Full Measures

How does the novel’s pacing, which stacks one crisis upon another in the middle chapters, mirror Ember’s psychological state of being under siege?

The novel creates significant inconsistencies surrounding Josh’s character. He was a “bad boy” in high school, yet has gained significant maturity and self-control since then, despite maintaining a suave public persona. How does the novel strategically use clues to build tension and manipulate Josh’s characterization and Ember’s perception of him?

The novel presents Ember and her sister, April, as foils in their responses to grief. How do their conflicting coping mechanisms (internalized responsibility versus externalized rebellion) create a central family conflict that they must resolve before the family can collectively begin to heal?

Josh’s character arc is relatively static compared to Ember’s profound transformation, yet he keeps his military service and connection to her father secret from her. Is his secrecy understandable? Why or why not?

Full Measures is part of the “new adult” genre, which focuses on protagonists navigating the transition to adulthood. How does the novel use the conventions of military romance to explore core new adult themes of identity formation, trauma, and the establishment of adult relationships?

Why is the setting of the hockey rink significant in the novel for particular characters? Include examples from the text.

The novel frames the inciting event (a father’s death) in the political reality of a “Green on Blue” attack. Analyze how this decision shapes the novel’s exploration of grief. How does this specific type of betrayal and senselessness complicate Ember’s process of finding meaning in her father’s sacrifice?

How does the novel trace Ember’s evolution from stoically suppressing grief to an act of emotional vulnerability, culminating in her decision to “be brave” in the face of an uncertain future? What factors limit or enable her growth?