Gather initial thoughts and broad opinions about the book.

1. On Wings of Blood blends dark academia with romantasy, a popular combination seen in books like Rebecca Yarros’s Fourth Wing. How did this mix of genres work for you? Did you think the academic setting and the romantic plot enhanced each other, or did one element overshadow the other?

2. What was your initial impression of Medra when she first arrived in Sangratha? How did her outsider’s perspective shape your experience of discovering the world of the highbloods and Bloodwing Academy?

3. How did you react to the sudden awakening of the dragon Nyxaris? Did this dramatic shift feel like a satisfying conclusion to this installment, or did it leave you with more questions than answers?

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

1. Medra arrives at Bloodwing Academy as a complete outsider, forced to navigate a hostile environment where the rules are stacked against her. Have you ever been in a new situation, like a school or workplace, where you felt like you didn’t belong? How did your approach to fitting in compare to Medra’s?

2. Blake initially appears like a “monster” to Medra, a perception that changes over time. Think about someone you disliked initially but later came to understand. What made you change your impression?

3. Medra’s defiance is one of her defining traits. Looking at your own life, can you recall a time when you felt a strong impulse to push back against an unfair rule or expectation?

4. Have you ever felt torn between a role you were expected to play and what you privately felt was right? How did you navigate that tension?

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

1. The novel’s society is built on a rigid inherited hierarchy where blightborns are seen as resources for the ruling highblood class. In what ways does this system reflect or critique real-world social structures, whether historical or contemporary?

2. Professor Hassan’s history lessons present a narrative of highblood saviors that justifies the subjugation of blightborns. Where do we see similar uses of history or storytelling in our own world to maintain power structures or justify inequality?

3. Discuss the treatment of women in Sangrathan society. Why does Regan immediately resent Medra, and how does the resentment parallel real-world competition between women in a patriarchal structure?

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

1. The story alternates between Medra’s and Blake’s perspectives. How did this narrative choice influence your understanding of Blake’s character? Did seeing his internal struggles and motivations make him more sympathetic, or did it make his cruel actions even more troubling for you?

2. Bloodwing Academy feels like a character in its own right, embodying the values of Sangrathan society. How does the author use this dark-academia setting, reminiscent of novels like Donna Tartt’s The Secret History, to explore themes of power, competition, and moral corruption?

3. What role does blood play as the novel’s central motif? How does its meaning shift in different contexts, from the life-sustaining feeding of vampires to the commodification at The Drained Rose and the magical power of the Adoration Rite?

4. How does Medra’s journey embody the theme of Free Will Versus an Imposed Fate? Which moments are most critical in her fight to define herself against the labels of “dragon rider” and “consort” that are forced upon her?

5. Think about the theme of monstrosity. The novel presents many characters capable of great cruelty, from Viktor to Regan to Blake himself. Who did you find to be the most monstrous character, and why? How does the story challenge the idea that being a vampire automatically makes one a monster?

6. What is the importance of the four stone dragons in the Dragon Court? How does their symbolic meaning change over the course of the novel, particularly with the final, dramatic cracking of the black dragon statue?

Encourage imaginative and creative connections to the book.

1. If you were designing a new “house” for Bloodwing Academy, what would its name and values be? What kind of creature would be its symbol, and what sort of students would it attract?

2. Imagine you’re a blightborn student secretly documenting the truth about the academy for a future rebellion. Which three events from the book would you consider most important to record? How would you frame these events to expose the brutality of the highblood system?

3. The book ends on a major cliffhanger with Nyxaris flying free. What do you predict will be the most immediate political and social consequences of a living dragon’s return to Sangratha? How will this event change the power dynamic between the great houses?