Welcome, artists, to the first day of our book club readalong for OwlCrate's March book, A Forgery of Roses!
Just a reminder that this will be a SPOILER discussion for Chapters 1-6 of A Forgery of Roses, so make sure you read are finished this section before continuing.
Discussion questions are listed below, and anyone who participates in the comments will be entered to win a free OwlCrate box! Don't forget, you can also post about the readalong on Instagram with the hashtag #OCAForgeryOfRoses for another chance to win!
The story begins...
Chapter 1:
Myra is at her job working for the artist Elsie, who her mother opened a studio with before her disappearance. In this world Myra is a Prodigy, someone who can change the bodies of humans and animals through painting, and someone who is seen as an abomination to their god, the Great Artist. Prodigies have been persecuted for a very long time, and there’s no knowing how many of them there are, as most are hiding their abilities. Myra is just trying to scrape by to keep her and her ill sister alive now that their parents have disappeared.
Adelia Harris, wife of Governor Harris who is noted as being very anti-artist, shows up at the studio door.
Chapter 2:
Mrs. Harris wants a portrait done, and Elsie being fully booked up suggests that Myra do it. Myra is in disbelief as she at this point has little control over her powers. With no option but to agree, she leads Mrs. Harris into the studio. She wants a portrait done of her small dog, Peony. She is peppering Myra with questions and asks for her portrait to be done with Ladyrose gel, which will aid the paint to dry far more quickly.
Chapter 3:
Myra completes the portrait, her magic singing through her, difficult to keep under control. Feeling like she can’t do anything right, she can’t keep her sister and herself safe, she can’t complete a portfolio to apply for school, and she can’t use her magic, she decides that final bit isn’t true. Making sure Adelia isn’t looking, Myra uses her magic to heal a small cut on the dog’s leg, praying no one noticed.
Chapter 4:
Myra stops by a book shop, using some of her extra money from the portrait to purchase Lucy an anatomy book. As she steps outside she is greeted again by Mrs. Harris, who asks her to step into a cab. Inside Mrs. Harris asks Myra for her assistance, in exchange for half a million gold pieces. Mrs. Harris tells Myra that her son is dead.
Chapter 5:
She wants Myra to bring her son back to life, and doesn’t give Myra a say in the matter. It’s either she complete the task, or someone may just find out what she is. Mrs. Harris tells Myra to be ready at midnight. She has four days to complete the resurrection.
Chapter 6:
Myra goes back to the flat where she and her sister Lucy are living, promising the nurse from next door extra money to come back and take care of Lucy for the days she’ll be away. She sits with Lucy as she falls asleep, her illness only seeming to get worse.
Myra crushes a beetle, and decides to test her powers. As she collapses in pure agony, she sees the beetle scuttle away, whole and alive.
Questions:
- Where do you think Prodigies are disappearing to?
- What do you think happened to Mrs. Harris' son to make him fall?
- Do you think Myra will successfully be able to bring Mrs. Harris' son back to life? If so, do you think he will be changed by death?
- Did you enjoy the first section of the book?
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