ALN Monthly Book Club: Dreadful (Old Town)

For our November Monthly Book Club, we will be reading Caitlin Rozakis's "Dreadful!"

We will be hosting this event IN PERSON, outdoors, at Presidio Park in Old Town! We recommend (but do not require) that attendees wear masks and maintain social distance.

We typically meet at the picnic tables in the shade at the end of the loop made by Cosoy Way. Please see the embedded map below for more details.

Content warning: Kidnapping, Body Horror, Death, Violence, Murder. Details not given here to avoid spoilers. Contact an organizer if you have concerns about the book's content.

Imagine you wake with no memory of who or where you are, only to slowly realize you're a dark wizard in your castle. And all your servants, captives, townsfolk, and fellow dark wizards are waiting to see what you do next. Do you work to get your memories back, or is this a chance to turn over a new leaf?

We hope to see you there!

Discussion Questions:

1. Intro: What is your name, and if you suddenly came into possession of a recently-deceased dark wizard’s castle, what would you do with it?
2. Gav struggles with being held accountable for the terrible actions of his past self. If he can't remember the deeds, should he be responsible for the consequences? How does the book navigate the line between forgetting and forgiving?
3. Gav's journey is about becoming a good person, but what does the book suggest that "good" truly means? Is it about grand gestures, or is it about the small, consistent choices he makes (like being polite or cooking)?
4. Gav, Eliasha, and even the goblins all actively perform the roles that society expects of them (the evil villain, the damsel, the dim-witted henchmen). How much of their ultimate identity shifts are about genuine change and how much are about rejecting those imposed expectations?
5. Dreadful is a farce that pokes fun at high fantasy tropes. What were some of your favorite instances of this satire, and what well-worn fantasy clichés do you think the author successfully dismantled?
6. The book touches on themes of "toxic masculinity" through Gavrax's insistence on being "manly" (like eating only meat, or cultivating an image of danger and power). How does Gav's transformation challenge these ideas, and what does the book say about what true strength looks like?
7. How did you feel about Valevna as a female villain? Her “sultry seductive evil sorceress” bit is actually calculated and thoughtful, but ultimately she really does enjoy exercising power over others and being an evil witch. Is she presented in a way that you would want to see more villains like her in the future?
8. Discuss the roles of the minions (both the goblins and the townsfolk). Their fear and attempts to please Gav are a source of dark humor, but they also reveal a lot about the former Dread Lord. How do they evolve as Gav changes, and how does their subplot comment on power dynamics and oppression?
9. The relationship between Gav and Eliasha is unconventional, built on an accidental partnership rather than standard romance. What do you think is the foundation of their genuine connection, and why would Eliasha trust the amnesia-stricken Gav more than the "heroic" figures?
10. This book is often categorized as "cozy fantasy." What elements of the book make it feel "cozy" despite the presence of dark wizards and evil plots?

Upcoming Events:
December: Legends and Lattes, by Travis Baldree
January: Nettle and Bone, by T. Kingfisher
February: You'd Look Better as a Ghost, by Joanna Wallace
March: Blood over Bright Haven, by M. L. Wang
April: The Hexologists, by Josiah Bancroft
May: The Girl Who Fell Beneath the Sea, by Axie Oh
June: The Demon-Haunted World, by Carl Sagan
July: The Chaotic Orbits Trilogy, by Beth Revis
August: The Spear Cuts Through Water, by Simon Jimenez
EPIC: The Priory of the Orange Tree, by Samantha Shannon
September: 2026-2027 ALN Book Selection!