The Iron Knight

QUESTIONS FOR DISCUSSION

1.) Ash begins his journey in The Iron Knight to keep a promise he made to Meghan Chase. How important is it to keep promises when circumstances change? Under what, if any, circumstances would you not keep a promise?

2.) Ash and Puck have an intense relationship based on a friendship gone wrong. We might call them frenemies. Ash felt that Puck was responsible for Ariella’s death in the past. Do you believe Ash was justified in making his vow to kill Puck? How would you handle having a close friend cause hurt to another friend, whether accidentally or on purpose?

3.) In The Iron Knight, we learn of the many terrible things Ash has done in the past, including murder. How did learning the details of Ash’s past affect your opinion of him? In real life, who do you believe deserves a second chance?

4.) Through Ash’s quest to gain a soul, The Iron Knight explores what it means to be human, to have humanity. What are the key qualities of being human? What traits do you value in yourself and your friends and family?

5.) In the gauntlet, Ash, Puck, Ariella and Grimalkin face mirror images of themselves that represent their dark sides. Why is it important that they see what they might become? How does it help Ash to succeed in his quest? Why didn’t Grimalkin’s reflection fight with the others?

6.) Ariella chooses to give up her life so that Ash can have a soul. How might that sacrifice affect Ash in the future? In real life, what kinds of sacrifices are worth making, and what might constitute going too far?

7.) How does Puck change over the course of the story? Why do you think he chose to come with Ash and support him in his quest to win the woman whom Puck also loves? Who do you believe should be with Meghan, and why?

8.) One of the premises behind Julie Kagawa’s faery world is that faeries exist and become more powerful when humans remember them, tell stories about them and dream of them. What kind of power do dreams and the imagination have on humankind? How are they important in our lives?