Queen of Shadows

Discuss the disguises Aelin takes on throughout the novel. What do they show about the current state of her character? Does taking on these personas help her find closure for some part of her past? If so, how?

How does the novel portray female friendship? Compare Lysandra to Nehemiah, who was murdered in Crown of Midnight. How are their relationships with Aelin similar? How are they different?

What do Dorian’s static, introspective chapters add to the otherwise plot-driven narrative? Consider story elements such as characterization, worldbuilding, and emotional impact.

How does Maas structure the novel to set up future storylines or featured characters? Consider Maas’s use of suspense—how does she stoke reader curiosity?

What does the novel have to say about leadership and monarchical rule? Compare and contrast some of the royals we encounter in the series. In what ways are they suited to lead? How do they fail?

Questions of identity are central to the novel. What external and internal signifiers of identity do characters seek out and why?

Consider discrimination and bias in the novel. How do the world’s major species see one another? How do characters express their intolerance?

Discuss the influence of parents and parent figures in the novel over their children. What do the maternal and paternal examples we see show about the novel’s concept of familial legacy, inheritance, and generational trauma?