Gather initial thoughts and broad opinions about the book.

1. Conform blends the societal critique of dystopian fiction with the high-stakes relationships of romantasy. Did you find this blend effective? Where did the story lean more heavily for you, and did that balance enhance or detract from your overall reading experience?

2. The novel is the first in the planned Thousand Voices series. Does it succeed as a first installment? How does its world-building and unresolved plot threads compare to the opening of other popular series you’ve read, like Suzanne Collins’s The Hunger Games, Veronica Roth’s Divergent, or James Dashner’s The Maze Runner?

3. What was your reaction to the final reveal of Tabitha’s manipulations and the cliffhanger epilogue from Hal’s perspective?

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

1. Emeline’s work involves destroying art that evokes strong emotions, like love or grief. Think about a piece of art, a book, or a song that holds deep personal meaning for you. What makes it powerful, and how does the idea of its deliberate erasure make you feel?

2. Throughout the novel, Emeline is defined by her heterochromia, a physical trait the state labels a “defect.” Have you ever felt unfairly labeled or judged based on a single characteristic? How did that experience shape your perception of yourself or the people around you?

3. Lo’s decision to inform on Emeline in exchange for personal advancement is a major betrayal. Can you understand her motivations, even if you don’t agree with her actions? What does her choice say about the pressures of survival in an oppressive system?

4. Violet’s insightful reflections regarding the rebellion prompt Emeline to question her own path and choose between conformity and empowerment. In what areas of your own life do you navigate the line between following expectations and seeking your own form of agency?

5. Much of Emeline’s journey is about learning who to trust between Collin, Hal, Nora, and Lo. What were the key moments that made you trust or distrust these characters?

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

1. The novel’s stratified caste system echoes real-world political regimes and social hierarchies. In what ways does the Illum’s obsession with genetic “purity” and the “Greater Good” reflect historical or contemporary ideologies about social engineering?

2. What parallels do you see between the MIND chip’s constant surveillance and the role of technology in our own society? The Illum uses the chip for control, but are there ways modern surveillance could be seen as beneficial, or is it always a threat to personal freedom and critical thinking?

3. The Illum maintains control by erasing history and manipulating the press. How does this strategy of information control in the novel compare to the spread of propaganda or “fake news” in the real world? What does the story suggest about the importance of a shared, accurate history?

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

1. Collin and Hal are presented as ideological foils, with one representing reform from within the system and the other representing revolution. How does the novel use these two characters to explore the moral complexities of power and resistance? Do you see either of them as a purely heroic or villainous figure?

2. Tabitha is revealed late in the book as the master manipulator behind the entire plot. How does her philosophy of balancing hope and fear compare to the methods of other great dystopian antagonists, like O’Brien in George Orwell’s 1984? What makes her an effective villain?

3. How does the concept of the gaze, from the Elite’s stares to Collin’s warning about the Press, function in the story? In what ways does being seen transform from a neutral act into an instrument of social control and judgment?

4. The narrative perspective shifts from Emeline to Hal in the epilogue. Why do you think the author made this structural choice? What does this shift reveal about the rebellion’s future and Hal’s inner motivations that we couldn’t have learned from Emeline’s point of view?

5. How does the novel explore the idea of power as reflected in the opposing forces of the Illum regime and the Underworld revolution? Does Emeline’s quest for personal empowerment complicate those ideas, and what does it reveal about claiming “power” and one’s identity in the world?

Encourage imaginative and creative connections to the book.

1. The rebels in the Underworld each contribute to the cause in different ways. If you were part of the rebellion, what role would you choose to play? Would you be a preserver of the Ancient Art, a strategist, a spy in the clouds, or a field operative on the ground?

2. Imagine you are tasked with designing a new piece of propaganda for the Illum. What would it look like, and what message would it convey to reinforce the caste system and the idea of the “Greater Good”? Can this help you understand how the policies of totalitarian states are constructed?

3. You have acquired access to the Archives before a scheduled deletion. You can only save one piece of Ancient Art mentioned in the book, like the Mona Lisa or A Huguenot. Which piece do you save, and how would you justify its importance to the future of your society?