Brixton Bros. #1 - Discussion Questions

When a novel pokes fun of a certain style or genre of writing, we often say it is a satire. A satire will often use exaggeration to make jokes and to make a supposed serious work look silly. Is “The Case of the Case of Mistaken Identity” a satire?

When you read a book and believe that what happens in it could really happen in real life, then that book could be said to have verisimilitude. Verisimilitude is a fancy word people use to mean “believable”. Did anything happen in this book you found too unlikely - or even downright impossible? Is verisimilitude even important in a book like this?

“Cliffhangers” are plot devices that make a reader want to keep going to find out what happens next. A thriller or detective story will often have a cliffhanger at the end of one chapter so that the reader will not stop but read the next chapter right away. Can you give an example of a cliffhanger in “The Case of the Case of Mistaken Identity”?

Even in a satire, it is necessary that the reader cares about the main character. Did you care about Steve? What did the author do to make you care about Steve?

All characters, both good guys and bad guys, need motivation - a reason to act they way they do. A motivation can be something simple (greed) or something complex (the need to be taken seriously) What is Steve’s motivation? What is the bad guys motivation? What is Rick’s motivation?

“The Case of the Case of Mistaken Identity” is the first book in a series. What did the author do to set up the idea that more adventures would come?

Do the illustrations make the story better? Do they match the comic tone of novel? Do you ever flip ahead to an illustration and then find yourself wanting to know what is going on?