Blood Over Bright Haven

Gather initial thoughts and broad opinions about the book.

1. How did you feel about the way violence was described in the book? Were there parts that made you uncomfortable? If so, why?

2. What did you like and dislike about the characters? Did they seem relatable or hard to connect with?

3. If you have read other works in the dark academia subgenre, such as Donna Tartt’s The Secret History, how does Wang’s book compare? Which tropes from this genre does she use and how?

Encourage readers to connect the book’s themes and characters with their personal experiences.

1. How do Sciona’s experiences with misogyny or Thomil’s experience with discrimination resonate with your own experiences or observations? Did the novel explore these themes realistically?

2. What part of the novel made you most emotional? If the novel failed to move you, what do you think it could have done differently to help you be more immersed?

3. Do you feel like Sciona made the right decisions after being confronted with the source of magic? What would you have done in her situation?

4. Both Sciona and Thomil adjust their appearances and behavior to be accepted by Tiranish culture. Have you ever felt pressured to change yourself to make people accept you? What long-term effect has this had on your concept of self?

Examine the book’s relevance to societal issues, historical events, or cultural themes.

1. How do the society, culture, and religion of Tiran reflect our history or present-day moment? How does the novel draw on contemporary concerns like the oppression of the global South?

2. How does the novel contrast Tiranish and Kwen men in relation to the structure and enforcement of patriarchy? How does this duality reflect historical gender dynamics in the real world?

3. Sciona is constantly presented with the misogynist argument that women are too emotional to be put into positions of authority. How do Sciona’s experiences relate to feminist and intersection ideas of our modern world?

Dive into the book’s structure, characters, themes, and symbolism.

1. Is the novel’s ending a happy one? Why does Wang choose to have Sciona die alongside the other mages? Why is Thomil’s fate after his escape left ambiguous?

2. Sciona and Thomil are both point-of-view characters. How do their narrative voices differ? How do their perspectives define them as people?

3. What do the white robes of the mages symbolize? Are there any other colors that are symbolic within the novel?

4. How do one-dimensional characters like Winnie and Renthorn work as plot devices?

5. Light is a common motif throughout the novel, usually paired with religious motifs. How does the meaning and importance of light change from the beginning to the end of the novel?

Encourage imaginative and creative connections to the book.

1. How would you continue Thomil and Carra’s story if you were tasked with writing a sequel? What would be different about Tiran going forward? About Kwen society?

2. Imagine the book from a third character’s perspective. Whose point of view would it be most interesting to read and why?

3. If the novel were adapted into a movie, would it be live-action or animated? How would you approach the costuming, special effects, and casting?