51 Really Good Book Club Questions for Any Book

Looking for good book club questions for book discussion? Here are some engaging questions that will work for any book.

Book club meetings are a great place for thoughtful discussions about books. Members can share their thoughts and opinions about their book club picks. But sometimes, it can be hard to come up with engaging questions, especially if you’re reading many books in different genres each month.

That’s why I put together these open-ended questions for books that work for any book club choice. Whether you’re wondering, what are good questions for a thriller book club or what questions should you ask in a romance book club? this guide will help you have the best discussions.

You’re going to love these fun discussion questions that encourage open conversation, personal opinions, and even a little debate!

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Good Book Discussion Questions For Any Selections

Questions About First Reactions

Let’s start with the first impressions. Talk a bit about members’ initial thoughts on the book. This can be a fun discussion. I remember reading Lessons in Chemistry and wondering how to react to the story and characters.. These questions help break the ice and get everyone talking about their initial reactions. This can be a simple way to start before going deeper into the story.

If you could change one thing about the book, what would it be?

Talk about the first impression of the book? Did it change as you kept reading?

How would you describe this book in one sentence to someone who hasn’t read it?

What was the most memorable part of the book for you?

Did the book remind you of any other stories, movies, or real-life experiences?

If you could ask the author one question, what would it be?

Was there a moment where you felt strong feeling about the book?

Would you recommend this book to others? Why or why not?

What did you think about the book’s title?

Were there any quotes that you can recall?

Discussion About Characters & Relationships

This is one of my favorite parts of the discussion. Talk about the characters in the book. Discuss members’ favorite characters, their traits, things you didn’t like, and whether they reacted to situations as expected. There are so many open-ended questions about character relationships you can explore here.

Discuss favorite characters of your members.

Talk about least favorite characters and their role in the story?

Which characters felt the most relatable or familiar to you, and why?

Which character do you think changed the most? How did they grow?

How did you feel about the choices the characters made? Would you have handled anything differently, and why?

If you could grab coffee with any character, who would it be and what would you ask them?

Which character did you find most intriguing, and what more would you have liked to learn about them?

If this book had a sequel, whose story would you want to keep following?

Discuss the relationships in the book. How did you feel about them?

Can you think of a moment when a character’s actions surprised you? What made it unexpected?

Did you realize any character had a hidden agenda later in the story? How did that change your opinion of them?

Good Book Club Questions About Plot & Storyline

This might be the most exciting part of any book club discussion. As we all know, the plot is a very important part of the book, and we all love a good story. Book club members also love to talk about whether the plot was exciting, engaging, kept them hooked, or felt slow-paced. I would love to be part of a book club discussion about books like The Boyfriend by Freida McFadden or Lessons in Chemistry by Bonnie Garmus.

Let’s talk about the pace of the story. Was it slow, fast, or just right?

What did you think about the twists in the book?

What did you think that kept you turning the pages?

Did the story have a moment that completely changed how you felt about it?

Was there a part of the book that really stuck with you?

Did you find any questions left unanswered or parts of the story you wanted more details on?

If you could add another chapter, what would it be about?

How did you feel about the ending? Did it wrap things up well?

If another character had told the story, how do you think it would have changed?

Were there any parts of the book that felt slow?

Engaging Questions About Themes & Symbolism

I’m sure this part of the book club discussion will bring up many great points. I’m not a huge fan of books with a lot of symbolism, but I know many of you might be. Many historical fiction books, like The Women or The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo, include so many engaging themes that can lead to hours of discussion. I also think a good book makes you think, so this is a great topic to explore.

What were some of the big ideas or themes in the book? Did it focus more on love, loss, family, or something else?

Were there any symbols or hidden messages in the book that stood out to you? What do you think they meant?

Did the book make you think differently about a certain topic or issue?

How did you think the characters’ problems relate to the main ideas in the book?

How did the setting impact the story? Did the time period, location, or atmosphere make the book feel more real?

Were there any moments in the book that made you feel strong emotions, whether happy, sad, or frustrated?

How would you explain the book’s message in one sentence?

Were there any moments where a small detail ended up having a bigger meaning later in the book?

Did the book use nature, colors, or objects as symbols?

If you had to sum up this book’s main message what would it be?

Fun & Creative Book Club Questions

Everybody loves fun questions, especially if the book has a feel-good theme. Often, these questions involve describing the book in one word, using hand gestures, or even emojis. The goal is to end the discussion on a good note. I think book club discussions for Remarkably Bright Creatures or The Wedding People can include these, but really, any book can.

If this book were made into a movie or TV show, who would you cast?

What do you think the book’s soundtrack sounds like?

If you could step into the book’s world, what’s the first thing you’d do?

Did any part of the book make you laugh out loud?

How do you think the story change if it were set in a different time period or location?

If you could rewrite the ending, how would you do it?

Do you think you would you want to be friends with any of the characters in real life?

What’s a good book club drink or snack to pair with this book?

If the book had an epilogue set 10 years later, what do you think would happen?

Describe this book using only emojis?

If you had to rename the book, what title would you give it?

Final Thoughts

I really hope these general book club questions help you have great conversations about any book in your reading group. Let me know if you’ve come up with any other questions.