King Sorrow

Gather initial thoughts and broad opinions about the book.

1. Who was your favorite member of Arthur’s friend group? Which aspects of their characterization resonated with you most?

2. Joe Hill is the son of legendary horror author Stephen King. How might you compare this novel to King’s best-known novels, like It and The Dark Tower?

3. How did you feel about the way the book was structured? Were you surprised by the full scope of the story? Why or why not?

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

1. The book muses on the dynamic between choice and consequence. How do you normally try to deal with unexpected consequences? Do they make you regret your actions? Do you try to predict the effect of your choices in advance?

2. The novel also explores the question of moral value. How do you reconcile Hill’s assertion that people can always redeem themselves? Do you think that some people are fundamentally irredeemable?

3. What do you think about the novel’s proposition that intention separates a good act from an evil one? Have you ever been put into an impossible situation like Arthur at the beginning of the novel? What did you do?

4. How do you deal with guilt? Do you think actions can help you to absolve guilt, or is guilt something you overcome with time? Relate this to the way Gwen and Erin deal with their guilt throughout the novel.

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

1. Comment on the novel’s use of King Sorrow as an allegory for United States foreign policy. How do this supernatural monster’s actions echo US attempts to police the world? Which is the better option: isolationism or interventionism? Why?

2. The novel can be read as a feminist deconstruction of Arthurian legend (see Background). How does the novel reflect the gender politics of the late 20th century?

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

1. How do multiple narrative viewpoints broaden scope? How, for instance, does Allie’s perspective complicate what we glean from Van and Colin’s points of view?

2. How do the novel’s various antagonists serve as foils for the protagonists? Pick one antagonist and discuss how they either catalyze a character’s development or reveal their true nature.

3. The novel explores how long-term friendships grow and change. How do the relationships within Arthur’s friend group evolve over the 30 years the novel covers?

4. How does the novel frame shared and individual beliefs? Which characters choose to believe in something alone? How do they compare to those who collectively choose to believe in the same idea?

Encourage imaginative and creative connections to the book.

1. If you had to adapt this novel for the screen, would you approach the story as a multi-season series, a limited series that condenses the story into one season, a multi-film series, or a single film? Why?

2. Taking a cue from the book’s depiction of the summoning of Elwood Hondo, take turns imagining a fictional member of your book club and discuss the reasons they are absent from your meeting. What are the patterns you notice in the details your group is supplying? How does this help you to better understand the collective character of your book club?