READERS GUIDE

Discussion Questions

1. How does Gracie’s skating “origin story” shape her identity and her relationship with her three personas?

2.  How does the pressure to succeed and the pursuit of perfection affect the mental and emotional well-being of young athletes? Are there safeguards in place to help them? And if not, what could or should be implemented?

3.  How does the pressure to conform to a certain body type in figure skating affect Gracie Gold’s mental and physical health?

4.  Discuss Gracie’s relationship with her coaches over her career. How do they evolve? Which relationships prove more helpful or harmful?

5.  Gracie’s public persona differs greatly from her private struggles. How does the discrepancy ultimately affect her? And how does her internal struggle with perfectionism and self-doubt relate to the external pressures she faces as a figure skater?

6.  The book tackles many subjects—family trauma, eating disorders, sexual assault, addiction, bisexuality—subjects that aren’t necessarily discussed in the skating community. Discuss Gracie’s bravery in addressing them.

7.  Gracie’s relationship with her family is central to her journey. How did the family dynamic shape her early skating career? How has her recovery shaped her connections to her sister, her mother, and her father?

8.  In what ways did this book open your eyes to the realities of skating? What does it say about sports in general and how athletes are treated?

9.  After her time in rehab, Gracie returns to the ice—the scene of so much of what made her go into recovery in the first place. Why do you think she felt the pull to finish what she started?

10.  How does Gracie bring her life experience—all the highs and lows—to skating today? What does she offer  future hopefuls?

11.  How might Gracie’s battle with her “outofshapeworthlessloser” voice resonate with people who have never stepped on the ice? How did it resonate with you?

12.  Gracie is open about her losses—not simply competitions but the loss of her childhood, of friends and loved ones, of dreams and hopes. What lessons does she find in her grief?

13.  What are some of the healing tools and tips Gracie discovered on her journey from illness to wellness? Which ones do you most identify with? How have those tools shaped your own healing?