The Ritual

Gather initial thoughts and broad opinions about the book.

1. Have you previously read any other novels by Adam Nevill? In what ways is The Ritual different or similar to his other work?

2. How does The Ritual compare with other folk horror novels you may have read, like Starve Acre or Ghost Wall? How does it reflect, or adapt, some of the common tropes and techniques used in folk horror?

3. What were the scariest moments of the book? What made them scary?

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

1. Have you ever gone hiking in the wilderness? Did you ever experience fears or a sense of disorientation like the men in The Ritual do, or was your experience of nature more positive?

2. How would you compare the various forms of masculinity in the novel with how men in your life embody masculinity?

3. Luke struggles to control his anger at various points in the narrative. Have you ever struggled with anger, or any other strong emotion you found difficult to control? How did your experiences with managing emotion compare to Luke’s?

4. Do you believe that supernatural creatures can exist in remote and mostly uninhabited regions of earth? Why or why not?

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

1. Nevill’s characters mention seeing runes in Gammelstad, Skansen, and Lund, in addition to seeing them in the virgin Scandinavian forest. How does The Ritual depict Vikings and Norse mythology and symbolism?

2. How does the book contrast pagan beliefs with Christian beliefs? Is its depiction of paganism accurate, or potentially problematic?

3. How does The Ritual illustrate, and play with, British ideas about Scandinavian society? How do the men’s experiences in the forest subvert some of these ideas and assumptions?

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

1. Analyze the four friends at the heart of the novel. How are the men characterized? How are they different or similar to one another?

2. How would you compare Part 1 and Part 2 of the novel? Why do you think Nevill uses this two-part structure, and how does it affect the narrative?

3. How does Nevill use dreams as a motif in The Ritual? How do these dreams function in terms of symbolism, foreshadowing, and/or narrative momentum?

4. Luke suggests at several points in the narrative that modernity and the pagan world of the forest may not always be as different as they seem, especially in terms of evil and violence. How does The Ritual explore the contrasts and similarities between modernity and the pagan wilderness?

Encourage imaginative and creative connections to the book.

1. Fenris mentions several black metal bands in addition to Blood Frenzy. What would you add to Fenris’s playlist?

2. If you were to remake The Ritual movie, who would you cast?

3. What would you do if you encountered a creature in the forest?

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