Our book club in Austin almost fell apart over 'The Silent Patient' last month

We had 8 people, and half thought the twist was genius while the other half called it a cheap trick. The debate got so heated, our host had to pause for 10 minutes. I suggested we all write down one thing we liked and one thing we hated before talking again, which actually worked. Anyone have a better way to cool down a fight over an ending?

3 comments

3 Comments

the_ivan1mo ago

Honestly that book club sounds more intense than my last kitchen shift. Next time just bring a bottle of cheap wine and make everyone take a sip every time someone says "foreshadowing." Works better than any talking circle. Your note idea was smart though, forces people to actually think before yelling. Maybe add a rule where if you insult the twist you have to explain the whole plot backwards. That would shut people up fast.

leo_mason1mo ago

Ha, I always thought rules would kill the vibe but @the_ivan's backwards plot idea might actually save our club.

bettyh846d ago

But what if people actually like yelling about books? Sometimes a heated debate is the whole point of a club, right? Forcing everyone to be quiet and write notes might just make it feel like homework. The fun is in the messy back-and-forth, even if someone gets mad about a plot twist.