Book Club Guide for Fire of the Sea

Planning a Book Club for Fire of the Sea? Well you should be, because it's the PERFECT book club read. ;) Here are some tips to make your next gathering a success.

THE BOOK
To purchase the print or ebook, find them HERE.
For signed copies ($15 plus shipping), EMAIL ME!

MENU
Head on over to your local Ikea and pick up some Scandinavian treats! Ginger cookies, tea, some sandwiches with Havarti cheese, or even some Siggi Icelandic yogurt with fruit!

To drink, serve Ocean Water by combining lemonade, ginger ale & blue Hawaiian Punch!



MUSIC
I was inspired by Sigur Ros and Imogen Heap, primarily. But there are some really great songs that graced my playlist. Here are a few to consider:

Sigur Ros – Glosoli
Imogen Heap – Canvas
Susie Suh – Here With Me
Florence and the Machine – What the Water Gave Me

DECOR
Think beach, sea, sand, and ice! Iceland isn't a warm and balmy place, but great texture in fabrics, rope, shells, woods, and stones can help warm of the feel. A rustic nautical theme can work, with a hint of raw mystery!

PRINTABLES
You can add touch of Old Norse flair with this map, genealogy chart, and woodcut design. I have included the book cover, as well, at full resolution. All files are available as a free download HERE.

BOOK TRAILER
Share the gorgeous book trailer for Fire of the Sea. (It was filmed IN Iceland!)


GAMES
If you want to keep it light, you can always play the Mermaid Name Game!

QUOTES
Quotes from the book (printed or shared) are another way to add interest.

BOOK CLUB DISCUSSION QUESTIONS

1. Fire of the Sea combines elements of Old Norse tales and Scandinavian (like the Icelandic Sagas, and H.C. Andersen's The Little Mermaid.) How does Fire of the Sea add to the modern day landscape of fantasy and mythology?

(Discussion might include the marriage of Norse and Greek mythology, for example.) 

2. Fate and choice is a central theme of Fire of the Sea. How did Aeva's choices influence the shifting of fate? How are fate and choice intertwined?

3. SPOILER ALERT!! Did you suspect Petra to be Delphine? If so, when did you start to suspect this, and how did this impact you as you read further? Did you feel the tension building as Aeva was taken in by Petra? Were any of you surprised that Petra was really Delphine in human form?

4. Discuss the nature of shape shifters. How are other characters besides Delphine shape shifters in their own way (Aeva, Gunnar, or even Sissel)? 

5. Stories with both romantic and fantasy elements often depict romantic relationships happening quickly--even suddenly--on a deep emotional level. Does this work with this genre? If so, what makes it believable? (Is it the added magic and mystery? Is it the fact that we as readers just love a love story?)

6. Aeva sacrificed a lot for Gunnar. Do you feel he matched her love, and was worthy of her sacrifice? If so, how? If not, what would make it so impossible for Aeva and Gunnar to be separated if they seemed unequally matched? 

7. Aeva has to make a pretty serious choice between honoring family and choosing love. Did she make the right decision? How would her world have been different if she had chosen to stay with her family, rather than take the more difficult path to land? Could she have achieved her destiny any other way? (Discussion could include the prophecy about the Fire of the Sea and the Fate of Man, and how balance is restored.)

8. Fire of the Sea seems to wrap up in a fairly neat package. Do you think Delphine is truly gone? Or are there any loose ends that could leave the ending open to more danger? (Spoiler alert, share if you would like: one of Delphine’s Selur “friends” made it away alive from the orca attack. This was a way to leave a small loose end in the event of a sequel. Can you figure out which character made it out alive?)

9. The ocean plays a large role in Fire of the Sea. How do you view this “character?" (Could be a mother figure, Creator, teacher, raw force, etc.) 

10. To follow up with the previous question: In the end, Aeva must give herself back to the sea as a form of repentance, in a way. Was the sea truly angry, or just responding based on the laws of this created world? Was the ocean’s forgiveness immediate or conditional? Were these conditions a result of Aeva’s mistakes, and were these conditions only met after personal growth, or is it an unconditional forgiveness? Maybe a bit of both? (This exists in other mythologies and in scriptural texts, for example…)

11. Gunnar has his own personal growth in Fire of the Sea. He changes from a bit of a quiet loner, into someone with personal conviction and a sense of honor. How does imparting duty and purpose on someone compel them to rise to the challenge? How was this mirrored in Aeva’s character arc? 

Have fun!!

Thank you to Shannon Wilson of Family Brings Joy for sharing these photos with me!