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A Court of Thorns and Roses
Feyre's survival rests upon her ability to hunt and kill – the forest where she lives is a cold, bleak place in the long winter months. So when she spots a deer in the forest being pursued by a wolf, she cannot resist fighting it for the flesh. But to do so, she must kill the predator and killing something so precious comes at a price ...
These book club discussion questions were prepared by Bookclubs staff.
Book club questions for A Court of Thorns and Roses by Sarah J. Maas
Use these discussion questions to guide your next book club meeting.
The plot of Court of Thorns and Roses is loosely inspired by “Beauty and the Beast” and other fairy tales (including the Norwegian “East of the Sun, West of the Moon” and the Irish story of “Tam Lin”). How did the author reinterpret the fairytales? What are some of the changes she made to the original story and its characters?
How did you feel about Feyre as a protagonist and narrator? Did you admire her courage or did you find her stubborn and reckless?
How does the novel portray the relationship between humans and faeries? What are some of the stereotypes, prejudices, and misconceptions that each side has about the other and how do they affect the characters’ actions and interactions?
How did the author explore the theme of sacrifice in the book? What were some of the sacrifices that Feyre, Tamlin, and other characters made for love or duty?
How does the novel portray the concept of beauty? What are some of the ways that beauty is valued, desired, or exploited by the characters? How does beauty relate to power and identity in the novel?
What did you think of the world-building in A Court of Thorns and Roses? Which of the four courts did you find most interesting and why?
Discuss the relationship between Feyre and Tamlin. What did Feyre find appealing about Tamlin? What did Tamlin find appealing about Feyre? How did their relationship change over time?
How does the novel set up the conflict between Tamlin and Rhysand? What are some of the motivations, goals, and methods of each character?
Why do you think Rhysand chose to help Feyre? What were his stated versus implicit motivations?
Were you satisfied or surprised by how the story ended with Feyre’s bargain with Rhysand and her transformation into a High Fae? What do you think will happen next in the series?
Maas has said that “by retelling … legends or immersing ourselves in fantasy realms, we can safely explore the very real, very day-to-day darkness of our own lives”. What, if any takeaways about our own world and society did you take away from A Court of Thorns and Roses?
Do you read a lot of fantasy? Would you recommend this book to someone who doesn’t typically read fantasy? Why or why not?
A Court of Thorns and Roses Book Club Questions PDF
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