These Hollow Vows is inspired by Irish folklore, but the novel fits more closely into fantasy romance or romantasy than into traditional folklore or fairy-tale narratives. How does this novel affect your understanding of these genre limits? In your answer, consider more traditional fairy tales (like the Grimm brothers’ Cinderella or Snow White), folklore about the fae, and modern faerie romances like A Court of Thorns and Roses by Sarah J. Maas or Holly Black’s The Cruel Prince.

Does the novel make it clear where it draws the line between what makes a betrayal understandable or not? What factors inform that limit?

Brie tells Mordeus that she does not value power, as she has seen it used primarily to exploit others. Does the novel suggest that all power is corruptive? If so, does it offer a solution to how potential leaders like Finn might avoid being fully corrupted?

Is foreshadowing reliable in the novel? Analyze how the Mirror of Discovery and Lark’s predictions operate in the text to discuss how Ryan hides or reveals the answers to the characters’ various secrets.

Does the novel present social class as a fixed identity point? When constructing your answer, consider Brie’s discomfort with income inequality, Sebastian’s passivity about the camps, or Finn’s concern for the most impoverished of his people.

Does Brie consider one form of love more important than another? Analyze how she feels about her sister, her friends, and Sebastian.

Does Brie think that keeping secrets is the same as telling lies? Does the novel support her assessment?

Compare how the novel presents faerie bargains with human contracts. How do they reinforce power structures? Do either of them have the capacity to subvert these structures?