Nocticadia

Do you often tend to read dark academia fiction? How did Nocticadia compare to other books you have read in the genre?

How did the isolated island setting of the university contribute to the gothic atmosphere of the novel? What other elements amped up the gothic flavor?

This book combines fantasy, horror, mystery and romance. Did you feel like it had a good balance across the genres of the book or would you liked to have seen more or less of different elements?

Discuss Lilia's quest to understand the parasite that killed her mother. How does her personal loss drive her actions throughout the story? Does her determination sometimes push her too far?

Dr. Devryk Bramwell could be described as "morally gray." Do you enjoy reading books with morally questionable protagonists? Were you rooting for Bramwell despite (or because of?) his moral grayness?

Devryk is a teacher and Lilia is his student. How did the book address the power dynamics between them as they entered a romantic relationship? Do you enjoy reading about "forbidden" romances?

Did you buy into the romantic tension between Lilia and Devryk? Why or why not? How did these two characters challenge or complement each other?

Both main characters are shaped by traumatic experiences. How do their past wounds affect their present relationships and decisions? How do they grow and change throughout the story?

How did the scientific aspects of the plot intearct with the horror and other world-building elements?

What does the novel seem to be saying about institutional power structures and ethical responsibility in science?

If there were a movie made of Nocticadia, who would you like to see cast as Lilia and Bramwell?

Nocticadia really puts the dark in dark academia / dark romance. Did you love its intensity or was it too much for you?

What did you think about the pacing of the novel, particularly the final 20% or so when a lot happens? Did it feel rushed or exhilarating?

Were there any twists that surprised you, or did you see them coming?

Were you satisfied by the ending? What unanswered questions, if any, do you still have after finishing the book?