Discussion Guide for Brio
Here’s a handy list of questions that’s perfect for your classroom or book club!
Who’s your favorite character in the book? Which character do you like the least? Why?
In the book we have two protagonists, Jay and Ark. What are their greatest differences? How are they alike? What are their strengths and weaknesses, respectively? How do their differences and similarities help them work together?
Jay’s and Ark’s goals are quite clear in the beginning of the book. Do they actually achieve those goals by the end of the book, or do their goals change? How so?
For Jay and Ark, their greatest desires are tangled up in their worst fears. What is Jay most afraid of? What is Ark afraid of? In what ways do they overcome their fears and grow as characters?
The hero of a book isn’t necessarily the protagonist. Who would you say is/are the hero(es) in Brio? Why?
Faith is a cornerstone theme throughout the book, and it manifests in several ways: self-confidence, faith in others, religious belief, etc. Both the protagonists grow in faith in one form or another in the novel. In what way does Jay grow in faith? How about Ark?
The name of the novel’s villain, Dubito, literally means “doubt.” In what ways does Dubito live up to the meaning of his name?
One of the book’s epigraphs is from the philosopher Étienne Gilson: “It is not hard to find the truth; what is hard is not to run away from it once you have found it.” How does this idea relate to the plot of Brio?
What patterns and motifs recur throughout the novel? Why are they important?
What is the relationship between muses and nature? In the world of Brio, what happens when nature falls out of balance? (Hint: dischords.) Do you believe there’s a message here about the importance of preserving natural spaces?
The theme of fatherhood is woven throughout the novel in the form of father figures, good and bad. What father figures exist for Jay and for Ark? Are they good/bad father figures? What other fathers are mentioned by the minor characters? How does the novel emphasize the importance of fatherhood through these characters?
In several places of the novel, public authority is encountered and challenged, primarily by Jay. Why does he dislike watchmen so much? Does he have reason, other than being an outlaw in the past? What do you think about how authority and authority figures are examined in the book?
A few characters in the book have patron muses, including Dulcian, Callie, Maestran Pandoura, Grand Maestran Luthier, Captain Sharpe, Maestran Ruan, and Maestran Tadellos. Do their patron muses reflect their personalities? How so/why not?
What do you suspect the Magnum Opus is? What do you think could happen next in the story?