'The Ivory Key' Book Club Readalong Day 1!

Welcome to the first day of our book club read-along for OwlCrate's January book, The Ivory Key!

Just a reminder that this will be a SPOILER discussion for Chapters 1-6 of The Ivory Key, so make sure you read are finished this section before continuing.

Discussion questions are listed below, and anyone who participates in the comments will be entered to win a free OwlCrate box! Don't forget, you can also post about the readalong on Instagram with the hashtag #OCTheIvoryKey for another chance to win!

The story begins...

Chapter 1:
Vira
Vira finds the body of her betrothed, Harish, dead. Not good. The betrothal was part of a deal she made with the Viceroy of Onaary to help protect Ashoka’s borders. She would have to come up with something new as the maharani. Ashoka is known for producing powerful magical weapons forged from magic from the quarry beneath the palace. Trouble is, that magic is dwindling. 

She is joined by her guard Amrit, but they are soon surrounded by The Ravens, a group of thieves, who capture them and bring them to their leader.

Chapter 2:
Riya

Riya and Kavita, two of The Ravens, have been tasked with breaking into the priestess's room to see if she has been selling the objects the people have been donating to the temple. Once inside they find a ledger but are quickly interrupted by the priestess. They duck behind the desk undetected, and soon the priestess leaves again. Crisis averted!

Chapter 3:
Ronak

It was the two hundred and thirty-fourth time Ronak visited his brother Kaleb in the dungeons. Kaleb had been framed for the death of the maharani and imprisoned by Vira, Ronak’s twin sister. Before his imprisonment, Kaleb had been training to take over as the palace mayaka - the people who forge the raw magic from the quarry. Ronak, at eighteen, knows it’s only a matter of time before he’s sent away as a political pawn, but first he must finish his plan to get Kaleb, and himself, free.

Chapter 4:
Riya

Back with The Ravens, Riya and Kavita present the priestess’s box and ledger to their leader, Yash, but not everyone is happy about it. Yash’s brother, Varun, confronts Riya, saying the orders were to find out if the priestess was selling the items, not to steal them back. Kavita interrupts their argument telling them that the other Ravens are back and they have prisoners, two guards. An understanding hits Riya and she runs to find Vira unconscious tied to a tree. Her past has caught up with her, a past she never told the Ravens. Vira is her sister.

Chapter 5:
Vira

Amrit wakes Vira up, coughing from the smoke that knocked them out. She comes up with a plan to get them untied and screams, getting Yash’s attention. She pretends the smoke has made her start seeing things, and not knowing the to do with her fake panic, Yash unties her. She immediately punches him to the ground and takes his weapon.

Hearing the commotion Riya approaches and shocks Vira. Her sister. The Ravens still think Amrit and Vira are just guards, so when asked Yash allows Riya and Vira a moment alone. She tells them to leave, but Vira implores Riya to come with them back to the palace - when Riya refuses Vira gives her a slip of paper that will allow Riya to contact her if she changes her mind. Another of The Ravens approaches and Vira tells them that maybe they shouldn’t kidnap the maharani - revealing Riya’s identity.

Chapter 6:
Ronak

Ronak meets Jay, his literal partner in crime, as they go to meet Ekta, their secret benefactor for the first time. She is the one willing to pay for some of the so called “cursed” items from the palace that mayaka had forged before there were more rules. And it is her money that will allow Ronak to escape the palace forever to forge a new life of his own.

Questions:

1. Why do you think Riya left the palace and kept her whereabouts hidden?
2. Who do you think framed Kaleb and why?
3. Why do you think someone killed Harish?
4. With magic in the quarry waning, do you think there is another source?
5. Did you enjoy the first section of the book?

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