"The history was enthralling, the scenery was painted with beautiful description. And the love story, so swoon-worthy! This book has quickly become one of my favorites!"
"Authentic...Surprising. All the characters really add different textures to the story."
"Unique...Exciting...A new and interesting time in history to write about."
Discussion Questions
1. At the beginning of the book Margaret states that evil will always be evil and good is hard to find. What do you think about that statement? Who in this book is evil, and who only appears evil? What is the difference? How did Margaret’s perceptions of evil change as the story progressed?
2. Why is Margaret so desperate for revenge? Do you think her guilt is justified? Do you think revenge is her ultimate motivation for returning to Hartfell? What other motivations might she have? What would have happened if Margaret had killed the Warden? Would it have brought her healing?
3. What made Angus change his ways about reiving? Was it his love for Margaret or was there something more? Why did he decide to give up reiving at the cost of his birthright? Did he make the right choice? Do you think Margaret would have come to him if he had not given up reiving?
4. Angus has a close relationship with his brother Gillis. How do you think Gillis and his disability shaped Angus’s views of the world and relationships? What traits does Gillis bring out in his brother? How do the other characters in this story respond to Gillis and his disability?
5. This story is set against the backdrop of very turbulent times for those living in the Border Marches. How does the reiving affect each of the characters? Are any of them not affected by it? Is this a time in history you were unfamiliar with?
6. Do you think Margaret and Angus are a good match? Why or why not?
7. What role does Osanna play in Margaret’s life? How does Osanna change Margaret’s way of thinking—or does she? What does Margaret and Osanna’s relationship say about each of them?
8. One of the themes of From Ash and Stone is how people build walls to protect themselves from being hurt. Is this an effective method to keep out heartache? Why or why not? What does Margaret learn about walls? What does Angus learn about them? Who in this story has built walls and for what reasons?
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