Gather initial thoughts and broad opinions about the book.

1. What did you think of the novel’s blend of time travel, fantasy, and romance? How did this mix of genres affect your reading experience?

2. This novel joins a long tradition of timeslip fiction. How did its take on the genre compare to others you may have read, such as Diana Gabaldon’s Outlander series? What do you think sets this story’s approach to history and magic apart?

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

1. Vera’s journey begins with her feeling “unnoticeable,” a state that is magically enforced but also reflects her grief. Have you ever felt like a “forgettable background player” in a situation (8)? How did you cope with this feeling?

2. Guilt pushes Vera to accept Merlin’s quest as a way to find absolution for her anguish over Vincent’s death. Can you think of a time when a desire to make amends or escape a past mistake prompted you to make a significant change in your own life?

3. Lancelot provides Vera with immediate, unconditional friendship in a strange and hostile world. Have you ever built a foundational friendship like this one in order to find support in navigating unfamiliar or difficult circumstances?

4. Arthur struggles deeply with a past he cannot change, and this causes him to push Vera away. In your own life, how do you learn from past failures without letting them define your present relationships?

5. What did you make of Vera’s decision to commit to a world that isn’t originally her own? When faced with the choice to return to your time or remain in the past, what do you think you would do in her position?

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

1. How does Lafferty’s version of Guinevere challenge the traditional portrayal of her? In what ways does this novel contribute to the larger literary trend of feminist retellings?

2. Merlin justifies his manipulations and secrets by claiming that they’re necessary to preserve the kingdom. What does the novel suggest about the relationship between power, secrecy, and public trust? Do you see parallels in how information is controlled in our own society?

3. What do you make of Merlin’s claim that magic “leaves no archaeological trace,” which is why his era was mislabeled as the “Dark Ages” (34)? How does this idea challenge our understanding of history and the narratives we accept as truth?

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

1. How does the novel subvert the legendary love triangle of Arthur, Guinevere, and Lancelot?

2. Secrets and lies play an important role in the plot. Whose secrets do you believe had the direst consequences, and why?

3. What is the significance of magic’s decline in the novel? How does it function as a symbol for the kingdom’s moral and political health?

4. Vera repeatedly hears the words “Ishau mar domibaru” at pivotal moments. What was your theory about this phrase as you were reading? How did its true meaning reframe her journey?

5. Arthur’s character is defined by the conflict between his public duties and his private trauma. How does his journey toward integrating these two selves impact the novel’s central romance?

Encourage imaginative and creative connections to the book.

1. The novel reveals that two previous versions of Guinevere met tragic ends. If you could rewrite the story of either, what different path might her life have taken in Camelot?

2. Gawain’s work involves identifying and strengthening latent magical gifts in ordinary people. If you were a citizen of Camelot, what kind of simple, practical magical gift would you want to have, and how would you use it in your daily life?

3. Much of the story is filtered through Vera’s perspective. How might the events of the novel, particularly Vera’s arrival and Arthur’s initial coldness, be described from Matilda’s point of view? What might she have observed that Vera missed?