Book Club Discussion Questions
For supplemental discussion material see our Beyond the Book article, Norse mythology and Runes and our BookBrowse Review of Runemarks.
Please be aware that this discussion guide will contain spoilers!
ABOUT THIS BOOK
Runemarks is set in a universe of Nine Worlds, not unlike that of Norse legend. Five hundred years have passed since Ragnarók and the world has rebuilt itself anew. The old gods are no longer revered. Their tales have been banned. Magic has been outlawed, and a new religion, called the Order, has taken its place.
Enter Maddy Smith, a 14-year-old girl with an attitude problem. No one in her village likes her much; she is reputed to be imaginative, she tells stories, talks to goblins, and worse still, she has a ruinmark on her hand, a sign associated with the Bad Old Days. According to One-Eye, the secretive traveler who is Maddy’s only real friend, her ruinmark—or runemark, as he calls it—is a sign of Chaos blood and magical powers. And with a new battle brewing between the forces of Chaos and Order, Maddy needs all the power she can muster. Suddenly the gods, demons, and oracles of legend turn out to be not only real but also
family. And the fate of the Worlds balances on the knife edge in Maddy’s hand.
Runemarks is a fast-paced, funny, descent-into-the-underworld tale of secrets, revenge, trust, and destiny. It is about the end of all things and the possibility for new beginnings.
Reader's Guide
- Reread the last two paragraphs on page 19 that describe how the Malbry townsfolk regard Maddy. What does it mean that Maddy showed “signs of being clever,” and why would this be “disastrous for a girl”? Do you think this holds true for girls and women in our society? Does this same notion apply to boys and men?
- Discuss negative examples of chaos that are affecting the world today (war, environmental degradation, gun proliferation, etc.).
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The Whisperer tells Maddy, “The Folk have remarkable minds, you know— rivaling the gods in ambition and pride.” (p. 463) Discuss examples of ambition and pride in the text. Do you think it is positive to be ambitious and proud? How do ambition and pride affect many characters in the story?
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- How does the author develop themes of identity and belonging throughout the narrative?
- What role does the setting play in shaping the characters' decisions and relationships?
- Discuss how the ending reframes the events of the story. Were you surprised?
Unless otherwise stated, this discussion guide is reprinted with the permission of Knopf Books for Young Readers.
Any page references refer to a USA edition of the book, usually the trade paperback version, and may vary in other editions.
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