Ink Blood Sister Scribe

Herbs are used alongside blood to enact spells throughout the novel. Do they function as a symbol or motif? How do such references interact with the novel’s themes?

Mirrors are central to the magic represented in Ink Blood Sister Scribe, functioning as a vehicle for communication and, for Nicholas and Esther, travel. How does the motif of mirrors relate to the novel’s themes regarding identity? What, if anything, do mirrors symbolize?

Ink Blood Sister Scribe includes several tropes related to maternal relationships: Cecily as a stepmother, and Esther as “motherless” in spite of her relationship with Cecily and the fact that Isabel is actually alive as Maram. How does Törzs employ and/or subvert expected conventions related to forms of motherhood?

Nicholas, Esther, and Joanna all function as protagonists in the novel. Which undergoes the most significant transformation as a character? What textual evidence supports this claim?

Part of the Library’s function under Richard’s leadership is the production of commissions: spells for the personal benefit of wealthy individuals. How does Törzs represent the connection between magic and consumerism in Ink Blood Sister Scribe, and what does it suggest about the novel’s themes?

The ability to hear magic is described as a buzzing sound, and a spell that turns bullets into bees is important to the plot of the novel. Do bees function as a symbol or motif in the novel? How does this imagery relate to the book’s themes?

How does Törzs represent truth throughout Ink Blood Sister Scribe? What textual evidence supports the function of truth as a theme, and what is its purpose?

How would you describe the overall tone of the novel? Does it change significantly as characters’ perspectives shift? How does the tone contribute to the novel’s themes?