A Curse So Dark and Lonely

Choose three elements of A Curse So Dark and Lonely that Kemmerer incorporated from a past version of Beauty and the Beast. How do these elements enhance the story, and how does their use build upon the tale’s legacy? Do you think Kemmerer could have incorporated these elements more strongly? If so, how? If not, how are they helping A Curse So Dark and Lonely to shine as its own work in comparison to the classic story?

Which character(s) are responsible for the curse, and why? If you place blame squarely on one character, how are they solely responsible for all aspects of what the curse has caused? If you place blame on multiple characters, are any more responsible than others? If so, which, and if not, why are they all equally responsible? What did answering this question teach you about blame, as well as how the freedom to make choices holds us responsible for those choices?

Do you agree with the secrets Rhen and Harper keep from each other throughout the book? Why or why not? How might the story’s events have gone differently if one or both characters had been honest sooner? What does their relationship show about the importance of trust and how our actions influence how others view us? Support your answer with evidence from the text.

In Chapter 22, Rhen says people are dealt a hand of cards at birth and that they must work with that hand for the rest of their lives. Later in Chapter 59, Harper counters by saying a person’s hand changes throughout their life and that they can start afresh with each new set of cards. Which of these do you think is true? Are they both true in different ways? Whose stance do you more side with, and why? What is your stance on this debate? If it incorporates elements from both sides, explore how they come together to make a third perspective.

Explore Harper’s struggle to reconcile which world is real and which is not. Do you understand how she could feel like her life and family in Washington, DC, feel unreal when she’s faced with the reality of the situation in Emberfall? What does Harper’s struggle say about how we react to the present and how the past relates to our current understanding of our world? Support your answer with evidence from the text.

Compare and contrast Rhen and Grey. What are each character’s strengths and weaknesses, and how do they leverage their strengths and weaknesses to make the most of their individual skills? Which one did you hope Harper would end up with? Were you surprised by the ending of A Curse So Dark and Lonely? Why or why not?

Analyze Lilith’s character, both for who she is and as an antagonist. Is her threat credible? Does it make sense? Do you think Lilith’s enchantress nature has affected how she views others? She makes it clear on multiple occasions that she intended to be the one Rhen would court to break the curse, and Rhen makes it equally clear he could never care for her. Do you think Lilith truly believes Rhen could learn to love her after what she’s done to him? Is Lilith’s punishment justified for how Rhen treated her before she cursed him?

One of the major themes of A Curse So Dark and Lonely is The Burden of Leadership, particularly as it pertains to decisions. Choose three choices that the characters make. Using this theme, discuss whether each choice was an example of good or poor leadership.