Symptoms of Being Human

How does the novel challenge stereotypes about gender identity and the transgender community? In what different ways does it present information for those who may be unfamiliar with these issues? Which ways of presenting information are most effective and which less so? Why?

What role does pop/nerd culture play in the way that characters express themselves and relate to each other?

What argument does the novel make about mental health?

How does the novel use foreshadowing to predict later events in the narrative?

Which of the novel’s secondary characters undergo changes? Which remain static characters without an arc? Why?

How does the usage of internet virality as a plot device influence the pacing of the novel?

Riley often expresses a desire not to be categorized as only a boy or a girl. In what ways does the novel challenge other categorizations besides gender?

Why is the way the novel treats Riley’s trauma following the assault important?