Quicksilver

Content Warning: This section of the guide contains discussion of physical abuse.

Gather initial thoughts and broad opinions about the book.

1. Quicksilver presents two contrasting worlds: the harsh desert city of Zilvaren and the magical Fae realm of Yvelia. Which setting did you find more compelling, and how did the stark contrast between scarcity and abundance shape your understanding of the characters and their motivations?

2. The enemies-to-lovers relationship between Saeris and Fisher forms the emotional core of the novel. How did you feel about their relationship development? If you’ve read Sarah J. Maas’s A Court of Thorns and Roses, how does the romantic dynamic in Quicksilver compare to Feyre and Rhysand’s relationship?

3. As the novel progresses, it is revealed that characters like Fisher and Carrion have been hiding significant aspects of their identities. Were there any character revelations you found particularly effective or surprising?

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

1. Throughout the novel, Saeris maintains her moral compass despite harsh circumstances, from her difficult upbringing in Zilvaren to confronting corrupt immortals. Reflect on a time when you had to maintain your principles in challenging circumstances. How did Saeris’s journey resonate with your own experiences?

2. Fisher and Saeris’s relationship is complicated by the concept of “fated mates”—their connection is destined, yet they still have choices about how to proceed. Have you ever felt pulled toward a relationship or path that seemed inevitable? How did you navigate the tension between destiny and personal choice?

3. Saeris initially views Yvelia’s abundance of water as shocking after living in water-scarce Zilvaren. Has there been a time when you suddenly had access to something you previously considered scarce or precious? How did that shift in perspective change you?

4. The novel explores how Fisher and other long-lived Fae develop different perspectives on morality due to their immortality. How do you think your own values or decision-making would change if you knew you would live for centuries? What principles would remain constant?

5. Saeris grows frustrated when Fisher makes decisions for her without consulting her. Have you experienced someone making choices on your behalf with good intentions but without your input? How did you respond, and what boundaries did you establish?

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

1. Quicksilver depicts two contrasting forms of government: Madra’s totalitarian regime in Zilvaren and Belikon’s seemingly more benevolent but equally corrupt rule in Yvelia. How do these fictional power structures reflect real-world political systems and the ways long-term power can corrupt leaders?

2. Both realms in the novel feature resource inequality—water in Zilvaren and silver in Yvelia. How does the book’s exploration of resource hoarding and artificial scarcity reflect contemporary global issues regarding resource distribution?

3. The text mentions that Saeris and most girls in the Third Ward were forcibly sterilized as teenagers, presenting this as normalized state control. How does this element of the story connect to historical and ongoing reproductive rights issues? What commentary might the author be making about bodily autonomy?

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

1. Quicksilver employs several literary allusions, particularly to Arthurian legend with Fisher as “The Fisher King” and Saeris pulling Solace from the stone. How do these allusions enhance our understanding of the characters and their destinies?

2. The quicksilver transforms from a substance to a character with its own agenda and bargaining power. How does this personification affect the story? What might the quicksilver symbolize beyond its literal properties?

3. The novel uses the “fated mates” trope common in the romantasy genre, but complicates it with divine intervention and prophetic warnings. How does Quicksilver both embrace and subvert this romantic convention? Does it succeed in making this trope feel fresh?

4. Throughout the novel, names and naming hold power—from Fisher’s nicknames for Saeris to the ritual of naming swords. How does this element compare to other fantasy works like Ursula K. Le Guin’s Earthsea series? What does it reveal about power and identity in the story?

5. The runes and tattoos that appear on Saeris and Fisher serve as physical manifestations of their bond. How do these symbols function in the narrative? What do they reveal about the characters’ emotional states that dialogue alone cannot express?

6. Consider the novel’s exploration of how the characters’ immortality affects their morality. How do the various immortal characters—Madra, Belikon, Malcolm, and Fisher—represent different moral responses to eternal life? What is the text suggesting about power and time?

Encourage imaginative and creative connections to the book.

1. If you were an Alchemist like Saeris, what bargain would you be willing to make with the quicksilver, and what would you hope to create? Consider both the price you’d be willing to pay and what you would hope to achieve.

2. The god Zareth reveals that Saeris and Fisher’s union might trigger the end of the world or potentially save it. If you were to write the sequel, what path would you choose for these characters? What new challenges or allies might they encounter?

3. In Quicksilver, characters from different realms have vastly different perspectives on resources—what’s precious in one world is common in another. Imagine our world suddenly merged with another where our most valuable resources were commonplace but something we take for granted was rare and precious. How would this shift affect global power structures and individual lives?

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