Without mortality, Punkzilla would have no story. This is a road trip novel, yes, but what sets the road trip in motion is Jamie's desire to see his brother P one last time before P dies of cancer. The question is how long Jamie himself would have survived the life he was living before hitting the road—crashing in a sketchy flophouse, doing meth, and stealing is its own death sentence. And let's be honest: We're all waiting for Jamie to meet up with a serial killer on the road. So thank goodness for P's partner, Jorge, who agrees to take Jamie in when he finally makes it to Memphis. Like, for real.
Questions About Mortality
- Which of the people Jamie meets on the road poses the greatest threat to his life? Was there a point at which you expected one of them to kill him?
- We don't know about you, but we spent the whole book waiting for Jamie to meet up with a serial killer. Why does Rapp choose not to put the narrator in a situation in which his life is directly threatened?
- Why doesn't P's mom go to be with him when she finds out he's dying?
Chew on This
If it weren't for P's death, Jamie never would have found a safe home.
All Jamie's actions between Buckner and Memphis are flirtations with death.