48 pages • 1 hour read
Ally CarterI'd Tell You I Love You, But Then I'd Have to Kill You
Fiction | Novel | YA | Published in 2006A modern alternative to SparkNotes and CliffsNotes, SuperSummary offers high-quality Study Guides with detailed chapter summaries and analysis of major themes, characters, and more.
Essay Topics
At the end of the book, Josh is angry that Cammie lied to him, and Cammie argues she was truthful about the things that matter. Do you think Cammie told Josh more truths than lies? Why or why not? If not, what could she have told him to keep her cover but be more truthful? Support your analysis with evidence from the text.
Cammie gives her dad’s birthday when Josh asks for her birthday, but she doesn’t realize it until later when she sees her mom crying. Did Cammie forgetting her dad’s birthday ring true to you? Why or why not? What is the significance of Cammie using her dad’s birthday?
At the fall festival, Cammie realizes her education hasn’t prepared her for small-town society. Do you think this is a gap in her spy education, or does it seem more believable that spy school would focus on cultures of the world and mingling in high society?
What event was the definitive moment when Cammie knew she had to let Josh go, and why is that moment significant to Cammie’s character development? Support your response with evidence from the text.
Throughout the book, Cammie makes a point that men always underestimate women and girls. Do you agree or disagree with this assessment? Why? Use situations from the book where men did or did not underestimate the girls to support your argument.
What is the significance of Macey being related to Gilly? Does that relationship play a hidden role in this book? How might Carter expand upon that relationship throughout the series, and why do you think she chose to make Macey’s heritage clear so early on if Macey’s relationship to Gilly isn’t explored right away?
Do the spy tactics Carter has the girls use throughout the book seem cogent and realistic? Why or why not? Are there any places where their skills seem like they are too far-fetched, even for a fiction book about spies?
Did the “Summaries of Surveillance” Carter included enhance the story? Why or why not? If so, what did they add? If not, why did they detract from the story, and what could have been used in their place?
What kind of commentary does I’d Tell You I Love You, But Then I’d Have to Kill You offer for spy movies in popular culture? Does the book complement or parody how spies are portrayed in most mainstream media? Support your analysis with evidence from the text.
Why do you think Cammie’s mom and Mr. Solomon let Cammie get away with sneaking out and meeting Josh for an entire semester? How might the story have been different if one or both of them had revealed they knew Cammie’s secret earlier? Support your answer with evidence from the text.
