frame Carrie’s journey? What does this circular structure suggest about Carrie’s development?