52 pages • 1 hour read
Alex AsterLightlark
Fiction | Novel | YA | Published in 2022A modern alternative to SparkNotes and CliffsNotes, SuperSummary offers high-quality Study Guides with detailed chapter summaries and analysis of major themes, characters, and more.
Essay Topics
Aster creates a world in which several different cultures experience different curses. Describe one of these curses and discuss how it shapes the worldview of a character from that culture.
What roles do unity and collaboration play in Lightlark? How do its characters balance conflict and collaboration?
How does being labeled a “monster,” a “temptress,” and a “hearteater” affect Isla? Are there ways these identities or masks benefit her?
Describe one of the islands that make up Lightlark. How does this setting create a mood? How does it affect the plot of the novel?
How does Isla’s connection with nature shape her view of the world? How does it affect her actions in the narrative?
How does Isla’s loyalty—to Celeste, to Grim, to her guardians—affect her actions in the book? Do these loyalties seem justified?
How does Isla’s relationship to her sexuality change over the course of the novel? Cite at least three examples from the text.
What is the relationship between destiny and free will in the novel? Which characters break free from the expectations that come with their identities? How do they do so, and to what effect?
