Engaging Book Club Questions for Debate: Ignite Discussions and Deepen Literary Conversations
So you have now started a book club and you are meeting up, there are enough refreshments to keep even your hungriest of friends going. But what sparks a good discussion, what elevates your friendly chatter about the book you all agreed to read into an interesting discussion. This can be a challenge but being prepared makes it easier so I have pulled together some questions that you might like to ask.
But besides these questions, to be a participant in the discussion firstly comes by being an active reader. If you are not squeamish about writing in your book, make notes in the margins, highlight quotes, or passages you love, write questions about paragraphs. If you are an e book reader then you can highlight passages, or you can use a notebook.
All it takes are one or two prompts by people to get the discussion going, and there the debate starts. I have discovered so much more about a book by listening and discussing them with others.
So with that in mind I have pulled together some generic questions that can be asked about any book to help you all get started.
· What was your initial impression of the book? Did it meet your expectations?
· What was your favourite part of the book?
· What was your least favourite part of the book?
· Did you race to the end of the book or was it a slow burn?
· Were there any passages or part of the story that stood out for you?
· Was there any part of the story that surprised you?
· Would you read another book by the author?
· Did your opinion of the book change as you read it?
· Did you learn anything new or gain a new perspective from reading this book?
· Were there any particular characters that you found especially intriguing or relatable? Why?
· What themes did you notice in the book? Were they effective in conveying a message or idea?
· Did the setting of the book have any impact on your reading experience? If so, how?
· How did the author use language to create a specific mood or atmosphere?
· Were there any particular memorable passages or quotes?
· Did you learn something you didn’t know before you read the book?
· Did the ending of the book satisfy you? Why or why not?
· What do you think the message the author was trying to say in the book? – if any
· Were there any elements of the book that you found problematic or controversial? Why?
· Do you have any questions for the author?
· If you were the author, what would you have done differently? Why?
· How did the books title work in relation to the story. Would you give it a different
title. What title would that be?
· Did the book remind you of any other book?
· Did the book stand up to the hype it had received?
· What star rating would you give the book?
· Did you guess the ending, if so at what point?
· Did the book leave any unfinished business?
Of course, you will not ask all of these questions in one sitting but they are there for you to pick and choose what is best for your group and the book you have chosen.
Some of the questions get to the heart of a books theme and provide an opportunity to discuss how well the author was able to communicate their ideas through their story.
Everyone has different experiences and perspectives, so it’s interesting to hear which characters resonate with different readers and why.
Sometimes characters can be polarising, and discussing why characters are loved or hated can lead to a deeper exploration of their motivations and actions.
The conclusion of a book can also make or break the reading experience, so it’s worth exploring whether readers felt the ending was effective.
Comparing books can provide a fresh perspective on the story being discussed and can lead to recommendations for future reading.
By using some of these questions to spark debate, your book club can delve deeper into the themes and messages of the book, explore new perspectives and share insights and opinions in a meaningful way.
Happy reading and please let me know how you get as always I love hearing from you all.
Love Alis x
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