The Sunbearer Trials

Gather initial thoughts and broad opinions about the book.

1. What were your first impressions of Teo as a protagonist? Did your perspective on him change over the course of the novel?

2. How did The Sunbearer Trials compare to other deadly competition novels you’ve read in young adult fiction, such as Suzanne Collins’s The Hunger Games or Victoria Aveyard’s Red Queen? How did Thomas make the trope unique to this story?

3. The book ends on a major cliffhanger, transforming the story from a competition into an epic quest. Did you find the ending satisfying? What are your predictions for the next book?

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

1. Teo initially binds his wings because their color evokes a female quetzal. Is there a time you felt the need to hide a part of yourself to fit in or meet social expectations? How does Teo’s journey toward accepting his wings resonate with that experience?

2. Teo’s alliance with Niya and Xio, their self-proclaimed “misfit gang,” becomes their primary strategy for survival. In your own life, how has friendship and community helped you navigate difficult challenges?

3. Aurelio’s struggle with his mother’s expectations and the pressures of his Gold status creates tension in his relationship with Teo. Have you ever felt caught between a role you were expected to play and the person you wanted to be?

4. Teo’s heroism is consistently defined by his compassion, from saving Veronica in the fire to sacrificing his own standing to save Xio. What moments in your own life come to mind when you think of heroism?

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

1. The novel critiques systems of inherited privilege through the Gold and Jade social structure, where worth and opportunity are determined by birth. Where do you see similar rigid social or class-based hierarchies operating in the world today? What does the story suggest about the possibility of challenging these systems?

2. Reino del Sol’s society frames the sacrifice of a young person as the “greatest honor of all” (54). In what ways do real-world institutions or cultures sometimes glorify difficult or violent duties for a perceived greater good? What commentary does the novel offer on the use of tradition and honor to justify such practices?

3. What role does the media, represented by sibling journalists Verdad and Chisme, play in shaping the public’s perception of the Trials and the competitors? How does their portrayal reflect the way modern media can turn significant social or political events into public spectacles?

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

1. For readers familiar with Thomas’s other work, like Cemetery Boys, what similarities or differences did you notice in his use of mythology to explore themes of identity, family, and belonging?

2. How does the physical transformation of Teo’s wings from female to male quetzal coloration serve as a metaphor for his journey toward self-acceptance? How does this magical element highlight the real-world experience of gender dysphoria?

3. Looking back, what clues or moments of foreshadowing hinted at Xio’s true identity and motivations before the final reveal? How did his character prey on Teo’s sympathies throughout the story?

4. In what ways do Teo and Aurelio serve as foils for one another, exemplifying different responses to the pressures of their society? How does their developing, secret alliance challenge the very foundation of the Gold versus Jade binary?

5. Teo’s limited third-person perspective means we experience the grandeur of the Trials and the Gold world through the eyes of a resentful and marginalized character. How does this narrative choice shape your interpretation of Reino del Sol’s social hierarchy and its revered traditions?

Encourage imaginative and creative connections to the book.

1. Design a new challenge for the Sunbearer Trials. What qualities would you want your trial to test, and how would it reveal the true character of the competitors?

2. Imagine you are a casting director for a film adaptation of The Sunbearer Trials. Who would you choose to play Teo, Aurelio, and Niya? What is it about your chosen actors that makes them perfect for these roles?

3. Write a letter to one of the competitors who was kidnapped by the Obsidian gods at the end of the novel. Which character would you choose, and what message of hope or advice would you offer them as they face this new, dark reality?