Powerless

1. General Impressions

Gather initial thoughts and broad opinions about the book.

• Powerless is part of a genre called “romantasy.” How does Roberts balance the fantasy and romance elements of the narrative so that both are equally important?
• The novel contains a great deal of violence and heartbreak. How does this affect your overall enjoyment of the story?
• Powerless was strongly influenced by The Hunger Games and Red Queen. Have you read either of these, or seen the movie based on The Hunger Games? What similarities and differences do you see among these stories?

2. Personal Reflection and Connection

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

• The novel takes place in a dystopian society. Which elements of dystopian fantasies do you generally enjoy? Are there any aspects of this genre that you dislike? 
• One of the text’s main thematic concerns is an exploration of what power means. What different forms of power do you see in the world around you? What do you think power should be used for, and what constraints should it have?
• Kai and Kitt are both princes being raised in the same family—but their experiences are very different because of their father’s expectations for each of them. How common do you think some version of this is in real life? Can you think of any specific examples?
• Based on your own observations of real-world romances, how believable is the romance between Kai and Paedyn to you? Would you say their relationship is a healthy one? Why or why not?
• Did you find yourself empathizing with Paedyn’s decision to help the Resistance, or did you see this decision as unethical, given her relationship with Kai and Kitt? 

3. Societal and Cultural Context 

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

• The King uses propaganda as a method of social control. What forms of propaganda are common in today’s world? How effective do they seem to be?
• Social hierarchies are critiqued heavily through the story’s characterizations and plot. Are hierarchies a problem in modern society? Why might readers of differing backgrounds disagree about how to answer this question?
• Kai and Paedyn both grow up hiding important parts of themselves from others. What are some aspects of identity that real-life people feel compelled to hide? What impacts does this have on their happiness, relationships, and mental health?

4. Literary Analysis 

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

• How does the story’s structure, with its alternating first-person points of view, contribute to the development of its characters and themes? How might a reader’s understanding of characters and themes change if a third-person narrator were used instead? What if only one of the two main characters acted as a first-person narrator?
• What is the symbolic function of The Trials? What is Paedyn’s success in these games meant to convey? If Paedyn had been killed during The Trials, how would this strengthen or weaken the book’s themes?
• Paedyn’s silver ring and the “O” that the King brands her with are both circular. What does this suggest about these two symbols of her identity?
• The relationship between Paedyn and Kai is an example of a common romance trope called “enemies to lovers.” How is the dialogue between Paedyn and Kai meant to convey their attraction despite their enmity and show how their perceptions of one another shift over time?
• What is the function of focusing Paedyn’s early chapters on her friendship with Adena? How does this relationship contribute to the development of Paedyn’s character and the setting of Ilya? How does it increase the emotional stakes of the book’s ending?

5. Creative Engagement

Encourage imaginative and creative connections to the book.

• If you were one of the Elites in Ilya, what would you want your power to be? How would you use this power?
• In Powerful, a later book in the Powerless series, many of the events from this novel are retold from Adena’s perspective. If you had to choose another character from the novel—not Kai, Paedyn, or Adena—and retell the story from their perspective, which one would you choose? Why would it be particularly interesting to hear the story from this character’s perspective?