Tress of the Emerald Sea

How does Hoid’s voice affect the reading experience? Would you have preferred that Hoid not interject so often? How would the story have been different without him?

How does the novel represent mental health? What is the effect of pairing ideas of mental health with the adventure narrative?

Were there any clues throughout the novel that Huck was really Charlie? How does your understanding of Charlie change when you become aware of his presence in the novel all along? Why do you think Sanderson/Hoid doesn’t reveal this fact until late in the novel?

Do you think the Sorceress is the main antagonist? Who or what else might be the antagonist? How does Tress interact with these antagonists differently?

If you’ve never read Sanderson before, did you feel like you were missing out on something knowing that certain characters (like Hoid) appear in other novels? If you’ve read Sanderson before, what is the benefit, if any, of encountering these reoccurring characters?

What does Hoid mean by “narrative triage”? Are there questions you have about the story that go unanswered? Do these gaps affect your experience?

Why does Hoid talk so much about “human nature” and the storytelling process? Do you think Hoid is really a surrogate for Sanderson? Why would he want to draw your attention to the fact that you are reading a story?

What is your opinion of Sanderson’s magic system in Tress of the Emerald Sea? Explore the magic and world-building and compare them to other fantasy novels you have read.