Tress of the Emerald Sea Book Club Discussion Questions

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More than 25 Tress of the Emerald Sea discussion questions to guide your book club through an in-depth conversation about this fun book.

If you are looking for a fun fantasy book to read with your book club, I think Tress of the Emerald Sea would make an excellent pick.

This is a book full of adventure, interesting characters, danger, and plot twists you will not see coming. You will not run out of topics to talk about for this one.

These book club discussion questions explore the characters, the themes, and the world of Tress of the Emerald Sea.

Tress of the Emerald Sea Book Club Discussion Questions

IMPORTANT NOTE: These book club discussion questions assume you have read the book, and therefore, they DO INCLUDE SPOILERS. Proceed with caution.

The Characters of Tress of the Emerald Sea

• What do you think is Tress’s main motivation for leaving Diggen’s Point to find Charlie? Is it just that they are in love, or is there more to it than that?
• Why do you think her parents not only supported her decision but helped her make it happen?
• The narrator praises Tress throughout the book for her thoughtfulness. How do you think this thoughtfulness helped her survive? Name specific events and circumstances, if you can.
• The Crow’s Song is full of quirky characters. Besides Tress, who is your favorite character on The Crow’s Song? Why?
• What do you think of Sanderson naming all non-significant characters “Doug”?
• Why do you think that we learn the name of the Doug who died?
• Discuss the power dynamic between Tress and the Captain. Why does Tress ultimately win?
• Is Hoid a reliable narrator? Why or why not?
• Do you think Hoid was the best character to narrate the story?
• When did you figure out that Huck was Charlie?
• Compare and contrast Tress at the beginning of the book to Tress at the end of the book. How did she change?

Themes in Tress of the Emerald Sea

• What do you think is the main theme of this book? What other themes does this book explore?
• Tress loved to collect cups. What do you think the cups symbolize for Tress?
• The spores are a driving force in the book. What do you think the spores symbolize?
• What message or messages did you take away from this book?
• What could you see, feel, hear, or smell as you read this book?

The World of Tress of the Emerald Sea

• World-building is super important in fantasy books. Do you think that Sanderson did an adequate job of describing and establishing the world in which this book takes place? Why or why not?
• Was there anything in the world of Tress that didn’t make sense?
• One element that played an important role in this book was the spores and the different spore seas. In what ways did the spores almost become like another character in the story?
• Another important element in the book is water. They needed water to live, but it could also be very deadly and destructive. How did this tension drive the story? What elements in our world work in the same way?

Your Personal Take on Tress of the Emerald Sea

• What was the most powerful scene for you?
• If you read other Sanderson or Cosmere books, how did this one compare to those?
• Do you hope Sanderson writes a sequel to Tress, or do you think her story has been adequately told in this volume?
• Did you enjoy the writing style in this book? Why or why not?
• What did you think of the parts where the narrator would address the reader?
• Would you recommend this book to other readers? Why or why not?