Please note that these questions contain spoilers for the book.
1. The book begins with Clara convinced Prince Raleigh is a monster. When does her opinion start to change? When did your own perception start to shift, if at all?
2. Choice versus coercion is central to Clara’s predicament. How does her sense of agency evolve over the story? How does the story navigate the ethics of love under pressure?
3. The novel explores the idea of ‘the many faces monsters can wear’. Who is the real monster at different points in the story? How does the book challenge the definition of a monster?
4. What do you think was Juri’s ultimate goal in his deception of the people of Orlfen?
5. Discuss how the story engages with the classic Beauty and the Beast fairytale. Which elements are preserved or subverted?
6. How does the author use gothic tropes to build a mood? Which elements stood out to you?
7. How did the portrayal of vampires in this novel differ from the portrayal of vampires in other stories you’ve read or watched?
8. The story is set in a fictional town in 1790s’ Europe. Does the combination of fictional setting, real-life historical events and the fantasy genre work? Why or why not?
9. Which secondary character surprised you the most, and why?
10. What do you think Clara and Raleigh’s future holds?
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