The Assassin's Blade

Compare and contrast Ansel and Yrene as secondary characters. How are both of them changed by their encounter with Celaena, and why is this significant?

Arobynn is the antagonist of all five novellas, yet Celaena’s relationship with him is quite complex. Track Celaena’s changing perception and loyalty toward him, using quotations from the text to support your response.

How are the ideas of empire, conquest, and colonialism relevant in the prequel novellas? How does Sarah J. Maas engage with those complex ideas throughout the five narratives?

Explore the role of sleep and dreams in the novellas. At what points does Celaena have trouble sleeping, and what does this symbolize? How do the characters’ dreams contribute to the book’s plot and themes?

Which fantasy tropes does Maas engage with in the different novellas? How does she play into the expectations of those tropes, and how does she subvert them?

Examine the importance of love and friendship in the novellas, citing specific characters and their relationships as examples.

Assess how the novella structure allows Maas to examine different episodes from Celaena’s life. How would the narrative be different if she had grouped them into one longer, more cohesive narrative/novel? Do you find the structure effective? Why or why not?

Explore the different settings of Erilea that Celaena visits. What craft tools (sensory details, etc.) does Maas use to make the settings come alive on the page?