1. In your blog, list any books you’ve read but haven’t reviewed yet. If you’re all caught up on reviews, maybe you could try this with whatever book(s) you finish this week.
2. Ask your readers to ask you questions about any of the books they want. In your comments, not in their blogs. Most likely, people who will ask you questions will be people who have read one of the books or know something about it because they want to read it.
3. Later, take whichever questions you like from your comments and use them in a post about each book. I’ll probably turn mine into a sort of interview-review. Link to each blogger next to that blogger’s question(s).
4. Visit other Weekly Geeks and ask them some questions!
Note: There will be no Weekly Geeks post on July 26th (next week) because it’s moving day for Dewey.
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I am currently reading The Other Boleyn Girl by Philippa Gregory, and am enjoying this book so far. Please feel free to ask me any questions on this book and I will try to answer them on my review post once I have finished reading it. Also, since I read and did not write any reviews on the following books, you can ask me questions about them too:
- The Summer Jenny Fell In Love by Barbara Conklin (YA)
- Massie by Lissi Harrison (YA)
- The Greek Tycoon's Defiant Bride by Lynne Graham (Harlequin)
Posts
The Other Boleyn Girl was the first book I read by Phillipa Gregory (although I did listen to an audio book of the one about Katherine). Here are my questions:
1 - What did you know about Mary Boleyn prior to reading this book?
2 - How does this compare to other historical fiction you've read?
3 - Would you read more by this author?
4 - Would you read more about his topic/time in history?
Please let me know if/when you post your review - I'd love to read it!
Those are great questions from Heather J. and I'd love to read your answers too, Melody. :D
Did The Other Bolyn Girl make you think of this story any differently? Did you sympathize with any of the characters more than what you expected?
And the big one: Who really IS the other Bolyn girl? Ann or Mary?
I would like to know if you plan to read Phillipa Gregory's next historical novel about Mary Queen Of Scots?
Do you believe the author presented a good factual account of King Henry and the Boleyn family?
Who did you find the most loathesome character in The Other Boleyn Girl?
I have The Other Boleyn Girl on my TBR pile and I'll get to it after the summer. What's your favourite thing about it so far?
I started reading The Queen's Fool by Philippa Gregory, but couldn't really get into it. Is The Other Boleyn Girl better? This will be a new author for me and one that has been recommended by a lot of people, would this be a good novel to introduce someone to Philippa Gregory's style of writing and storytelling or is there another one out there that would work better? How did the movie compare to the novel?
Which characters are portrayed sympathetically? Do you get a point-of-view with just Mary, or with Anne and other characters as well?
I got a little bit of an ick feeling after seeing the movie, because I hated the way the girls were basically whored out to Henry VIII. Natalie Portman was impressive as Anne, though -- just as I always pictured her. Also, I am curious about the book and wonder, like Jackie, how it compares to the movie.
Which was your favourite character in The Other Boleyn Girl?
Hi everyone! Thanks for your comments. :) I'll try to answer your questions on my review post as soon as I have read it.
I'm interested in the technique and art of storytelling itself so anything along that line would interest me. My questions are for any or all of the fiction titles in your list:
How was Point-of-View handled? Was there a single POV character or did it alternate among two or more. Was it always clear whose eyes and mind were filtering?
How was language used to set tone and mood?
Was the prose dense or spare? Were sentences generally simple or complex?
How was metaphor used? Were associations fresh or did they tend toward cliche? Did they add to your understanding of the theme?
What was the central or organizing theme?
How does the title relate to the story? Was it fitting?
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BTW I'm hosting a book giveaway this week. Four copies of Still Summer by Jacquelyn Mitchard. Four chances to enter until Saturday 3PM PST.
Hi Joy! Thanks for your questions! I hope my reply answers your questions:
How was Point-of-View handled? Was there a single POV character or did it alternate among two or more. Was it always clear whose eyes and mind were filtering? So far, the POVs in most of the books I read are handled quite well. They consisted of the first person, third person POVs, as well as alternating POVs in chapters. I enjoy reading them all, because each has its best depending on the story setting. Most of the times, these POVs are stated clearly in books; though I will find it confusing and a little annoying if too many POVs are introduced in a chapter/book but that is rare.
How was language used to set tone and mood? I think language is not much of a problem but it is more of the descriptions of emotions that are important when describing a scene/mood because the readers won’t be able to visualize it without them, unlike in movies.
Was the prose dense or spare? Were sentences generally simple or complex? Depending on which genre I am reading. I would understand if the sentences are simple in a Children/YA novels, after all that is how it is supposed to be; but if it appears in adult fictions, I would consider facts like the story setting, as well as the authors’ aims/intentions of writing it. They must have a good reason of doing so and I would be interested in reading more and finding out why.
How was metaphor used? Were associations fresh or did they tend toward cliche? Did they add to your understanding of the theme? Some are refreshing while some are cliché. I am interested to read more about those leaning towards the cliché because I am hoping to read/find something new in them.
What was the central or organizing theme? I am afraid I do not understand this question.
How does the title relate to the story? Was it fitting? Not all, but they do indirectly relate to the story.
I hope you've a great weekend!