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?
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.
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.