Serafina and the Black Cloak

The author does not use the words cat or cat-like to describe Serafina, yet the likeness is clearly depicted. List eight details that show Serafina’s cat side long before she discovers her mother, then discuss which of those traits best helps Serafina discover and defeat the Man in the Black Cloak.

The novel’s setting is crucial for atmosphere and imagery. How are Biltmore and the surrounding forest also crucial to the plot? Use details from the text in your answer. Imagine how the premise (idea) of this story might work in a completely different setting (such as a city or a neighborhood) and share your thoughts.

Serafina and the Black Cloak is written in third-person limited viewpoint—that is, the voice is in the third-person but “filtered” or limited to only those things Serafina experiences. How would the story differ if written in first-person? If the story included the viewpoints of other characters, which scenes would best be told through Braeden’s point of view? Mr. Thorne’s?

Backstory (plot details that occurred before the real-time of the storyline begins) is important in Serafina and Black Cloak. What necessary story information does the reader glean from the book’s backstory events? When looking at crucial backstory details, consider their placement in the overall structure of the book; for example, Pa tells Serafina how he came to raise her in Chapter 4. If that backstory did not reveal itself until late in the novel, character and plot details would change.

Suspense is integral to any mystery. How does the author heighten suspense throughout the novel? Compare and contrast the element of suspense in scenes that take place within Biltmore to those that take place outside of it.

Serafina and the Black Cloak is a mystery with fantasy aspects, but it also contains historical details that serve the story. How does the author highlight these details in certain scenes? How does the inclusion of historical detail impact characterization and plot? You may want to briefly research the Vanderbilt family, the town of Asheville, and the electrical dynamo in responding.

Serafina displays an interesting mix of both instinct and deliberation. In which scenes does she utilize one or the other, or both? What other characters demonstrate actions based on instinct, and which actions represent careful, logically-minded decisions? Support your responses with textual references.

The novel’s parent-child relationships are complex. Pa and Serafina have a parent-child relationship, for example, though they are not biologically related; the Vanderbilts are parent-like guardians to Braeden; Leandra never knew Serafina but shows a mother’s love immediately on recognizing her. What message comes across about parent-child relationships though these characters? What actions or circumstances support your conclusion?