- Does Tom have what it takes to be the Spook? Will he ever be comfortable in this role, or will he always feels conflicted about it?
- How do the illustrations at the beginning of each chapter contribute to the tone of the story?
- If you were the Spook's apprentice, what would you be the most afraid of? What would you have no trouble at all facing?
- Will Alice turn out to be benign, malevolent, or something in-between?
- It is suggested that Tom's mam had six kids just to get to him—to have a seventh son of a seventh son. What is her plan, do you think?
- Why can Tom's mam do things that no one else can, like control the ghasts?
- What do you think will happen in the next book in the series?