For your next book club meeting, liven up the conversation with these fun and thought-provoking book club questions
85 Best Book Club Questions to Get the Conversation Flowing
Updated on Sep. 01, 2024
For book lovers, there’s nothing more exciting than learning someone has read the same book as you—and genuinely wants to hear your thoughts on it. Book clubs are the perfect space for this: You can process and share ideas, get into healthy debates and learn from other insightful perspectives. And while you can certainly wing it, anyone who has attended a book club meeting can testify to how quickly discussions can get derailed. To keep the meetings on track, it’s important to come prepared with book club questions that not only provide structure but also spark the meaningful conversation you came for.
That’s why we’ve brainstormed and handpicked the best questions to discuss with your fellow bookworms: reflective questions about characters and plot, analytical thought-provokers about writing style and technique, and lighthearted prompts to ensure everyone has fun. No matter the book genre, these questions are tailored to keep the conversation lively and rolling, ultimately leaving everyone inspired and with a deeper understanding of the material. So whether your book club is reading the best books of all time or the newest bestsellers, make sure to bring these questions to your next meeting.
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Book club questions for any genre
These book club questions are perfect for discussing any and all book genres, so you can apply them to fiction, nonfiction and everything in between.
- When you saw the cover of this book, what was your first impression—before even opening it?
- Now that you’ve read the book, how does the cover capture the essence of the book?
- If you could pick a different book cover design, what would it be?
- On a scale of 1 to 10, with 10 being the highest, how would you rate this book?
- Did this book remind you of any similar books you’ve read previously?
- Did you think the first sentence of the book was effective? Why do you think the author started with that sentence?
- What was your favorite quote from this book and why?
- Which part of the book resonated emotionally with you?
- How do you feel about the book’s pacing? Were there parts you wished the author slowed down and explored more? Were there parts that lagged?
- What are two or three words to describe the author’s writing style?
- Did the author’s writing style make the book easy or difficult for you to read? How did the writing style contribute to the book’s mood or message?
- What were some recurring themes or motifs throughout the book?
- Why do you think the author chose this particular book title?
- If you could pick a different title for the book, what would it be and why?
- Did you find the ending of the book satisfying?
- Why do you think the author ended the book with the last sentence? Do you think it was effective?
- If you could ask the author one question about the book, what would it be?
- What’s a song or album that captures the essence of this book?
- What other books or movies do you think may have inspired the author when writing this book?
- Would you read another book by this author? Why or why not?
General fiction book club questions
If you’re reading a fiction book, whether it’s a literary classic or young adult novel, you may want to add these questions to your list.
- Did you feel the narrator of this book was reliable?
- Was there a moment when you disagreed with the protagonist’s decisions? What would you have done differently?
- Which character did you feel the most sympathy for?
- If this were to happen in real life, would these characters and plot points be realistic?
- If you had been a character in the book, what would you have done to influence the outcome?
- How does the setting contribute to the story?
- Did you guess the ending of the book, and if so, how?
- Would you say it was very clear who the “good guy” and “bad guy” were in the story?
- Do you feel like the antagonist(s) in the book had any valid motivations or redeeming qualities?
- Which character exhibited the most growth in the story?
- What do you think happens to the protagonists after the book ends?
- Who would you cast in a film adaptation or TV adaptation of this book?
- If you could guess each character’s zodiac sign, what would they be, and why?
- If the author wrote a spinoff novel, which secondary or side character would you want to read about as the new protagonist?
Science fiction book club questions
Intergalactic space wars, near-future dystopian civilizations and brave, new technology: Science fiction books have it all. These questions are perfect for your book club’s sci-fi read.
- What science fiction elements in the book are informed by current scientific or technological advancements?
- What is the relationship between the characters and the science fiction elements around them?
- How does the author explore social issues in this science fiction world?
- Do you think it’s possible for our world to end up like the one in the book?
- Do you agree that this is a cautionary tale? If so, how might we prevent similar changes from happening in our world?
Fantasy book club questions
Keep the conversation magical but still grounded with these book club discussion questions for fantasy books.
- How did the author immerse you in this fantasy world? Was the world-building effective or skillfully done?
- Would you want to live in this fantasy world?
- How did you feel about the magic systems explained in the book? Did the limitations make sense to you and work within the story?
- What’s a modern-day invention that would have affected the plot of the story?
- Of the different magical powers and/or creatures represented in the book, which power would you want to have, or which creature would you want to be?
Romance book club questions
Swoon with your book club with these questions tailored to romance books.
- How did you feel about the meet-cute between the love interests?
- How did the author play into or subvert romance tropes?
- How did you feel about the chemistry between the love interests?
- Do you feel like the relationship between the love interests is a healthy one? Why or why not?
- Which part of the book gave you butterflies or made your heart skip?
- How did you feel about the main obstacle keeping the love interests apart? If it were you and your real or hypothetical partner, how would you have navigated the obstacle differently?
- Were you rooting for any secondary or side characters to end up with the protagonist instead?
- If the love interests chose to start a family, how do you think they would be as parents?
Mystery book club questions
Your book club members can become amateur detectives with these book group questions for mystery novels.
- When you were reading the beginning of the book, how did you think the mystery would be solved?
- At what point in the book did your suspicions or predictions change?
- Were there any red herrings in the book that threw you off?
- How did the author build and maintain the suspense to keep your interest? Was it effective?
- Were there any moments of comic relief (whether intentional or unintentional) in the book?
- Which plot twists in the book were the most surprising to you?
- Do you feel like there was adequate justice at the end of the book?
- Were there any plot holes or questions that remained unanswered for you?
Historical fiction book club questions
Travel back in time with these questions for your book club’s historical fiction novel.
- What did you know about the book’s time period or historical event prior to reading this book?
- Now that you’ve read the book, how did the story change your perspective on this time period?
- Does the book address the social and/or political issues of that era, and if so, how?
- Do you see a parallel with today’s social or political climate?
- Why do you think the author set this story during this time period?
- Do you feel like this book was well-researched in terms of historical accuracy? Why or why not?
- After reading this book, would you ever want to time travel to this era?
Memoir book club questions
Consider these questions when your book club is reading a powerful memoir.
- What do you think inspired the author to tell their story?
- What are the benefits of this particular author’s story being told as a memoir instead of a different form of narrative, such as a novel?
- In your opinion, which part of the memoir was the most pivotal moment in the author’s life?
- How did the author’s race, ethnicity and/or gender impact the events in the memoir? How might things have been different if their identity was different?
- How did the memoir make you reflect on your past or future?
- Were there any parts of the memoir in which you would have done things differently than the author?
- Were there parts that you felt the author could have expanded?
- Did you feel the author was honest or that the scenes were true to memory?
- If you were one of the other real-life people depicted in this memoir, how would you feel to have been written about like this?
- Pick one person depicted in the memoir to tell their side of the story: Who would it be and why?
Self-help book club questions
Yes, book clubs can read self-help books! And these questions will help members discuss the key messages.
- What was your main takeaway from this book?
- What kind of person would be the best target audience for this book?
- Did this book challenge any of your previous or currently existing beliefs on this topic?
- How does the author’s unique experience and/or expertise inform the message in this book?
- Did the author display any limitations or bias in their perspective?
- Which anecdote or statistic in the book was most effective and persuasive?
- Which part of the book was the least effective or persuasive to you?
- Overall, how can you apply this book’s message and teachings to your life?
FAQs
How can you prepare for a book club discussion?
The best book club discussions happen when everyone has read the book—easier said than done when our schedules are jam-packed. If you find yourself short on reading time, consider downloading audiobooks so you can listen on your commute, while doing chores or at the gym.
Of course, reading the book is only part of the work. The other part: remembering enough of what you read to participate in the conversation.
Each book is a journey with twists and turns, and it can be easy to forget some of your more specific thoughts by the time you dig into the book club discussion questions. As a former English major, I’m a huge fan of writing in the margins and highlighting or dog-earring any passages or pages that move me.
If marking books feels sacrilegious to you, consider an e-book or use sticky notes that you can write thoughts on. (Bonus: They double as bookmarks.) If you’re feeling especially organized, use different-colored sticky notes for different topics so you can flip to specific pages even more quickly and keep the conversation moving.
“I’m constantly making notes while reading,” says Reader’s Digest Books Editor Tracey Neithercott, who runs the (ahem, free) Reader’s Digest Book Club. “Since I always have my phone nearby, I’ll jot quick comments, including the page number for easy reference, in my iPhone’s Notes app. If I’m reading on my Kindle, I’ll add notes there—the e-reader makes it easy to flag sections and revisit notes. When it’s time to craft questions for our book club members, I have plenty of ideas.”
How can you ensure the book club discussions stay respectful?
Whether you’re attending an in-person book club with friends or an online book club with complete strangers, it’s important to remember that these discussions can get heated.
“Different views on books are inevitable, as is the fact that not everyone will like the book. That’s perfectly OK,” says Denise Borshuk, who’s hosted her own book club for over five years. “People have different tastes and lived experiences, and that’s part of what everyone brings to the table.”
Make sure to lay down the rule that all book club members are entitled to their opinions, as long as they are not harmful to others, and consider assigning books from different perspectives. You can diversify the reading list with books by Black authors, Latinx authors, Asian and Pacific Islander authors and Native American authors.
If a particular discussion starts moving in a direction that is anything less than respectful and compassionate, move on to one of the next book club questions on this list. That way, your book club remains, as Borshuk puts it, “an enjoyable place to get together with others and expand your literary comfort zone.”
Once you’ve narrowed down the best book club questions for this month’s read, you’re ready for a spirited discussion with like-minded bookworms. After that? Well, it’s time to pick your story. Your options are endless—from tearjerkers to feel-good books, breezy summer reads to banned books and beyond.
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Source:
- Denise Borshuk, book club host
