Hold Me Closer, Necromancer Theme of Fate and Free Will

Like a lot of twenty-somethings, Sam isn't super focused on the idea of destiny. He's a college dropout with no particular interest in anything when we first meet him in Hold Me Closer, Necromancer, and our guess is that if Douglas hadn't showed up, Sam would have probably just stayed that way. Instead, though, it becomes clear that fate has much grander plans in store for Sam that flipping burgers the rest of his life. When destiny and the world of the supernatural collide, Sam learns he has no choice but to yield his own power and accept his fate.

Questions About Fate and Free Will

  1. How does Sam's experience throughout the book illustrate that he's destined to be a necromancer?
  2. Does Kevin's lack of acceptance of who Tia is play a role in her decision to bind Sam? Or is it mostly about Douglas being a super dangerous guy?
  3. How does Sam's fate as a necromancer relate to the theme of identity? To dig deep, be sure to check out our thoughts on identity elsewhere in this section.
  4. Sam's the main character, so his fate is the one most at stake in the book, but what about the other characters? Does anyone else struggle with acceptance over their futures?

Chew on This

Try on an opinion or two, start a debate, or play the devil’s advocate.

Tia's failed attempts to bind Sam are meant to keep him from experiencing adversity more than to protect him from Douglas.

Sam can only achieve a sense of direction in his life by accepting that he is fated to be a necromancer.