Fall of Ruin and Wrath

Gather initial thoughts and broad opinions about the book.

1. How did you feel about the novel’s fantastical elements? What do you think they added to the story? Did they detract in any way? What elements of the worldbuilding do you wish the novel had expanded on, and why?

2. How do you feel about Armentrout’s handling of the star-crossed lovers trope? How does it compare to the relationships in other romantasy novels—for instance, Stephenie Meyer’s Twilight? How does the fantasy setting impact the love story in such works?

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

1. Do you have a space that serves as a refuge for you, similar to Lis’s garden? What makes that place special or calming?

2. Did Lis’s friendship with Grady resonate with you? What makes for a solid friendship, in your opinion?

3. Have you ever felt you had to weigh protecting your happiness, comfort, or another part of your life against what you might otherwise like to do? How did it make you feel?

4. Do you view compassion as a source of vulnerability or strength? What experiences have influenced your opinion?

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

1. What does Lis and Thorne’s physical relationship say about the importance of consent and agency? How does it reflect ongoing societal conversations, like the one sparked by the #MeToo Movement?

2. Lis acknowledges that she often ignores larger societal issues to ensure her own comfort. Where in today’s world do you see this disconnect at work, and what can be done to overcome it?

1. How does the novel’s depiction of social class reflect real-world dynamics? Do the novel’s fantastical elements sharpen or detract from its class critique?

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

1. How do you think Thorne will react when he learns that Lis is his starborn? Which moments of Thorne’s characterization support your assertion?

2. Like many romantasy novels, Fall of Ruin and Wrath uses a first-person point of view. What might make this an effective choice for the genre? 

3. What does Lis’s intuition symbolize or metaphorically represent in the novel? What literary techniques contribute to this portrayal?

4. If you’ve read Carissa Broadbent’s novel The Serpent and The Wings of Night, how would you compare Lis and Oraya? If you haven’t read this novel, what other characters does Lis remind you of?

5. How do the novel’s speculative elements (for instance, the Deminyens’ ability to override others’ free will) contribute to its exploration of agency?

Encourage imaginative and creative connections to the book.

1. Reread the scene on pages 218-220 where Lis and Thorne discuss Thorne’s compassion. Reimagine this interaction from Thorne’s point of view. What is going through his mind as he realizes that he cares for Lis? Why does this confound him? What words are left unspoken when he “pale[s] a little” (220)? 

2. If you were creating a movie based on the novel, how would you handle its final pages, when Lis rides into the forest, Arion is killed, and Thorne catches Lis? What would be the prevailing mood of this scene in your film? What music, lighting, camera angles, etc., would you use to convey this mood?