Can we talk about how forced themes ruin book club chats?

I recently was in a book club where we had to stick to these pre-made questions. It felt so fake, like we were in school again. For example, when we read The Great Gatsby, everyone just said the same things about the American Dream. But when we started talking about the party scenes and what the characters really wanted, that's when it got good. I think clubs should just let people say what they liked or hated, no rules. It makes the talk more real and fun. What do you guys think?

2 comments

2 Comments

julia_hayes7d ago

Last month, my club read '1984' and the guide only asked about government control... it felt like a lecture. We all just nodded along until someone mentioned the weird relationship between Winston and Julia. Suddenly, we were talking about loneliness and why people connect in bad times... way more interesting. Those pre-set questions kill the real talk before it starts. I wish more clubs would just let the chat go where it wants.

janah386d ago

See @julia_hayes, I like some structure. For '1984', those government questions make sure we all get the base story. Then we can jump to Winston and Julia. But if we start with their relationship, new readers might not see the bigger picture. A mix works best. Guided talk then free chat.