Tag: book club questions

Of The Wild Discussion Questions

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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!

If you haven’t read alone with us you can get your copy here in ebook, paperback or free with kindle unlimited.

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?

Unburied Fables Discussion Questions

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Welcome to the GreatAce.Club round up, below you’ll find all the Unburied Fables Discussion questions. Also included is a suggested reading schedule, but as always these posts are designed so you can read at your own pace.

Suggested Reading Schedule:

Week One –  Handsome & the Beast, The Grateful Princess and Odd!

Week Two – Expectations, Li Chi and the Dragon, & Satin Skirts and Wooden Shoes

Week Three – Glass Mountains – Brenna – The Last Lost Boy

Week Four –  Dark Matters & The Suns of Terre

Handsome & the Beast
The first story in the anthology is a retelling of Beauty and the Beast!

  • What background do you have with the original fairy tale?
  • What elements of the original does the author change?
  • What elements are kept the same?
  • One common aspect of fairy tales is repetition. What effect does the repeated line “Fate might have heard” have on the narrative?
  • How do the characters respect the rules of fairy tales? What rules did you notice?
  • What significance do the colors of the rose and uniform have?
  • How does Handsome grow and change?
  • How do the various rooms and dreams hint at the true nature of the castle and the Beast?
  • ”Sometimes there is more goodness in the hearts of Beasts than in those of people.” This is a significant quote in the story; what meaning does it have in a greater context? What is the significance of the person being perceived as a Beast? How does Handsome see through that? And how is it also significant that Handsome is handsome while the Beast is a beast?
  • What impact does Handsome’s speech have?
  • What kind of happily ever after does this tale have?
  • If you had to pick a moral for this tale, what would the moral be? Why?

The Grateful Princess
The second story in the anthology is based on an Estonian fairy tale called The Grateful Prince.

  • What background do you have with the original fairy tale?
  • What elements of the original does the author change?
  • What elements are kept the same?
  • What common fairy tale tropes do you notice? How does the author utilize them?
  • How do we see Tuline falling for Lind? How does the author take this common trope and make it gay?
  • How does this story utilize repetition? What effect does it have on the plot and pacing?
  • What role do strangers play in fairy tales? How is this a reflection on real life and how are characters’ various reactions to strangers a lesson for children?
  • How do Lind’s actions show her own feelings for Tuline?
  • What kind of happily ever after does this tale have?
  • Tell me about the life you imagine Tuline and Lind having together.
  • If you had to pick a moral for the story, what would it be? Why?

Odd
(Psst, Amy here. this is my story! :D) The third story int he anthology is based on the fairy tale Rumplestiltskin.

  • What background do you have with the original fairy tale?
  • What elements of the original does the author change?
  • What elements are kept the same?
  • Bragging is also a common fairy tale trope. What role does bragging play in the story? How could that trope be used to teach children lessons?
  • In what ways is the king very like men in positions of power? How does he use this against Sofia?
  • It is important for Sofia to remain true to herself in this story. In what ways does she defy the king, his expectations, and the expectations of society to stay true to herself?
  • How does Sofia’s curiosity help her?
  • What types of repetition do you see in this short story? How do they play into the plot?
  • What future do you imagine for Sofia?
  • What other fairy tale tropes did you notice? How did they impact the story?
  • What kind of happily ever after did this story have?
  • If you had to pick a moral, what would it be? Why?

While I know the questions are set up by story, I wanted to take a moment to talk about fairy tales and see what the three stories we’ve read so far have in common! Other than happily ever afters, of course!

  • What are common fairy tale tropes you see in all three tales? What predictions do you have for tropes we might continue to see?
  • Which tropes are your favorites? Which are less so? Why?
  • All three of the stories involve some kind of stranger; why do you think strangers feature so prominently in fairy tales? What lessons can be learned from the way the various tales deal with meeting strangers?
  • How do the various strangers act towards the protagonists? How do they act in return?
  • We often think of fairy tales as always ending happily, but they quite often do not. How do these tales create happily ever afters? What does that mean for the queer community?
  • How do fairy tales teach us to be true to ourselves? How is that important for the queer community and how do these three tales highlight the importance of being true to yourself?

Expectations

The next story in this anthology is a wave to many different fairy tales, but mostly The Prince and the Pauper by Mark Twain.

  • What background do you have with the original fairy tale?
  • What elements of the original does the author change?
  • What elements are kept the same?
  • What common fairy tale elements and tropes are present in this story? How does the author change them to be LGBT+?
  • One of the things that frequently gets criticized in fairy tales is how female characters, or female presenting characters, are often more prop than person with very little agency. How do we see this in this story? How do we see the same lack of agency in Aldric?
  • One of the themes that seems to be in all of the stories so far is the importance of being true to yourself. How does Aldric embody this? Shireen? Giselle?
  • How does the phrase “money can’t buy happiness” apply to this story?
  • If you were going to choose a moral for this story, what would it be? Why?

Li Chi and the Dragon

The next story in the anthology is a retelling of the Chinese fairy tale, Li Chi Slays the Serpent

  • What background do you have with the original fairy tale?
  • What elements of the original does the author change?
  • What elements are kept the same?
  • How does this fairy tale show some real life prejudices?
  • Characters in fairy tales often do well because they are clever and think outside the box. How does Chi do this? What are some other examples we have seen in earlier tales or in other traditional fairy tales?
  • How is love a common motivation in fairy tales? How does Li Chi’s love help her to volunteer and face the dragon?
  • What future do you imagine for Chi?
  • If you were going to choose a moral for this story, what would it be? Why?

Satin Skirts and Wooden Shoes

This story is based on Cinderella.

  • What background do you have with the original fairy tale?
  • What elements of the original does the author change?
  • What elements are kept the same?
  • What role do fairies, or the fair folk, often play in fairy tales? How do characters’ reactions in both traditional and modern fairy tales affect the fairies?
  • Like Expectations, Satin Skirts and Wooden Shoes features a person who could be twins of the main character. Why do you think this is a fairy tale trope?
  • How does everyone live happily ever after?
  • How do you think the characters’ futures might play out?
  • If you were going to choose a moral for this story, what would it be? Why?

Now that we have read six of the stories in this anthology, let’s take a moment to talk about them and about fairy tales in general!

  • One of the central themes that threads all the stories together so far is the need to be accepted and understood for who you are. Why do you think this resonates so much?
  • What other common tropes do you see in each of the stories?
  • Fairy tales often have a fairly predictable plot structure. How does that come into play with the retellings?
  • Many of the characters in these stories are aro/ace. One of the most common endings to fairy tales is the male and female characters falling in love and getting married. How does having aro/ace characters change this? What kind of endings are we seeing instead of love + marriage? How are these endings just as happy as the standard fairy tale?
  • What are some other fairy tales you want to see retold? What kind of queer endings would you want to see?

Glass Mountains
Glass Mountains is based on The Black Bull of Norroway, a Scottish folk tale.

  • What background do you have with the original fairy tale?
  • What elements of the original does the author change?
  • What elements are kept the same?
  • Magical elders are a common fairy tale trope and something we’ve seen a few times through this anthology. What do you think are the traditional reasons for this? What might magical elders mean to LGBT+ youths?
  • Fairy tales almost always feature morals, often about being kind to strangers. What do you think is the historical context of this? How do we see it play out in Glass Mountains?
  • Numbers play a role in this story, as well as repetition. What does this do for the narrative?
  • How does switching from past to present change the pacing of the story and answer questions before they’re asked?
  • How do the characters have a happily ever after?
  • What would you say is the moral of this story? Why?

Brenna
Brenna is a retelling of Ferdinand the Faithful and Ferdinand the Unfaithful, a German fairy tale.

  • What background do you have with the original fairy tale?
  • What elements of the original does the author change?
  • What elements are kept the same?
  • Why do you think the color red is so common in fairy tales?
  • Once again, we are experiencing an elder guiding a younger person on their journey. Why would this be important for younger LGBT+ youth? Is it something we have seen in previous fairy tales in this collection?
  • Quests are another common theme in fairy tales; what quests are Brenna given to complete? How does one influence the other?
  • How does this story have a happily ever after?
  • What would you say is the moral of the story? Why?

The Last Lost Boy
The Last Lost Boy is a retelling of Peter Pan.

  • What background do you have with the original fairy tale?
  • What elements of the original does the author change?
  • What elements are kept the same?
  • How does the author capture the spirit of Peter Pan through the character of the same name?
  • How does changing the setting to a modern setting change the story?
  • In what ways have neither Peter nor Will grown up?
  • How is this story different from some of the others in the anthology?
  • How do the characters have a happily ever after?
  • What would you say is the moral of this story? Why?

Now that we’ve read the short stories for this week, let’s talk about them as a whole!

  • Another common theme we’re seeing in some of the stories are elders who are either queer coded or at the very least are there to help guide the queer main characters. Why might this be? Why is this a fairy tale trope, but also why does this possibly mean so much to queer youth?
  • How do all the happily ever afters resonate? What similarities do they have? How are they different?
  • How do we see other common fairy tale tropes in these stories? How are they reworked into something new or utilized to help the characters get their happily ever after?
  • What are your thoughts on the stories we read this week? Do any stick out to you? What have been some of your favorites? What makes them your favorites?

Dark Matters

The second to last story in this retelling is a retelling of Goldilocks and the Three Bears

  • What background do you have with the original fairy tale?
  • What elements of the original does the author change?
  • What elements are kept the same?
  • How does this story combine science with fairy tale? What does that add to the overall narrative?
  • The main character goes on a journey to find something that feels “just right.” How could that be an allegory for coming out?
  • How does the author use some tongue-in-cheek humor and description to tie the fairy tale into gay culture?
  • How do the characters have a happily ever after?
  • What would you say is the moral of the story? Why?

The Suns of Terre

The last short story in this anthology is a retelling of Prince Darling.

  • What background do you have with the original fairy tale?
  • What elements of the original does the author change?
  • What elements are kept the same?
  • How is this story different from some of the others in this anthology? What makes it work as the final story?
  • The story deals a lot with what it means to be a good person. What do you think it means to be a good person? Do you think that something like the ring on the characters’ heads would actually work? What other ideas do you have?
  • What do you think of each of the characters’ actions? What were some good choices? Bad? How does that make the characters more human?
  • How do the characters learn to accept themselves and each other?
  • How is the theme of change and changing oneself essential to the LGBT+ community?
  • How do the characters end up with a happily ever after?
  • What would you say is the moral of the story? Why?

Now that we’ve finished the book, let’s talk about the last two stories and the collection as a whole!

  • What were some common themes and motifs that showed up in all or most of the stories? Why do you think those were so common? How are they important for fairy tales and also for the LGBT+ community?
  • Why are fairy tales a good medium to tell queer stories?
  • How do the last couple of stories differ from the rest in the collection? How do they still meet all the fairy tale criteria?
  • What were some of your favorite stories? Why?
  • What are some fairy tales you think could have a queer retelling? What makes some of those other stories perfect for this setup?
  • Why is it so important for queer people, and especially young queer people, to have stories with happily ever afters?
  • How are these stories a direct response to the “bury your gays” trope we see so often in media?
  • This anthology was released in 2016; how have things changed since then? How have they stayed the same?
  • Be sure to share some pictures or quotes you really enjoyed with the #GreatAceClub tag!

Hello World – Great Ace Club Discussion Questions

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The Hello World Discussion Questions are here! GreatAce.Club is our sister book club. It mostly reads asexual books by asexual authors for asexual readers, but has expanded to read really whatever our host Amy wants. Because great books are great books and aces can do whatever they please. April’s book was Hello World, the first in the .Exe series!

Brew up that cup of coffee because it’s discussion time!

GreatAce.Club - Coffee Time! - Hello World Paperback Discussion Questions

Suggested Reading Schedule:

  • Week One – Prologue through Chapter 4
  • Week Two – Chapters 5-11
  • Week Three – Chapters 12-19
  • Week Four – Chapters 20-26
  • Week Five: Chapter 27 through Epilogue

Hello World Week One Discussion Questions

Hello World deals a lot with technology, data, and what it means to be a person living with that. What do you think about the world we are currently living in?

What do you think is more important, convenience or privacy? How much privacy should society be willing to give up to feel safe? To have information and necessities at their fingertips?

It’s a common trope in media for a character to be motivated to save a loved one. How do you predict Scott will undertake this going forward?

Like all good techy books, Hello World takes pieces of technology that already exist and create logical extensions from them. What technology can you see existing now or in the near future that we’ve experienced in these first few chapters?

We are already getting a sense of what Scott and Sonia’s relationship will be. What can you pick up on how they will befriend each other, or more? What are your predictions about their relationship?

What sort of qualities do you think UltSyn wants for its HIDs?

Besides college job fairs, where do you think UltSyn looks for candidates?

Hello World Week Two Discussion Questions

Have I mentioned recently that I love Scott? Because I love Scott. Now that we are getting into the thick of things, there is so much more to discuss, especially as we start to see more discussion about Scott’s asexuality. Without further ado, let’s read!

As we begin to see more asexual characters in media (see: FuckYeahAsexual’s Character Database or even the Goodreads List), and as asexuality becomes seen more in the mainstream, creators may begin to think about how to incorporate asexual characters into their work. What do you think about how Scott talks about his sexual attraction? Does it match with your own feelings as being ace?

Sinclair and Tauber have so much deliberate representation in Hello World. How many casual LGBT+ characters can you pick up on? Is this something you think is going to continue in more mainstream books? Out of the characters mentioned in this section, is there anyone you want to learn more about? Anyone you want to see in future books?

HIDs are pieces of technology, but they are also people. This is definitely something that the people fighting against UltSyn have to deal with. Do you think that Scott or Terry or Jesse feel the same way about Sonia? What do you think about the morality of HIDs in general? If UltSyn is using them for nefarious purposes, what is the best way to fight back?

Discuss Scott’s choice to sell Sonia. Did it make sense at the time? What did Jesse get out of it besides money? Do you think Jesse is a double agent, or just in it for whoever pays more?

Scott almost immediately regrets his actions. What does this tell you about his character?

Sinclair and Tauber do a lot to humanize their characters, like Scott “pretending” to get a text. How does this make the book more relatable? When’s a time you’ve done something similar?

How many people in Hello World are “just doing their jobs” despite basically experimenting on other human beings? How is a reflection of the real world?

We finally get our first Sonia chapter! What do we learn about her from her actions in this chapter?

How is their relationship changing? What predictions do you have about them?

In between the fast paced action, Sinclair and Tauber insert moments of humanity, like shopping in Paris. How does that help us associate with the characters more? What can we learn about them in these moments of relative quiet?

What technology in this section have you seen happening in real life? What technology would you like to see?

What predictions do you have about the party? What are you hoping will happen?

GreatAce.Club - Hello World Paperback Discussion Questions

Hello World Discussion Questions Week 3

We left off last week with Scott and Sonia preparing to go to the fancy UltSyn party! What do you think they’re going to find there? Let’s read on to find out!

What do you think Scott found in the office?

Do you think all of Scott’s hijinks might spur UltSyn to tighten their security? What could this mean for Scott and Sonia in the future?

Could Scott’s background and experience with UltSyn and HIDs affect how he sees Sonia? Is seeing her as a person first different from how others would see and therefore treat her? Do you think Sonia is different from other HIDs? How could Scott’s treatment help her as well?

In what ways do Sinclair and Tauber use real life security hacks in Hello World? Which things stand out to you as something real people or companies should be concerned about?

After seeing this second HID, does to confirm any belief that Sonia is different? What do you think happened to make her different? What struggles might Scott have if this is how most HIDs behave?

It is easy to see that in universe, HIDs are not considered entirely human. Does this track with how real life humans act about each other? How might incorporating people and technology change society’s view of them?

What have we learned about both Scott and Sonia so far, using the humanizing sections of the book? How has this changed from the beginning of the book?

How does what UltSyn does match up with real world for-profit health care companies?

What do we learn about Scott’s motivations in this section?

Is Scott and Sonia’s relationship fair? Why or why not?

What might Sonia find in her search for her family?

We are ending on quite the cliffhanger! What predictions do you have about what will happen in Denmark?

Hello World Discussion Questions Week 4

Ready to pick up in Denmark? Who has time for an intro when there’s cliffhangers to get through!

How does Scott use his understanding of Sonia to track her? How does this compare to real life tracking and how could UltSyn also use this knowledge?

Do you think UltSyn sends people after Sonia who have knowledge of her life before being an HID? Would that help them or hinder them?

What are some possible meanings of Sonia’s tattoo?

Does one person ever have an obligation or right to withhold information about another from that person? Would you want to know bad information about your past or prefer to leave it there?

Is Sonia/Lydia’s reaction to losing her family appropriate? How might someone dealing with grief react to the promise of losing their memories?

What implications does Sonia’s background raise about HIDs? About UltSyn?

”Sometimes, one act of kindness can change everything.” How does this quote really describe Scott?

At this point and after having several Sonia chapters, how is she different from other HIDs? What might this do to Scott’s expectations about his sister?

What were your thoughts and emotions as the scene with Victoria played out? Should Scott or Sonia have seen this coming? What could they have done to prevent it?

How does almost losing someone we love bring out our feelings? How do we see that in Sonia taking care of Scott?

How much of what Scott is going through is related to his physical wound, shock, and the mental toll of Victoria? What do you think will help him the most?

What do we learn about Sonia with her actions while Scott is hurt? Is what she did brave, foolish, or some combination?

What do you think would help get Scott out of his despair? Is it possible that even knowing it would be hard, he didn’t realize how hard it would be? Is he too close to this situation?

What do we learn about the HID program and UltSyn from Sonia and Victoria talking?

Could the first step of HID deprogramming be developing sarcasm? 2/2 HIDs say yes!

We get an opportunity to see more of Scott’s asexuality. How do you relate to this?

We are leaving this section off in one of the humanizing areas. What are we learning about Scott and Sonia? Where could their relationship be going?

What predictions do you have for the end of the book? What role will Victoria and Sonia play in working against UltSyn? Scott got his sister back; now what?

Hello World Discussion Questions Week 5

Amy here again, I’ve fully learned how to hijack the publisher’s accounts after reading Hello World! 😉 You know the posts that are like “when everything is wrapped up but there’s still a lot of pages left”? Am I the only one feeling that way about Hello World? If we stop here, they can all just live happily ever after, right? Just kidding! Let’s read on to see how Scott’s motivations might change and how Victoria will play a part in that!

Scott throughout the book very much claims to work on his own and to be in it for himself; but is he really? If his actions cause consequences that expose UltSyn, does that mean he did something selfless, even if he didn’t mean to? How much of his actions are actually selfish?

How does having Victoria back change him? How does it change Sonia?

We get to learn more about Terry and his crew in the last part of the book. Who are you hoping to see again in the sequel?
What benefits are there in having a secure home base? How can it also be a liability?

How many people in UltSyn do you think know about the system? How could the people of UltSyn be exploiting the system for their own advancement? How do people in real life do that?

How does needing to take down a computer system change the narrative of taking UltSyn down? How does this change the central conflict of the series?

Scott finally tells someone he’s asexual in this final section. How does this confirm the behavior and thoughts we’ve already seen? How does his description match or not match with your experiences?

What does Sonia’s reaction say about her?

What are some benefits of Scott being part of a group now? What might be some drawbacks?

How is the system different than what they expected?

Do Scott and Victoria get a happily ever after? What does coming home mean to both of them? To their parents?

How could UltSyn exploit this? How motivated do you think they are to do so?

Share your favorite parts of the book; what did you love the most? What do you hope to see in the sequel? Do you have any favorite quotes or characters? We’d love to see them here or in the #GreatAceClub tag!

Did you see any overarching themes or tones you found while reading?

What does the teaser chapter hint at in the next book? What could this mean for Scott and Sonia?

Can we peer pressure Art Over Chaos Publishing (wait a second…) to release the next book sooner? (Warning: Amy’s peer pressure is coming from inside the house!!!) Be sure to sign up for the newsletter at GreatAce.Club to be the first to see what May’s read is!

We hope you found these discussion questions about Hello World helpful to your book club, or just yourself looking to connect with fellow readers at your own pace. If you haven’t picked up a copy of Hello World, there hasn’t been a better time. New cover, and new teaser for book two included in the updated version. Catch you all later!

GreatAce.Club - Hello World Discussion Questions

The Princess Saves Herself In This One (Book Club Discussion Questions)

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I hope everyone is ready to get started! Please keep in mind the trigger warnings; if a poem triggers you, you are welcome to skip it! If it gives you a moment to think and reflect, share your thoughts with us on social media with #GreatAceClub. Like last month, these discussion questions are just to get the ball rolling. You are welcome to answer all, some, or none and encouraged to share your own thoughts and questions, or pretty book art! This post collected all of the topics into one post so don’t worry if you read at whatever pace is natural for you.

Here are some questions to chew on for section I.

the princess

Section one deals with the princess, which sets up the start of the arch of the collection. Based on the title and the section names, can you see a theme becoming apparent with this collection?

-Amanda Lovelace discusses a lot of her trauma growing up in this first section. Are you able to relate to her at all? If not, do the poems in this section speak to you differently?

-Most people agree that you experience and understand your life differently at different stages. I, personally, am past my teens and twenties so come at these poems and themes at a different stage of life than someone who is still in high school or starting out on their own. How do your personal life experiences influence your perceptions of the poems? How might your perceptions have been different if you read this when you were younger?

-How do the poems in this section go along with traditional fairy tale beginnings?

-Did any of the poems stand out to you? If you’re willing to talk about it, why?

-This section dealt heavily with childhood and teenage years. Do you think that teenagers and young adults feel things more strongly? Did/do you?

the damsel

-What, to you, is the difference between a princess and a damsel? Are princesses always damsels or vice versa?

-Your first love can leave a lasting impact on you. How do we see this in Amanda’s poems? Do any of them resonate with you specifically? If you’re willing, share some experiences from your own past and how they shaped you.

-Poetry frequently deals with love and heartbreak; how do Amanda’s poems continue that tradition? Do you think that poetry is a good medium to express those feelings?

-How do the poems in this section go along with being a damsel? Is love and heartbreak intrinsically linked to being a damsel?

-Does experiencing loss, whether through death or heartbreak, go along with the idea of being a damsel? Is there a way to escape either?

-What does destiny mean to you?

-There is a consistent saying that you need to experience pain to be an artist, that trauma and heartache fuel creativity. Do you believe this? Has your own background made you more or less likely to create?

-How has the theme of the poetry moved from being a princess to being a damsel? How do you think the queen will play a part?

the queen

– Amanda explores some less than positive emotions in this section. How do you feel about poetry as a means to express feelings of revenge, pettiness, and other “negative” emotions?

– How can we take so called negative emotions and use them to grow? How can we take trauma and bad life experiences and do the same? Does one need pain to be an artist or does one just need the ability to grow?

– Do you think there is a difference between first relationships and relationships later in life? Do you believe that first relationships can last and if so, what makes them do so? How do Amanda’s poems about her later relationships differ from her first ones?

– In what ways can a new relationship feel like poetry? How can a healthy relationship feel the same?

– Everyone comes into a relationship with baggage; what advice do you think is important for people to know to make relationships work? Whether it’s love or friendship, how can you tame your personal dragons? What advice can you get from Amanda’s poetry?

– How do you see Amanda’s growth into this section?

– In what ways has the theme of saving yourself progressed to the section of the queen? How are the poems queen-like?

  • – Do you think your own life has had a princess-damsel-queen progression? Or would you say it’s something different? What would you title the sections of your life so far?
  • – Do any of the poems specifically resonate?

you

We’re at the last part of the princess saves herself in this one! This section is advice for us, the readers. We can definitely see the progression of the themes Amanda has presented and see it come to a close. Let’s talk about it!

– Do you write? How does Amanda’s advice on writing as a poet resonate with you?

– There are people who do not like the style of poetry Amanda uses, which is a more modern type of poetry. What do you think poetry is?

– How is poetry used as a form of protest? As a way for unheard voices to be heard?

– Amanda references some famous women poets of the past; in what ways has poetry been a voice for women when we were often silenced before? Do you think that poetry can be a universal experience? Or is it a way for the unheard to be heard?

– Poetry exists for many different purposes. Do you think Amanda is solely speaking to us, the audience, in this section or do you think any of her advice is for her past self? What did you take from this section?

– Did any poems really stand out to you?

March is almost behind us! We finished the princess saves herself in this one; did you enjoy it? What were some of your favorite or least favorite parts? The below questions, as always, are open for you to answer as many or as few as you want and I would love to hear some of your other reflections on this book!

– What does poetry look like to you? What does poetry mean to you?

– What makes something a good poem?

– How can poetry be used to figure out your emotions? How is it a voice for the unheard or for emotions you cannot necessarily process?

– What kind of poetry format is your favorite? Are you a fan of modern poetry, or do you prefer something different? What do you think draws you to that type of poetry?

– What would you say are the central themes of the princess saves herself in this one and how does Amanda use the section headings to move that theme or those themes along?

– Were there any poems or themes that really stood out to you?

– Be honest, did you cry?

– How do you think Amanda could build on her themes in her later books?

If you haven’t already you can pick up The Princess Saves Herself In This One in ebook, paperback, or audio read by Amanda Lovelace. Or check out her other poetry books in the Women Are Some Kind of Magic series.