The Substitute

Dodging bullets and running from gunmen is not how Davyn Daeger normally spends his day.

Until recently, he was a socially awkward professor who preferred the solitude of the library. He wasn’t always this way, but a terrible accident four years earlier drove him into self-imposed isolation.

Now, he’s forced into the perilous world of espionage on a mission that only he can pull off. Davyn must do the unthinkable: go undercover and assume the role of a charismatic secret agent.

But, he’ll have the lovely Kaleo Sandalwood in his ear to guide him as he attempts to infiltrate the secret organization, find the enemy agents, pull off a rescue, and escape a remote island, all while being pursued, shot at, and, worst of all, hobnobbing at black-tie events.

If he survives, will this recluse rejoin the world around him? Or will his brief stint as a secret agent push him that much deeper into seclusion?

Book club questions for The Substitute by John Catan

Use these discussion questions to guide your next book club meeting.

After Davyn’s makeover, he alludes to how he feels like Frankenstein’s monster, though Leo thinks he looks fabulous. Why do you think Davyn feels this way? In what ways might he relate to the creature?

Do you think Davyn has a genuine romantic interest in Kaleo, or is he just drawn to the idea of connecting with someone as a friend? Why? Do you think Kaleo likes Davyn, or is he just an asset in getting Magne back?

Near the end of the story, Mrs. Dawit says, “I thought you were over your introversion.” Davyn laughs and says, “I never want to be over my introversion.” What do you think he means? If you are an introvert, do you ever find that you want to be “over” it? What are some of the perks and drawbacks of being introverted?

Davyn initially sympathizes with Aluerd and thinks that his extreme methods might be appropriate when it comes to dealing with terrorists. How do you think Davyn and Aluerd are alike? In what ways do they differ?

Near the end of the story, when Davyn is in the sinking inflatable boat, he’s ready to give up. What do you think changes his mind?

How does Magne’s perception of Davyn change between their initial reunion and the end of the story? What events do you think cause this change?

At the start of the story, Davyn wants nothing to do with anyone. What happens to change that line of thinking? How do these key factors influence his behavior?

What would you say is the central theme of The Substitute? Trust, courage, the importance of family, or something else?

What from Davyn's background gives him the resources to cope with everything he is forced to undergo as Magne's double? Does life as an introverted academic prepare him for a career as a spy? How?

Why do you think people such as Mrs. Dawit and his students might find Davyn a sympathetic character despite his socially clumsy ways?

How do the action sequences in the story work to develop the characters?

The Substitute Book Club Questions PDF

Click here for a printable PDF of the The Substitute discussion questions