The Academy

Gather initial thoughts and broad opinions about the book.

1. How did you feel about Hilderbrand’s balance of high school drama and personal connection through romance and friendship? Did you feel that one needed a stronger presence in the story? Why or why not?

2. Consider another book you have read about boarding school like A Separate Peace by John Knowles or Looking For Alaska by John Green. Compare and contrast its representation of boarding school life to the portrayal in The Academy.

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

1. Charley feels angry at her mother’s relationship with Joey, and Davi experiences isolation because of her parents’ new girlfriend. Discuss a time when someone else’s personal life had a strong effect on your emotions.

2. How do you feel about The Academy’s depiction of life as a teenager? Which aspects resonate with your real-world experiences as a teen? Which seemed specific to the privileged world the novel depicts?

3. The Academy depicts a social world ruled by secrecy and gossip, especially in the form of the Zip Zap app. Have you ever been in a situation where secrecy and gossip greatly impacted your life? How did you handle it? In your experience, does social media exacerbate these problems?

4. Of the romantic relationships depicted in the novel, like Taylor and Hakeem, Charley and East, and Honey and Cordelia, which one resonates with you the most? How does this relationship compare to your own experiences?

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

1. Overall, do you feel that the book offers a positive, negative, or neutral view of boarding school life? How does it impact your own opinion or experiences of boarding schools?

2. What does the book say about privilege in the real world? Do you find its depictions of privilege realistic? Which characters reflect this idea?

3. Discuss the relationship between Cordelia and Honey. What insight does their relationship lend to queer relationships?

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

1. Discuss one internal and one external conflict that impacts Charley’s development in the text. Explain how the resolutions to these conflicts, or lack thereof, impact her character. What theme is conveyed through these conflicts?

2. How does the shifting point of view impact the story’s development? Choose specific points where it lends further insight into the characters or creates suspense for the reader. Discuss how the story would have been different if it were told entirely from a first-person point of view.

3. Aside from Simone, choose another character that is an antagonist in the text. How are their actions antagonistic? How does this develop or lend deeper understanding to another character in the text?

4. What is one theme in the text related to social media? Choose two characters and discuss how their actions develop this theme.

Encourage imaginative and creative connections to the book.

1. Write a scene where Davi finally speaks with her father about his relationship with Saylem. Does Vikram tell Davi the truth? Does Davi listen to him? Do they bond through the conversation or does Davi lash out? Consider what we know about Davi and Vikram from the text when you write the scene.

2. Imagine you are tasked with writing a movie script for The Academy. Choose one key scene that you think is important to have in the novel. Write this movie scene. Be sure to consider things like the actors, music, camera placement, mise en scène, and more to convey the importance of this scene.