The Teller of Small Fortunes

Gather initial thoughts and broad opinions about the book.

1. The novel presents a world where fortune-telling exists alongside everyday life, with Tao carefully limiting herself to “small fortunes.” How did you respond to this fantasy element? Did it feel believable within the world Leong created? 

2. How does magic in this novel compare to the role of magic in other fantasy novels, like Ursula K. Le Guin’s A Wizard of Earthsea, where magical abilities similarly come with responsibilities and consequences?

3. Which character in Tao’s group of friends did you find most compelling and why?

4. What surprised you most about the novel as a whole?

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

1. Tao feels caught between two cultures—Shinn and Eshteran—and never feels like she belongs to either. Have you ever experienced a similar sense of being between two worlds or identities?

2. When Silt returns the phoenix egg despite needing the reward to help Mash find his daughter, he chooses ethics over personal gain. When have you faced a similar moral choice where doing the right thing meant sacrificing something important?

3. Kina tells the troll, “We can be nothing, and choose to be miserable about it […] or we can be nothing, but choose to be happy, and let that be purpose enough” (128). How does this philosophy of finding purpose in small moments resonate with your own approach to finding meaning in life?

4. What objects in your life hold emotional or cultural significance similar to Tao’s jade ji hairpin?

5. Tao’s journey leads her to find a sense of belonging in her found family while reconciling with her birth family. How does this dual resolution compare to other stories of family reconciliation, such as Celeste Ng’s Everything I Never Told You, where secrets and misunderstandings similarly drive family members apart?

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

1. Throughout the novel, Tao faces discrimination and suspicion for being Shinn in Eshtera. How does this fictional portrayal of xenophobia reflect real-world prejudices, and what strategies does Tao develop to navigate a society that often views her as fundamentally “other”?

2. In what ways does the novel’s depiction of political tensions between Eshtera and Shinara reflect how international conflicts impact ordinary citizens in the real world?

3. The novel portrays the Guild of Mages as a bureaucratic institution. What might this suggest about how power actually functions in real societies?

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

1. How does food function as a motif that connects characters and builds community throughout the novel?

2. The novel contrasts “small fortunes” with the “greater vision,” suggesting different relationships to truth and responsibility. How does this distinction reflect larger themes about knowledge and fate in the story?

3. Various characters in the novel undertake journeys of self-discovery. How do these parallel arcs reinforce the novel’s central themes?

4. How does the group’s physical journey mirror their emotional development?

5. How does the Splinthorn Woods quest challenge traditional fantasy quest narratives?

Encourage imaginative and creative connections to the book.

1. If you had fortune-telling abilities like Tao’s, would you choose to tell “small fortunes” or use the “greater vision,” and why? What rules or boundaries would you set for yourself about using your abilities?

2. Design your own wagon that would join the traveling caravan. What would you name it, how would you decorate it, and what service would you contribute to the group?

3. If you could write a fortune cookie message that might genuinely help someone facing a difficult decision, what would it be?