Four Ruined Realms

Content Warning: This section of the guide includes discussion of death and gender discrimination.

Gather initial thoughts and broad opinions about the book.

1. How would you compare this book to the first book in Corland’s series, Five Broken Blades? Did you find it more or less engaging?

2. How would you compare Four Ruined Realms to other Korean-inspired fantasy novels, such as The Girl Who Fell Beneath the Sea? If you haven’t read any books in the genre, how did the novel’s incorporation of Korean culture affect your reading experience?

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

1. The novel features an ensemble cast of characters, each of whose perspective is featured throughout the novel. Which point-of-view character did you identify with the most, and why?

2. Consider the various examples of gendered oppression that are explored in the novel. How would you compare the gendered oppression in the novel to the gendered oppression you’ve seen or experienced in real life?

3. The effects of death on the living are examined throughout the novel and illustrated through various characters’ reactions. Has death affected you in a similar way to any of the characters, and why?

4. How are your views about religion similar to and/or different from the characters’ views of religion in the novel?

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

1. Consider the novel’s use of Korean culture and mythology. How does this connection with real-world culture strengthen or weaken the ideas of the book?

2. The novel addresses difficult topics throughout, notably the genocide of a people or culture. How does the novel’s discussion of this topic inform your understanding of real-world genocides, both historical and contemporary?

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

1. How does Corland’s strategy of structuring the narrative through multiple perspectives affect both plot and thematic meaning?

2. How does the symbolism of the moon in Four Ruined Realms compare with moon symbolism in other books, such as Daughter of the Moon Goddess?

3. How does Corland utilize setting in the novel as a metaphor for the challenges and struggles of the characters?

4. Analyze Corland’s consistent use of cliffhanger endings, both for chapters and the novels in the series. How does the strategy contribute to the effectiveness of her message?

Encourage imaginative and creative connections to the book.

1. If you were adapting Four Ruined Realms into a film, who would you cast for the main characters?

2. Develop a soundtrack for a film adaptation of the novel. What songs would you use for each of the different characters’ perspectives?

3. Write the first chapter of the next installment in the Broken Blades series. Where would it begin, and whose perspective would you tell it from?

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