Welcome to the Of The Wild Discussion Questions master post! Today we discuss the shapeshifter Aeris. But first, can you believe we’re over half way through 2021? We’ve got six books under our belts, and normally it would be fine for number seven! Instead we think a summer vacation is in order and are bringing freebies back! Be sure you drop your email over at our new GreatAce.Club page get them.
Alright, let’s talk about the Of The Wild Discussion Questions!
Description:
Aeris, a shapeshifter of the Wild, steals children from unloving homes and raises them as his own in an enchanted grove deep in the Woods. Under the protective eye of their new guardian, the children absorb the forest’s magic and grow more fey-like than human: some of them sprout mushrooms or flowers while others develop scales or wings.
But the reserve of magic that keeps Aeris and his forest home alive is inexplicably running dry. With his life waning and the dangers of the Wild creeping closer and closer, Aeris will do anything to protect his family, even set his hopes on an unlikely new arrival in the Woods: a human stranger.
Suggested Of The Wild Discussion Questions Schedule:
- Week One: Chapters 1-5
- Week Two: Chapters 6-10
- Week Three: Chapters 11-14
- Week Four: Chapters 15-17
- Week Five: Chapters 18-End
Remember to always feel free to share your favorite quotes, book pictures, etc as we read on top of answering the discussion questions. You can join in the fun anytime with the #GreatAceClub hashtag.
Week One:
I’m personally a sucker for found family. Let’s get started to discover how they find each other and grow!
- Why do you think found family often resonates with the LGBT+ community?
- What do you think of what Aeris is doing for the babies and children he rescues?
- How do we see magic already in these early chapters? What might change as the magic disappears? What might Aeris have to do to keep his children safe? What would you do in his place?
- What type of parent does Aeris seem to be? How does he take care of his children?
- What is the significance of the baby not changing?
- Do you think that the Tall Ones have something to do with the disappearance of magic? Why might they be so interested in Aeris and his children?
- What kind of world do you think Aeris rescues the children from? Is it a world like ours, a fantasy world, or something in between? Do you think one world is more forgiving than another?
- Do you have any predictions about what will happen next? Why? What are you hoping to see?
Week Two:
Ready to continue Aeris’ journey to keep his family safe! Let’s get started and see what happens to the magic protecting his home and to his family.
- What secrets do you think Aeris is keeping? What effect could these secrets have on his family?
- What are we learning about the outside world from Aeris and the failing magic? What kind of world might his children have come from?
- Share some predictions you have about William. What role could he have for The Woods?
- How does the magic seem to work in this world?
- How are both like regular human children and different? How does Aeris foster a sense of trust and love to help the children be more like regular children?
- What do we learn about Aeris’ sexuality in this section? How do we learn it? Does his response feel similar to your own experiences?
- What do you make of Aeris’ response to William? Does he seem to trust him? Why might he not trust him? Why might he grow to trust him?
- How do magic and technology intermingle? What do you think of Aeris’ description of the city?
- What do you make of Aeris’ and William’s conversation? What do we learn about each of them?
- How are William’s fears about taking over for Aeris the fears that any future parent might face? How are they fears that anyone who steps into another role might face? Have you ever felt fear or nervousness like William does?
- What significance does it have that William doesn’t feel like he deserves a family? Why might he feel that way?
- How does Aeris’ analogy about family being a garden resonate with William? How do you feel about it? Would you agree or disagree with his sentiment?
- What predictions do you have?
Week Three:
I’m still loving this book and am excited to finish everything with you! Let’s dive into some magical universes and forget about the strife of life!
- What do you think the Tall Ones want with Aeris?
- What kind of fairy tale motifs are present in this book? How does Aeris fit into those motifs? What kind of archetype does he represent? What about the Tall Ones? William?
- Do you think that Aeris’ choice not to tell the children what is going on is a good one? Does it make sense? Do you think the children are better off not knowing, or should he share with them?
- Should Aeris allow himself to be sad in front of the children? Why or why not?
- How are Hori’s fears something all children worry about? How might it particularly resonate with queer people?
- What do you think of the growing relationship between Aeris and William? How does Aeris appreciate William in ways he isn’t used to?
- How do the children help William?
- What does the fruit mean for the children? For William? For Aeris?
- How is the relationship between Aeris and William changing? Do you have any predictions?
Week Four:
- We’re moving through the rest of the book! What is going to happen between Aeris and William next? And the children? Will the Tall Ones make another appearance? Let’s read on and find out!
- What do you think caused the change in William? How might Aeris have caused it?
- How does Aeris’ magic help people become what they truly are? How is that reflected in children? In William?
- What do you think Sen’s transformation means? How is it both like and not like the transformation William goes through? Like the children’s original transformation?
- How do the Tall Ones’ reaction to William being Wild similar to what William has faced before as a trans man?
- How does William’s Wild status change the way we perceive the story and its characters? Especially Aeris and his feelings for William?
- How does Aeris help the children heal? What does his magic and steady presence bring them that they were missing before?
- How does Aeris perceive himself and William that is so different from how William perceived him?
- What do you think William realized? What solution does he see that Aeris is too close to perceive?
Week Five:
Ending on a cliff hanger is always a good way to make me excited to pick a book up again! Let’s see how William decides to solve Aeris’ magic issues!
- What do we learn about Aeris at the end of the book?
- How does the author use different styles to express what is happening to Aeris? William? The Tall Ones?
- How has Aeris been struggling without realizing it? What does he learn from William?
- How does Aeris’ family continue to grow and change? What might he do differently with his children going forward?
- How will William staying make the family stronger? How will Aeris and William likely balance each other?
- What did you take from this book? What might others take from it?
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