Iron Gold

Analyze Brown’s use of four different points of view to tell the story of Iron Gold. What does each of these narrators offer to the overall meaning and development of the narrative? Use textual evidence to support your answer.

Discuss the novel’s exploration of leadership through the various leaders portrayed in the narrative: Darrow, Virginia, Dido, and Apollonius, among others. What conclusions does the novel come to about the complexities of leadership?

The novel depicts a conflict between two societal structures: the Society and the Republic. How are these two structures different, and how are they the same? How does the characters’ understanding of them shift over the course of the novel?

Several characters experience moral dilemmas during the novel. Choose two of the characters and discuss their dilemmas and the choices they make. How do these choices shape their characters?

Consider the role of family in the novel. How does each character’s relationship with their family affect their choices and actions? What message does the novel offer about the role of family in one’s life?

Choose one of the four main characters (Darrow, Lyria, Lysander, Ephraim) and analyze the development of their character over the course of the novel. What challenges does this character face at the beginning of the novel? How do they meet those challenges? Trace their transformation during the novel, using textual evidence to support your answer.

Discuss the different ways that each of the protagonists depicts the war between the Society and the Republic. How do their different experiences inform the novel’s message? Use textual evidence to support your answer.

Discuss Brown’s use of mythology and historical references throughout Iron Gold. How do these references contribute to the novel’s tone, worldbuilding, and themes?