Essay Prompts for The Long Game by Rachel Reid

1. Ilya Rozanov’s Transformation from Isolation to Openness

Why it matters: Ilya’s arc from guarded, self‑destructive captain to a man who seeks therapy, adopts a dog, and comes out provides a rich character‑change study.

Sample thesis direction: Ilya’s journey toward emotional honesty is catalyzed by three interconnected forces: professional crisis, a near‑death experience, and the consistent care of his partner.

Evidence leads:

First therapy session with Dr. Galina Molchalina (Chapter 14) – admits he thinks he might be depressed.
Telling Svetlana Vetrova about his engagement (Chapter 29) – the first friend he confides in.
Adopting the stray dog Anya (Chapter 31) – a concrete step toward domestic stability.
Giving an impassioned pre‑game speech after the proposal (Chapter 26) – newfound leadership and joy.
Final acceptance of his depression and willingness to consider medication (Chapter 37).

2. The Plane Emergency as a Catalyst for Commitment

Why it matters: Chapter 24’s near‑crash forces Ilya and Shane to confront their secrecy and leads directly to the proposal, making causality central to the plot.

Sample thesis direction: The life‑threatening emergency strips away Ilya’s protective avoidance, compelling him to send raw emotional messages that shatter the couple’s unspoken rule of hiding.

Evidence leads:

Ilya sends Shane emotional Instagram messages during the engine fire (Chapter 24).
Shane’s angry, shaken FaceTime reaction afterward (Chapter 24).
Shane’s candlelit proposal when Ilya returns home (Chapter 25).
Ilya agrees to wear the ring on a chain – a hidden but constant reminder.
The couple decides to come out publicly and marry in the summer.

3. The Shift in Shane and Ilya’s Dynamic After the Accidental Outing

Why it matters: The leaked video destroys their eleven‑year secret and forces both characters to redefine their relationship under public scrutiny.

Sample thesis direction: The exposure of their relationship transforms the power imbalance between Shane and Ilya, pushing Shane from cautious protector to defiant partner and Ilya from passive hider to active defender.

Evidence leads:

Hayden’s FanMail video accidentally captures their kiss (Chapter 32).
Commissioner Crowell orders them to sign a statement calling it a prank; Shane refuses (Chapter 35).
Shane records the meeting and says, “I choose him. Come on, Ilya” (Chapter 35).
Ilya posts an Instagram video announcing their engagement (Chapter 38).
The locker‑room reactions diverge – Ottawa welcomes Ilya, Montreal shuns Shane (Chapter 36).

4. Contrasting Public and Private Selves: The Double Date vs. the Halloween Party

Why it matters: Two social gatherings – one with Ryan and Fabian, one at Ilya’s own party – illustrate the couple’s struggle to be authentic in public.

Sample thesis direction: Where the double date allows a brief glimpse of openness, the Halloween party exposes Ilya’s isolation, revealing the emotional cost of maintaining separate public personas.

Evidence leads:

Double date at a gay bar: Fabian questions why they stay secret (Chapter 3).
Ilya notices Ryan and Fabian kissing openly, while he and Shane cannot (Chapter 3).
Halloween party at Ilya’s house: he feels isolated despite hosting, and texts Shane after everyone leaves (Chapter 13).
Shane impulsively drives to Ottawa, they have sex, and Ilya breaks down crying afterward (Chapter 13).
The double date foreshadows a desire for openness; the Halloween party shows how far they still are from it.

5. Secrecy and Sacrifice: Shane’s “Long Game” Decision

Why it matters: Shane’s internal commitment in Chapter 1 to hide for another decade sets the central conflict between love and career.

Sample thesis direction: Shane’s willingness to play the “long game” reflects a sacrificial approach to love that ultimately proves unsustainable, as each subsequent chapter forces him to weigh the accumulating costs.

Evidence leads:

Shane tells himself he will hide their relationship for another decade (Chapter 1).
He orders a strict performance diet while on the double date (Chapter 3).
Ilya points out they are “too good at pretending” (Chapter 3).
Shane hesitates when Ilya asks if he would choose him over hockey (Chapter 22).
Shane finally chooses Ilya over his career by refusing Crowell’s prank statement (Chapter 35).

6. The Engagement Ring as Symbol of Hidden Commitment

Why it matters: The ring worn on a chain under Ilya’s jersey becomes a tangible symbol of their private bond and the risks they take.

Sample thesis direction: The ring oscillates between a secret talisman and a future public declaration, mirroring the couple’s internal conflict between safety and authenticity.

Evidence leads:

Shane proposes with a ring; Ilya agrees to wear it on a chain (Chapter 25).
Ilya feels the press of the ring against his chest during games, a thrill (Chapter 26).
No one asks about it, but the ring is always present.
During the All‑Star weekend, the ring remains hidden, but Shane reflects that they could be the first married NHL All‑Stars (Chapter 27).
After coming out, the ring is worn openly – no longer a secret.

7. Therapy Sessions as Structural Device for Ilya’s Growth

Why it matters: Dr. Galina Molchalina’s sessions form a recurring structural element that charts Ilya’s emotional development.

Sample thesis direction: Each therapy session marks a stage in Ilya’s healing, from admitting depression to revealing his abuse, bisexuality, and secret relationship, creating a parallel to the hockey season’s emotional arc.

Evidence leads:

First session: Ilya admits he might be depressed and opens up about his mother’s suicide (Chapter 14).
Second session: he reveals his abusive father, early sexual experiences, bisexuality, and fear of deportation (Chapter 16).
Later session: Galina suggests he find activities for himself and he admits anger over hiding (Chapter 23).
After the proposal, he doesn’t tell Galina yet, but the change is noted (Chapter 26).
Final mention: Galina encourages him to tell a friend about Shane (Chapter 29).

8. Recurring Dreams and Foreshadowing of Ilya’s Mental Health Crisis

Why it matters: Ilya’s dreams of his mother blend grief, guilt, and foreshadow his own depression.

Sample thesis direction: The dreams function as an emotional barometer, intensifying as Ilya’s mental health deteriorates and culminating in his breakdown after the Halloween party.

Evidence leads:

Ilya dreams of his mother Irina at the cottage (Chapter 2).
He wakes from a recurring dream feeling exhausted and missing Shane (Chapter 9).
After Shane leaves early from the Halloween party visit, Ilya breaks down and considers professional help (Chapter 13).
In therapy, he links his dreams to his mother’s depression and suicide (Chapter 14).
The content warning at the start (Chapter 2) signals the importance of this theme.

9. The Wedding and Epilogue: Resolution of the Long Game

Why it matters: The wedding and epilogue show the couple achieving the openness they fought for, providing closure.

Sample thesis direction: The public wedding and the epilogue’s home‑opener scene transform the “long game” from a sacrifice into a victory, but also hint at ongoing challenges within the league’s culture.

Evidence leads:

Small July ceremony in Ilya’s backyard with nearly 100 guests (Chapter 39).
Both wear rings openly; they kiss and share a first dance to “Diamonds.”
Epilogue: they attend the Ottawa Centaurs home opener together, with Shane wearing a jersey without the captain’s C (Epilogue).
Bood declares it’s time to win a championship banner.
The crowd roars for Shane – community support contrasts with earlier rejection.

10. Toxic Hockey Culture and Performative Allyship

Why it matters: The novel critiques the NHL’s homophobia and tokenism through Commissioner Crowell’s actions and the league’s response.

Sample thesis direction: Crowell’s demands that players avoid activism and hide their sexuality expose the NHL’s performative allyship, which the novel ultimately rejects through Shane and Ilya’s defiant coming out.

Evidence leads:

Crowell warns Shane to keep his “rumored homosexuality” private and praises him for avoiding activism (Chapter 16).
Crowell dismisses Troy Barrett’s social‑media activism, saying “one gay player is enough” (Chapter 28).
Crowell offers a statement claiming the kiss was a prank; Shane refuses (Chapter 35).
Ilya and Shane confront Crowell about Baldwin and Lundin being forced out (Chapter 28).
Scott Hunter later proposes forming a group to combat toxic culture (Chapter 37).

11. Mental Health and Depression: The Content Warning in Action

Why it matters: The author’s content warning (Chapter 2) prepares the reader for a serious exploration of depression, which the narrative delivers through Ilya’s arc.

Sample thesis direction: Rachel Reid uses the content warning not merely as a disclaimer but as a lens through which to frame Ilya’s entire emotional journey, making mental‑health disclosure part of the novel’s ethical structure.

Evidence leads:

Content warning mentions suicide and depression (Chapter 2).
Ilya’s mother’s suicide when he was twelve is revealed in therapy (Chapter 14).
Ilya admits he may have depression and considers medication (Chapter 37).
His jealousy of Hayden’s parenting and his own childhood trauma are explored.
The novel ends with Ilya seeking help, not cured but on a path.

12. Found Family: Ilya’s Connection with Teammates and Anya

Why it matters: Ilya builds a non‑traditional family through his team, his adopted dog, and supportive neighbors.

Sample thesis direction: The family Ilya creates – consisting of his Centaurs teammates, his dog Anya, and neighbor kids Willa and Andrew – fills the void left by his estranged biological family and provides the support system he needs to come out.

Evidence leads:

Ilya’s pre‑game ritual with neighbor kids Willa and Andrew (Chapter 9).
He adopts the stray dog Anya, who becomes a symbol of domesticity (Chapter 31).
He bonds with rookie Luca Haas over drawing (Chapter 26) and supports him.
He takes Troy Barrett to a gay bar and offers understanding about difficult fathers (Chapter 21).
At the wedding, teammates and friends fill the guest list; David Hollander tells Ilya he is like a second son (Chapter 39).