Bring on the tough stuff - there’s not just one right answer.
- Do you think Cassandra is actually evil? How about Grisini?
- How do the deaths of her siblings affect Clara and her family?
- Why do you think Clara decides that Lizzie Rose and Parsefall are her new siblings at the end?
- Why is Clara able to destroy the phoenix-stone when someone as powerful as Cassandra could not?
- Why does Grisini turn children into puppets?
- How do Clara's parents change from the beginning to the end of the book?
- Do you believe that Cassandra ever loved Marguerite? Why or why not?
- Why does Grisini want the phoenix-stone for himself? Do you think he would be able to control it?
- How does magic play into the story in Splendors and Glooms? Is it seen as a force for good or evil?
- How does Lizzie Rose's innate goodness shine through in the story? Does she ever struggle against it?