Performance as a Path to Authenticity is one of the novel’s major themes. How does the constant blurring of lines between onstage personas and offstage reality both enable and complicate AJ and Noah’s ability to build a sustainable relationship?

Citing specific evidence from the text, trace the evolution of AJ’s use of humor from a defensive “straitjacket” to a tool of professional empowerment and authentic expression.

How does Into the Blue compare and contrast with Brodie’s debut novel, Songs in Ursa Major? What patterns can you identify in the author’s choice of themes and protagonists and her use of historical source material?

In what ways does the novel use the medical and ethical realities of Huntington’s disease to challenge conventional definitions of a “happily ever after” in the romance genre?

Into the Blue makes several allusions to Romeo and Juliet. Explore how Brodie’s novel both adopts and subverts the classic “star-crossed lovers” narrative.

In what ways does Drew House function as a motif of Redefining Family Legacy and Personal Fate? Cite specific examples from across the text to support your analysis.

How does Brodie use the super-fans Oona and Otto to advance the novel’s plot, themes, and overall meaning?

Compare and contrast the novel with other romances featuring famous actors, such as Olivia Dade’s Spoiler Alert and Katherine Center’s The Bodyguard. How do the different authors use this premise to explore the relationship between performance and authenticity?