BOOK CLUB GUIDE

Join the conversation at theNOVL.com#StrangetheDreamer

by LAINI TAYLOR

DISCUSSION QUESTIONS:

1. Lazlospendshischildhoodandadolescencewithhisnoseinbooks.HowdoesLazlo’slifeinbookspreparehimforhisextraordinaryjourneyandtheworldoutsidethelibrary?

2. Saraisays,“Goodpeopledoallthethingsbadpeopledo,Lazlo.It’sjustthatwhentheydothem,theycallitjustice”(page372).ManycharactersinStrange the Dreamer canbedescribedasbothheroicandvillainous.Minyaiscruel,buthowisshealsoheroic?IsThyonevil?Eril-Fanekilledbabies.Isheevil?Wasthegoodthesecharacterscreatedworththebadthingstheyhadtodotoachieveit?

3. “Andthat’showyougoon.Youlaylaughteroverthedarkparts.Themoredarkparts,themoreyouhavetolaugh.Withdefiance,withabandon,withhysteria,anywayyoucan”(page135).Thisishowthegodspawnendurelifeinthecitadel.Howdotheothercharactersinthebooklaylaughteroverthedarkness?

4. Eril-Faneisdescribedas“agreatman,andalsoagoodone”(page69).Whatisthedifferencebetween“good”and“great”?Howdothesetermsapplytohim?Howdotheyapplytoothercharactersinthebook?

5. Sarai’smothsandLazlo’sbooksallowthosecharacterstoexperiencelifefromadistance.Howdoesthatdistanceaffecttheirhopesanddreams?Howdoesitaffecttheirrelationshipwitheachother?

6. Whatdoyouthinktheelilithsrepresent?Whatdoyouthinkthecolorbluesignifies?

7. ThelibrariesofZosma,Weep,andthecitadelarebeautifulplacesthatarefullofsadness.Howdoesthisdescriptionreflectthethemesofthebook?

8. MostchaptersfolloweitherLazloorSarai.Whatdotheirdifferentpointsofviewbringtothestory?Whatdotheothercharacters’pointsofviewadd?

9. WhydoyouthinkLazloandSaraifallinlovesoquickly?

10. WereyousurprisedwhenFeralandRubydevelopedarelationship,despiteSparrowhavingfeelingsforhim?WhodoyouthinkisthebettermatchforFeral?

11. Whatparallelscanyoumakebetweenthingsthathappeninthenovelandthingshappeningintheworldtoday?

12. HowdoesLazlochangeonthisjourney?Howwillhisnewidentityshapehisjourneymovingforward?HowdoesSaraitransformoverthecourseofthebook?

13. Attheendofthebook,whatmonstersstillneedtobeconqueredtoreachaharmoniousend?Inreallife,isaharmoniousendevenpossible?

Book Club Pick

ABOUT THE BOOK:

The dream chooses the dreamer, not the other way around—and Lazlo Strange, war orphan and junior librarian, has always feared that his dream chose poorly. Since he was five years old, he’s been obsessed with the mythic lost city of Weep, but it would take someone bolder than him to cross half the world in search of it. Then a stunning opportunity presents itself, in the form of a hero called the Godslayer and a band of legendary warriors, and Lazlo has to seize his chance or lose his dream forever.

What happened in Weep two hundred years ago to cut it off from the rest of the world? And who is the blue-skinned goddess who appears in Lazlo’s dreams?

The answers await in Weep.

MICHAEL L. PRINTZ HONOR BOOK • NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER