Scarred

Connect the book’s themes and characters with personal experiences.

1. Revenge is a central theme in Scarred, as both Sara and Tristan attempt to get revenge on others. Have you ever experienced a situation in which you felt a strong desire for revenge? How did you handle it, and what were the consequences? How did aspects of your experience compare with either Sara’s or Tristan’s journey?

2. Sara and Tristan’s mutual attraction creates a conflict with their duties and goals. Have you ever faced a conflict between fulfilling your obligations and pursuing your own desires? How did you navigate this struggle?

3. At the end of Scarred, Tristan and Sara pass the crown to Simon, thereby partially redeeming themselves for their acts of violence. Can you think of a time when you or someone you know sought redemption for past actions? What challenges were involved? Do you think that Tristan and Sara’s act redeems them?

4. Think of a time when you were in a position of relative power. How did you handle the challenges that come with such a position? How do your experiences compare with the characters’ struggles with power in Scarred?

Examine the book’s relevance to societal issues, historical events, or cultural themes.

1. How do the characters’ struggles for power and control mirror real-world issues of inequality and social stratification?

2. How does the novel challenge or reinforce traditional gender roles and expectations? Consider the characters of Tristan and Sara. How do their actions and motivations either reflect or subvert mainstream depictions of “masculinity” and “femininity”?

3. What historical event or period do the power struggles depicted in Scarred tend to echo? How do these parallels enhance your understanding of the novel’s themes and the characters’ motivations?

Dive into the book’s structure, characters, themes, and symbolism.

1. How does the novel’s alternating focus on Tristan’s and Sara’s first-person perspectives enhance the overall story and add to the narrative’s dramatic irony? How does this structure effectively build tension?

2. What drives Tristan’s actions, and how do his priorities shift? What key events influence his transformation?

3. Scarred is based on The Lion King, which is itself loosely based on Shakespeare’s Hamlet. How does McIntire’s retelling alter key elements of both stories’ conclusions? 

4. Why does Tristan seek to repurpose the symbol of the jackal? How does this strategic move further his own interests and sway his followers?