View a FREE sample

This test consists of 5 short answer questions, 10 short essay questions, and 1 (of 3) essay topics.

Short Answer Questions

1. What is unusual about the black vines Nassun finds in the Station?

2. Why is Essun afraid to use her orogeny after she wakes up from her coma?

3. Why were the tuners disturbed by their first sight of a concrete building?

4. What did the Conductors try to do to help the tuners blend in during their field trip?

5. How does the vehimal propel itself after Nassun summons it?

Short Essay Questions

1. Essun begins Chapter 1 with a group of caretakers. Where are they from and where are they headed?

2. Why does Essun not want to stay with Castrima as they make the journey to Rennanis?

3. What does Essun realize about her relationship with Hoa after he shows her Jija's body?

4. What created the obsidian column at the heart of the dead civ in Old Man's Pucker?

5. What's unusual about the miniature Plutonic Engine that Kelenli shows the tuners during their first lesson?

6. Why does Hoa’s prison in Syl Anagist require no guards?

7. When Kelenli first meets the other tuners, to what does she attribute her success in riding the onyx obelisk?

8. Why does Ykka say she is mad at Essun when Essun first wakes up from her coma?

9. What does Schaffa advise the orogenes from Found Moon to do when he sends them to find a new comm?

10. What happened to Essun’s arm before the beginning of the novel?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Characters in the novel are deeply tied to the geography of the world around them. Some geographical features, such as the Stone Forest and the twin calderas surrounding the Station, serve as the backdrop for major story moments. Choose one geographical feature from the text and analyze the role it plays in the plot. What logistical challenges does it introduce for the characters? What social or psychological struggles follow from the presence of this geographical feature?

Essay Topic 2

Describe Essun’s character and describe how her experiences with Castrima prepared her for the final confrontation with Nassun at Corepoint. How did her time with Castrima contribute to her state of mind? What was the effect of bringing her companions along? How did the journey influence her decisions in the conflict with Nassun?

Essay Topic 3

Many characters in the novel have the power of tuning and orogeny and each of these characters offers a different perspective on these powers. Choose two characters from the novel who can use orogeny or tuning. Compare and contrast any statements, observations or actions they perform regarding their status. In your analysis, explain what we may infer from the similarities and differences in their attitudes.

(see the answer keys)

This section contains 788 words (approx. 3 pages at 300 words per page) View a FREE sample