Discussion Guide for TOUCHED

1. The Ephtas men had moments of closeness with each other, and moments when they did not reach out to each other. How could they have communicated more effectively? Where did they succeed?

2. The characters were positioned in relatively gendered roles. In which ways did they perform those roles, and in which ways did they bend the mold?

3. Which of the romantic relationships spoke the most to you and why?

4. Which of the non-romantic relationships spoke the most to you and why?

5. The pressures of service greatly impacted the characters; where is the balance between aiming for perfection and honoring your own desires?

6. The book used a lot of flower imagery—how do you think that tied into the themes of the story?

7. In which ways were the characters impacted by heteronormativity? How does this apply in real life?

8. If you lived for 200 years, how would you spend your time?

9. We learned of a few potential talents the Touched might possess—if you were Touched, which kinds of abilities would you like to have?

10. By the end of the story, the royals have made several sweeping changes against tradition. What were some good changes, and what more could still be done?

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Sage T. Green, Author