Kingdom of the Cursed

How does Kingdom of the Cursed present sin? In what ways does this differ from its traditional or religious concepts of sin and what effects do these departures have?

Trace Emilia’s evolving relationship with her own anger. Do you think her anger is a helpful or unhelpful force for her in the novel? Why?

Analyze the symbolic function of the Crescent Shallows, considering its meaning in relation to the novel’s setting, characters, and relationships.

At the end of the novel, Emilia believes that Wrath has tricked her. Discuss how you perceive his character and motivations, drawing on close textual evidence.

Maniscalco’s world-building draws on sensory paradoxes and oxymorons, such as fire and ice. How are these used in the novel and what purpose do they have?

In Milton’s Paradise Lost, Satan considered it “better to reign in Hell than serve in Heaven.” Do you think Wrath is a tragic anti-hero in this established satanic tradition or a figure representing a new concept of agency and power?

What does the novel have to say about partnership, marriage, and sexual fidelity? Do you think it promotes the traditional monogamist pattern or not? Why?

Emilia’s training sessions with Wrath are a recurrent feature. Analyze the descriptive language and imagery that Maniscalco uses in these scenes to discuss their wider significance in the novel.