Have You Seen Luis Velez?

Content Warning: This section of the guide contains discussion of racism and religious discrimination.

Gather initial thoughts and broad opinions about the book.

1. The novel begins with Raymond helping an elderly woman who is blind but evolves into a search for Luis Velez. What effect did this deceptively simple opening premise have on your reading experience?

2. In what ways does Have You Seen Luis Velez compare to Hyde’s other well-known works, like Pay It Forward? If this is your first experience with her writing, which aspects of her storytelling style most resonated with you?

3. Which moments of unexpected kindness between strangers in the novel affected you most deeply?

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

1. Raymond struggles with feeling that he doesn’t belong anywhere. When have you experienced feeling like an outsider, and how did you navigate that challenge?

2. Millie tells Raymond that the term “normal” simply implies what is natural for each individual. Has there been a time when you felt different and had to redefine what normal meant for you?

3. Can you recall a seemingly random meeting or event that altered your life’s trajectory in a meaningful way?

4. What factors typically influence your decision to step outside your comfort zone to assist a stranger?

5. When have you realized that your own assumptions about someone were completely wrong?

6. Millie suggests that investigating one’s fears tends to diffuse their ability to cause anxiety. What experience have you had with confronting your fears directly?

Explore broader implications and cultural relevance.

1. Millie escaped Nazi Germany as a child and carries survivor’s guilt. In what ways does her history inform her perspective on the prejudice witnessed in present-day America?

2. The jury’s quick acquittal of Ms. Hatfield raises questions about racial bias in the American justice system. What parallels do you see between this fictional case and actual judicial proceedings?

3. How does the portrayal of different New York City neighborhoods contribute to our understanding of how prejudice and privilege operate in urban spaces?

Examine technical and thematic elements.

1. Hyde uses wordplay throughout the novel, particularly with character names. How do names relate to characters’ identities, personalities, or plot functions? What other wordplay elements did you notice?

2. How does Hyde use Millie’s physical blindness to explore different ways of “seeing” and understanding others?

3. In what ways does Raymond’s search for Luis Velez create opportunities for the novel to describe diversity within the Hispanic community?

4. What role does guilt play in character development throughout the story? Which character has been most shaped by their feelings of guilt and why?

5. Raymond’s relationship with his parents evolves throughout the novel. How does this subplot complement the main storyline?

6. The novel has been compared to J.D. Salinger’s young adult classic The Catcher in the Rye. If you’ve read Salinger’s work, what distinctions do you see between Raymond’s journey and Holden Caulfield’s approach to disillusionment?

Encourage imaginative interaction with the text.

1. If you were to write an epilogue for the novel set five years in the future, what would have happened to Raymond, Millie, and Isabel?

2. The Saint Jude medal represents hope in hopeless causes. What object would you choose to symbolize your own approach to difficult situations?

3. Imagine you were making a film adaptation of this novel. Which scenes would be essential to include, and which actors would you cast as Raymond and Millie?

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