Kingdom of Ash

Consider the role gods and fate play in the story. What does the novel imply about fate? How are the novel’s gods similar to mythological gods? How are they different?

Examine pregnancy in the novel, or the series as a whole. How does Yrene’s pregnancy compare to Asterin’s; and how do these wanted pregnancies compare to the captive breeding program the Ironteeth witches suffer earlier in the series?

How does the novel explore trauma, grief, and healing? Consider the reliance on the “trauma plot”—the idea that every character's decision, motivation, and belief must stem from some past psyche-affecting catastrophe.

Is Maeve a sympathetic character given her reasons for escaping from the Valg kings and fleeing to Aelin’s world? Does this strengthen her role as one of the novel’s primary antagonists? Why or why not?

Compare how different characters’ points of view are distinguished from one another. What rhetorical techniques or other strategies does Maas use to portray their voices?

Examine class in the novel. Why do characters who begin as commoners get ennobled and given titles?

How does the method Aelin chose for Vernon Lochan’s death affect how her character is perceived? Does she end the novel in danger of succumbing to the corrupting temptations of power? Why or why not?

The novel’s depiction of battles relies on suspense, cliffhangers, and in-the-nick-of-time arrivals. Pick one such scene and examine its structure.