If you are choosing either Deadly Relations or No Way to Die for your book club, here are some questions you might like to consider. Have fun with them!
- What was your initial reaction to the story?
- What three words would you use to best describe this book?
- What was your favorite moment in the book? Your least favorite?
- Consider the historical setting, late 14th century China, in which the story is set.
- How important was it to the plot of the book?
- To the characters?
- Did you know about the time period or Chinese culture and society before you read this book?
- If so, did you learn anything new?
- If not, did you feel you came away with a greater understanding of this particular time and place in history?
- Could the story have taken place in any other time or country?
- What was your favorite scene in the book?
- What surprised you the most when you were reading this book?
- What themes interested you in the story?
- Are any of these themes still current today?
- If there had not been a crime in Hong Shu-chang’s village and his father and uncle had not died, how do you think the story would be different?
- The novel was told from the point of view of two protagonists, Hong Shu-chang (an itinerant scholar and the Xin clan teacher) and Xin Xiang-hua (the young women’s doctor).
- How did that affect the story and your appreciation of the book?
- Could the story have been told from one protagonist’s perception only? How would that change affect the story?
- What about the characters?
- Did they remind you of anyone?
- Which character in the story did you relate to most and what was it about him or her that you connected with?
- How about the ending?
- How did you feel about it?
- That is, what did you like or not like?
- Did the book change your opinion or perspective about anything?
- Do you feel different now than you did before you read it?
- What do you think your lasting impression of the book will be?