Possibilities are limitless between the pages of a good book. From daring chases, to timeless romances, to teeth-chattering mysteries, books offer a portal to a multitude of other worlds.
While simply reading through a story from start to end is a fantastic way to kick back and relax, it can also prove beneficial to take a moment to digest the journey you’ve just gone through. Here are some short prompts that will help you reflect—by yourself or with others—and get more out of your reads!
- Pick a character and discuss how they changed (physically, emotionally, internally) throughout the book. Select one scene that shows the beginning of their arch and one that demonstrates what they’ve learned.
- Discuss how the setting impacted the outcome of events. Did the writer use the setting to propel the prompt forward or did they just select a setting that would add aesthetics to the book.
- Discuss recurring themes throughout the book. Select one or two that were extremely prominent and find specific moments in the book that support or counter this theme.
- Think about what state you were in when you began reading this book. How is it different from how you feel now?
- Discuss what choices the protagonist made that you disagreed with. What would you have done differently?
- Select one secondary character. What characteristics about the protagonists did this character help reveal?
- Consider when this book was written. What important cultural movements, popular themes, or trends could have influenced this book? Does the subject matter of this book only apply to the time it was written or is it timeless? What did you learn about this time period from reading this book?
- What was the mirror moment (the moment at which the protagonist has to look inward and decide to change) in this book?
- What specific traits made you sympathize with the protagonist?
- How does this book connect to other books you’ve read? What themes and patterns are similar?
