King of Battle and Blood

How does St. Clair use casual references and key narrative details to create a sense of the broader political realities that dominate the world of Cordova?

Discuss the overlapping roles of religion and mythology in the narrative. How do the various characters’ metaphysical beliefs (or firsthand experiences) influence their perceptions of the world?

Is Isolde a reliable or unreliable first-person narrator? How do her descriptions of her surroundings reflect her inner changes in perspective?

To what extent does King Henri’s reign resemble that of King Dragos? Compare and contrast the two monarchs’ actions, policies, and beliefs, and be sure to analyze their respective deaths as well.

How does St. Clair both employ and subvert the “enemies-to-lovers” and “interspecies relationship” romantasy tropes? Be sure to include at least three concrete examples in your analysis.

How does Isolde’s perception of her relationship with Henri change as the novel develops? When does she start noticing his propensity for deception, and how does this realization reshape her identity and her understanding of Adrian?

Compare and contrast Adrian and Killian. How do the two serve as foils for one another?

St. Clair claims that many of the creatures in Cordova are based on Romanian mythology. Based on your own research into this topic, how do the author’s creatures compare to their mythological counterparts?