SuitabookDeeplight
Frances Hardinge
- Reading
- Before reading, acknowledge that the story includes dead gods, eerie bodily change and threatened lives. Afterwards, discuss whether Hark’s choices protect friendship, and where his responsibilities might end.
- Themes
- Friendship and loyalty: Hark tries to save his best friend Jelt, but the attempt creates a difficult choice about whether loyalty can justify further risk. Friendship is presented as powerful and demanding, though the ultimate judgement on Hark’s choices is unclear.
- Power and human limits: Fragments of dead gods are valuable, and several groups seek the heart because of its reputed power. The premise raises questions about human use of divine power, but does not establish whether the story endorses or condemns particular choices.
- Worth knowing
- Expect peril, menace and disturbing supernatural imagery around dead gods, valuable body fragments and a still-beating heart.