Choose at least three different characters to explore how the novel depicts the emotional and ethical challenges faced by those in leadership positions. What fundamental differences arise between those who are born to power and those who have power forced upon them?

Consider the relationships between the different peoples in the novel (Vedera, mortals, Corbloods, Jydi). How do they contribute to the narrative’s exploration of diversity and unity in times of crisis?

How does Corayne’s journey both conform to and transcend the common literary trope of “the Chosen One”? What are the merits of this trope within the greater ethos of the author’s world-building?