Black Ships

Reading Group Guide

  1. Thoughout Black Ships, Gull often has to make her decisions based on the situation at hand rather than the strictures that She Who Was Pythia taught her to abide by. What are a few examples of this, and how do you think they helped to shape Gull’s complex character?
  2. Does Jo Graham intend for us to believe that Gull has supernatural powers? Or could there be other explanations for her ability to see what others cannot?
  3. In Black Ships, we constantly see the Wilusans trying to start over. How do we see their societal structure change over the course of their journey?
  4. When the Wilusans arrive in Egypt, they are confronted with a society that does not adhere to the same social taboos to which they are accustomed. How do the two societies compare?
  5. Basetamon, though quite beautiful and powerful, is a very troubled character. How much is she responsible for her actions regarding Neas? Is his response to her behavior appropriate or should he have been more understanding?
  6. When Xandros goes after Ashterah in the Underworld, what do you think is the impetus for his return? What does this say about his character’s evolution in the novel?
  7. Although Gull constantly worked in the realm of Death, she becomes utterly grief-stricken when Xandros and her son are taken from her. What do you think this says about her humanity versus her duty as Death’s handmaiden?
  8. In the final scene, do you think Neas’ and Gull’s relationship has developed beyond friendship (although his wife is still alive), or is it just a friendship that has naturally deepened with time?
  9. Black Ships offers a number of parallels to our modern world. Gull comes from a world in which war has become a part of life. This is in sharp contrast to what the Wilusans see in Egypt: a society in which weapons are rarely needed and professional soldiers do the fighting. How is Gull’s world like and unlike ours? Do we have societies today where war is part of life and societies where it’s an extraordinary experience that most people never face?