Gather initial thoughts and broad opinions about the book.

1. Did you see any of the cliffhanger revelations from the end of the book coming? What clues led you to suspect or not suspect what would happen?

2. How does Daggermouth compare to other dystopian romances that you have read? What about other (non-romance) dystopias like The Handmaid’s Tale?

3. Were you rooting for Greyson and Shadera to get together? Why or why not?

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

1. Have you ever had a romance or close friendship with someone from a very different background than you? How did your divergent life experiences complicate, deepen, or otherwise inform this relationship?

2. Various characters in Daggermouth keep secrets from one another because they want to protect each other. Have you ever done this? Did it end well or poorly?

3. Do you believe that violence is sometimes necessary? What are the terms of this necessity? When does violence become ethical or unethical?

4. Daggermouth highlights the dangers of uniforms and masks in erasing individuality. Do you agree? In what contexts do you think this is true or untrue? Have you ever felt that you benefitted from wearing a certain uniform or mask (metaphorical or literal)?

5. Callum argues that love is stronger than empires. Do you agree? Have you witnessed this in your own life?

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

1. Dystopias reflect the dangers of real-world society when taken to the extreme. What real-world social concerns are reflected in this book? How does the text influence your position on real-world politics?

2. What role does propaganda play in New Found Haven? How is that similar to political media in the real world? How is it different?

3. Explore how the book’s themes resonate with the real/outside world.

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

1. How do different point of view chapters—such as via Maximus’s perspective or Jameson’s—affect your understanding of the plot and the political realm of the text?

2. Which character brings about the most change in the novel? What foreshadows their importance?

3. New Found Haven is one of several city-states, but the others are not named or discussed in detail. How does the focus on New Found Haven set the terms of the novel’s political dystopia? How does it affect the world-building of the text?

4. Discuss how the mass surveillance in New Found Haven psychologically affects the characters.

5. What “weapons” are the most powerful in New Found Haven? Are these literal or metaphorical weapons? Use details from the text to support your argument.

Encourage imaginative and creative connections to the book.

1. What design would you use for your mask in the Heart? Why would you choose that symbolism?

2. Jameson discusses the different roles that the rebels play when performing a smuggling operation. How would you contribute? Would you be a hacker? A medic? A thief? A spy? What would your code name be?