This month’s FYA Book Club selection is An Ember in the Ashes by Sabaa Tahir. Check out the discussion questions below! (Slight spoilers ahead.)
P.S. If you’ve already read the book, feel free to add any other discussion questions of your own in the comments!
Icebreaker
Graduation from Blackcliff is a big freaking deal. Do you remember how you celebrated your own high school or college graduation?
Questions
1. How did you feel about the Empire and the world building in this novel? Did it feel set apart from dystopian and revolutionary YA, or did it feel too similar? And what did you think about the inclusion of magical elements like jinn, efrits, and ghuls?
2. As a character, did you find Laia realistic, symbolic, or something else entirely?
3. Were the love triangles in this book believable or distracting to you? When Elias tells Helene he’s not in love with her, do you believe him? And if you had to choose, would you pick Laia, Helene, Elias, or Keenan as your favourite?
4. What’s your best guess as to the identity of Elias’ father?
5. After hearing Cook’s story about the Scholars and their thirst for power, did that change how you felt about the Resistance? Who do you think Cook used to be? And did you guess that Mazen was lying to Laia?
6. What are your predictions for what will happen in the sequel? And do you plan on reading it?
