Discussion Guide

 O THER
BOOKS IN THE U NEARTHLY
TRILOGY
# 2 HALLOWED
# 3 B OUNDLESS
Book
Club
Discussion Guide
Author Information
Cynthia Hand grew up in southeast Idaho, just outside
You should not write about a group of unicorns
the town of Idaho Falls. From as far back as she can
fighting to take over an island from an alien invasion.
remember, she loved books and reading, and wrote her
Cynthia kept writing about unicorns anyway.
first short story (about a fairy being born in a tulip)
In middle school and high school, she and her friends
when she was around six years old—pretty much as
formed a writing group that wrote fan fiction about
soon as she could write. Her second grade teacher, Mrs.
their favorite novels and movies. Each person in the
Widdison, told Cynthia that she'd be an author some
group invented a new character in the decided-upon
day, and Cynthia believed her. She kept writing stories
world (they wrote about Elfquest, Vampire Hunter D,
all through grade school, most of them wildly
X-Men, Mercedes Lackey's Valdemar series, Anne
fantastical musings on supernatural beings or
McCafferty's Pern series, Star Wars, and SeaQuest
creatures, none of which ever won the annual short
(anyone remember SeaQuest?) and wrote exclusively
story competition where the writer got to meet Kenneth
from that character's point of view, sharing their
Thomasma, the author of one of Cynthia's favorite
writing as they went, collectively shaping what
books, Naya Nuki. Cynthia learned early on that if you
happened to these characters. Early on, Cynthia was
wanted to win the writing contest, you should write
appointed the "editor" of their work, meaning that she
stories about that time your parents got their car stuck
collected it all, typed it, and edited it. She loved and
in the snow on the side of a mountain just before dark.
possibly abused her power with the red pen.
Photo and author information
taken from Amazon’s Cynthia
If you like this Author try . . .


Wolves of Mercy Falls trilogy by Maggie Stiefvater
Daughter of smoke and bone trilogy by Laini Taylor
 Vampire kisses series by Ellen Schreiber
 Vampire diaries: Return series by L. J. Smith
 Touch novels by Laurie Faria Stolarz
 Need series by Carrie Jones
 Halo trilogy by Alexandra Adornetto
 Wings series by Aprilynne Pike
 Shadow Falls novels by C. C. Hunter
Hand website.
What’s it all about?
In the beginning, there's a boy standing in the trees . . . .
Clara Gardner has recently learned that she's part angel. Having angel blood
run through her veins not only makes her smarter, stronger, and faster than
humans (a word, she realizes, that no longer applies to her), but it means she
has a purpose, something she was put on this earth to do. Figuring out what
that is, though, isn't easy. Her visions of a raging forest fire and an alluring
stranger lead her to a new school in a new town. When she meets Christian,
who turns out to be the boy of her dreams (literally), everything seems to fall
into place and out of place at the same time. Because there's another guy,
Tucker, who appeals to Clara's less angelic side. As Clara tries to find her
way in a world she no longer understands, she encounters unseen dangers
and choices she never thought she'd have to make between honesty and deceit, love and duty, good and evil. When the fire from her vision finally
ignites, will Clara be ready to face her destiny? Unearthly is a moving tale
of love and fate, and the struggle between following the rules and following
your heart.
Discussion Questions
1)
2)
3)
4)
5)
6)
By the time you meet Clara she and
her brother have already found out
about having angel blood. How do
you think Clara’s brother reacted
when his mom showed him her
wings? How would you react?
Why do you think the author chose
to make the characters glow? Would
you have chosen glowing as well?
When Clara starts attending her new
school she has a purpose. Do you
think having this purpose makes it
harder or easier for Clara to adapt to
the new school?
In the book, Clara’s mother says that
having knowledge that the Black
Wings exist makes them more aware
of you. Does that seem counter
intuitive? Why do you think the
author wrote the book that way?
After Clara saves Tucker she sees
her wings and believes that her
decision to save him has brought her
closer to becoming a Black Wing.
Do you feel that it is a truth of life
that our decisions can change us to
be more or less “good”?
Were you surprised that it was
Christian in Clara’s visions and that
he was an angel?
7) Do you think Clara should have
avoided a relationship with Tucker?
Why or why not?
8) Since the book is from Clara’s
perspective the author creates a lot
of mystery about what is going on in
the lives of other important
characters. What do you think is
going on with Clara’s brother? Who
do you think Angela is seeing?
When Clara meets the Black Wing,
Samjeeza, she realizes that her
mother has a past. How much about
her mother does Clara know? Does
she need to know everything about
her mother?
9) How much of a role do you think
these mysteries will come to play in
the other books?
10) Would you recommend this book to
anyone? Why or why not? How
would you describe the book to
them?
11) Will you read the rest of the series?
Why or why not?
W EBSITES
TO CHECK
OUT
Cynthia Hand’s official website:
www.cynthiahandbooks.com/
HarperTeen’s Cynthia Hand
website:
harperteen.com/authors/37068/
Cynthia_Hand/index.aspx
Excerpt for the second book,
Hallowed:
www.amazon.com/HallowedUnearthly-Novel-Cynthia-Hand/
dp/006199619X/ref=sr_1_1?
ie=UTF8&qid=1373651318&sr=
81&keywords=hollowed+by+cynth
ia+hand
Goodreads’ Cynthia Hand’s
video:
www.goodreads.com/videos/
list_author/3290920.Cynthia_Ha
nd
Goodreads’ trivia and quizzes
for Unearthly:
www.goodreads.com/trivia/
work/9621771-unearthlyunearthly-1
United States of YA Image and
list of books came from Epic
Reads:
www.epicreads.com/blog/theunited-states-of-ya/