The Maze of Bones

This novel features a large ensemble of characters pursuing the same goal for very different reasons. Compare and contrast each team’s motivation to pursue the clue quest. Consider how each character or family’s values and life philosophies shape their approach to the quest.

Amy and Dan’s sibling relationship is central in the novel. Analyze how their relationship develops throughout the story and compare it to other siblings depicted, including the Kabras, the Starlings, and the Holts.

The clue quest takes Amy and Dan through multiple locations, including Boston, Philadelphia, and Paris. How do the protagonists respond to each new environment? What do their responses reveal about them?

What role does trust play in this novel? Which characters are trustworthy and which are not? What point is Rick Riordan trying to make about the nature of trust?

The siblings find a mural depicting the original Cahill siblings fighting. Does the novel suggest that future generations are doomed to repeat the violence of their ancestors? What point is the author trying to make about generational cycles of violence?

Nellie Gomez and William McIntyre are two of the few non-Cahill characters. Compare their roles and consider what they bring to the story as family outsiders.

Does the novel suggest that money inevitably corrupts people who seek it? Choose one character from the novel and discuss their relationship with money.

Analyze the author’s use of humor in the novel. How does it contribute to the tone? How does it impact the characterization?