1. Do you prefer Grim or Oro as a love interest for Isla? Why? What are some specific scenes or character traits that contribute to your choice?

2. Have you read the main novels of the Lightlark series? If so, did these novellas change your understanding of the characters and the challenges they face?

1. One of the text’s main themes is The Clash Between Duty and Desire. Has there been a time when your responsibilities conflicted with your personal wants and wishes? What did you do?

2. Grim and Oro’s fathers teach them to see love as a dangerous vulnerability from an early age. In your own life, what people and experiences have shaped your understanding of love? Did your beliefs change over time?

3. During the Centennial, Isla is desperate to appear strong in front of her fellow rulers. Have you ever felt like you had to prove yourself to others? How did you handle the situation, and did you learn anything from this experience?

4. The novellas question the archetypes of “hero” and “villain.” Do you think there are heroes and villains in real life? Why or why not? Provide examples to explain your perspective.

1. Aster received a book deal for Lightlark after her pitch for the story went viral on TikTok. How does her work demonstrate the influence of social media on the contemporary publishing landscape, especially within the romantasy genre? Provide other examples from social media and book publishing to support your point.

2. In what ways does Grim and Oro employ problematic tropes, such as “not like other girls”? Discuss how tropes like this connect to misogyny.

1. What techniques does Aster use to present Grim and Oro as foil characters? Compare and contrast their personality traits, narrative voices, dynamics with Isla, and character arcs. How are they similar? Different?

2. Both novellas frequently employ metaphors. Select a few examples and discuss how they evoke mood and build characterization.

3. Each of the six peoples who inhabit the world of Lightlark have their own domain. How do the various settings reflect the different groups’ identities? How do they contribute to the novellas’ structure and suspense?

4. One of the text’s main themes is The Uncertain Boundaries Between Heroism and Villainy. In what ways does Aster present Isla as both “heroic” and “villainous”? How does her characterization contribute to the stories’ overall message?

1. Make a playlist that captures the mood of each novella. Then share why you chose certain songs for Grim versus Oro.

2. After reading these companion novellas, what predictions do you have for the main series? Is there anything in particular you hope to see in the remainder of the Lightlark books?

3. Imagine that Grim and Oro each give Isla something that represents what she means to them. What do you think these two gifts would be, and how would they differ from each other?