The Red Winter

What were your initial impressions of Jacques? Did you believe his tales? What sustained his devotion to Lorette? Ultimately, is he simply a helpless victim?

How does the novel’s oscillating timeline make the plot more intense while Sebastian tells us the story of his passionate love for Antoine? How does the balance of control shift between them? Could theirs ever be a relationship of equals?

In Chapter IX, Sebastian describes joining the throngs who want to hunt down the Beast, but “my academic credentials could not hide the fact that I was a commoner. My humble origins aside, I suspected I was also a shade too brown to be considered a ‘Frenchman of good and noble standing.’” Antoine then provides a cover story for his new acquaintance. As we learn about the many identities Sebastian assumes over the centuries, which traits remain unchanged? At his core, who is he?

In Part Three, when the Red Winter fully erupts and the hunters and hounds of Gévaudan are unleashed, are instincts an advantage? Or does survival depend on the ability to override instincts?

How did you react to the origin story of Jehanne d’Arc and her special powers? How do those powers compare to the financial power of her lieutenant Gilles de Rais, who paid a fortune for one of her charred bones?

Are Clauneck, Cecile, and Livia at a disadvantage because of their femaleness? If you could form an alliance with only one of them, which one would you choose?

We meet the naiad Dayane in Chapter XXXIV. In what ways is she both fragile and seductive? How is her strength different from that of the mortal Baroness d’Ocerne, who possesses high social standing?

Sowing the seeds of revolution, Antoine and his fellow nobles eat well, hoarding limited resources while others starve. How would you have fared? Would you have survived the Red Winter?

In Chapter XLII, Sebastian describes the nature of war as “not a matter of survival […] but of supremacy. It is your base nature taking hold, the animal soul of man that grows stronger by consuming his rivals and is never satisfied.” Is this how you see war? Do you agree with Sebastian that we all share this “base nature”?

As the trial begins in Chapter LXI, Bishop Fontaine and Pere Arnaud rely on their religious rituals and liturgy to vanquish evil. Is their faith entirely futile?

Discuss the impossible choice Sebastian faces in Chapter LXV. As he deliberated with the Archangel Michael, what were you hoping the final decision would be?

As an immortal, Sebastian has tremendous power, but he must also live with the consequences of his choices for lifetimes. How does knowing this affect your perception of the choices offered to him by Dayane, the Beast, and Archangel Michael? Is choice a “Divine gift” as Michael says?

Sebastian is a distinctive storyteller, anticipating what you’re thinking, dishing up historical tidbits in the footnotes, and peppering his horrific experiences with deadpan humor. What would it be like to have him as a traveling companion in the adventures of your own life? Would you enjoy having Sarmodel—or any indwelling spirit—available to give you a constant stream of mildly judgmental advice?

Both Avstamet and Archangel Michael see their actions as a means to uplifting humankind, in spite of the costs. Is either of them right? How would you describe their morals?

The story is drawn partly from historical accounts that give full credence to the possibility of supernatural and religious phenomena, such as the visions of Jehanne d’Arc. What has changed between then and now? Do you think there are norms or widely held beliefs in our society that might be considered “superstition” in the future?

In his epilogue, Sebastian writes, “The Spirit of War is eating very well these days,” as ancient Avstamet the Warfather is unrelenting. In real life, what would it take to starve the Spirit of War?

The Red Winter draws fictional connections between genuine historical events to present a specific narrative from Sebastian’s perspective. How does this compare to other built narratives, like conspiracy theories? Is what we consider “history” different?