Gather initial thoughts and broad opinions about the book.

1. The Things Gods Break fits squarely into the “romantasy” genre, using tropes like fated mates and high-stakes trials. How does it compare to other popular romantasy titles, like Rebecca Yarros’s Fourth Wing (2023) or Sarah J. Maas’s A Court of Thorns and Roses (2015)? Does it bring anything new to the genre?

2. The novel’s ending, in which Hades is made mortal and a secret villain is revealed, sets up conflicts for the final book in the trilogy. What was your reaction to the novel’s climax and Epilogue?  Did you find this conclusion satisfying and effective?

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

1. Cronos’s act of self-sacrifice in Aphrodite’s Lock is presented as the ultimate act of paternal love. What is the greatest example of parental sacrifice you have experienced or encountered?

2. What did you think of Lyra’s decision to engineer her own curse and instruct Hades to hurt her? If you had the power to ensure a better future outcome through early suffering, would you do it?

3. Throughout the story, Lyra is forced to operate in a world built on lies, where even prophecies and memories are unreliable. Have you ever been in a situation where it was difficult to tell what was real? How do you navigate relationships when trust is hard to establish?

4. Lyra and Hades’s relationship survives cosmic separation, distorted timelines, and manipulated truths. Have you ever experienced a relationship—romantic or otherwise—that was tested by distance, miscommunication, or changing circumstances? What do you think allows a connection to endure, and where do you think the limits realistically lie?

5. When Hades believes Lyra is lost forever, his grief manifests as immense destruction, nearly fulfilling the prophecy that he would burn the world. How did you feel about this depiction of rage and grief? Was his reaction understandable, or did his actions cross a line for you?

6. Lyra forms a sense of “found family” with the Titans during her time in Tartarus. Have you ever experienced a situation where people you didn’t expect became a source of support or belonging? How did that change your understanding of family or trust?

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

1. This story is part of a larger literary trend of revisionist mythology, similar to works like Madeline Miller’s Circe (2018). Why do you think modern audiences are drawn to retelling ancient myths, especially from the perspectives of traditionally villainized or marginalized figures like the Titans or Medusa?

2. The novel’s core conflict hinges on the revelation that the Titanomachy was triggered by a lie constructed by a hidden manipulator. Can you think of examples from our own world where appearances have been manipulated to serve a particular political agenda? How does this novel’s exploration of “official” versus “real” history resonate today?

3. How does the novel use the epic, high-stakes setting of Tartarus to explore human emotions like grief, love, and betrayal? Does the fantasy backdrop make these themes more powerful, or distance you from them?

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

1. The narrative is deliberately fractured by time cracks, resets, and shifts in perspective. How did this non-linear structure impact your reading experience? Did it create suspense and intrigue, or did you find it disorienting at times?

2. What is the significance of the Seven Locks as both a plot device and a symbol? How does the design of each Lock, from Hestia’s test of desire to Hades’s chariot race, serve as a form of indirect characterization for the Olympian who created it?

3. Cronos’s character arc dismantles his mythological reputation as a child-eating monster, recasting him as a heroic father figure. What specific scenes were most effective in achieving this transformation for you?

4. Beyond being a simple magical illusion, how does the motif of glamours explore the novel’s exploration of perception and systemic deception?

5. The Epilogue reveals that an unnamed narrator has been the true villain all along. What effect did this plot twist have on your understanding of the story? How does it reframe the central conflict and set the stage for the final book in the trilogy?

Encourage imaginative and creative connections to the book.

1. Imagine you have inherited Cronos’s power and become the new god or goddess of time, just as Lyra did. What is the first event, personal or historical, that you would travel back to witness or alter, and what consequences would you anticipate?

2. Seven Olympian gods each create a Lock in Tartarus to test a specific virtue or weakness. If you were to design an eighth Lock, what god would it belong to, and what kind of trial would it contain? What truth would it be designed to reveal about those who enter?

3. What kind of plan do you think the newly mortal Hades has at the end of the novel?