Content Warning: This section of the guide includes discussion of illness.

Consider the effect of narrating the story from Agnieszka’s point of view. How does this narrative choice influence the plot or impact of the novel?

Discuss and analyze the ways the novel draws inspiration from Polish/Slavic folklore. How does this inspiration manifest, and in what ways might knowledge of this inspiration influence engagement with or interpretation of the novel?

Consider the moments in which Agnieszka and Sarkan jointly perform magic. How do these instances add nuance to the depiction of magic, as well as power broadly?