Daughter of No Worlds

Examine the animals used as symbols in the novel—particularly, butterflies and serpents. How does the novel reinforce and contradict the associations that readers typically have about these creatures?

Most of the book’s central characters are obsessed with acquiring power, but power exists in multiple forms. Pick at least three different characters or groups and contrast their versions of power.

Describe Tisaanah’s character development over the course of the novel. In what ways does she change? In what ways does she remain the same?

To what degree does the institution of enslavement drive the novel’s plot? How does its presence affect characterization, themes, and imagery?

How does Reshaye straddle the line between antagonist and protagonist? Consider its past and its motivations—how does it evoke aspects of the novel’s other characters?

Metamorphosis implies a physical change as opposed to a psychological one. Examine how characters undergo physical transformations that express an underlying change in their attitudes.

Explore the novel’s romance plot. How are Max’s and Tisaanah’s approaches to life different? Where do they overlap? How does the novel position them as appropriate partners?

Compare the novel’s world building to the expectations of the epic fantasy genre. Are the depictions of the world’s magic system, geopolitics, economy, and other elements of setting satisfying? Why or why not?