This is an Online Internet Book Club on The Queen's Fool: A Novel (Boleyn) by Philippa Gregory. Discuss this book, share your thoughts, make comments, ask questions, offer responses...
Description
A young woman caught in the rivalry between Queen Mary and her half sister, Elizabeth, must find her true destiny amid treason, poisonous rivalries, loss of faith, and unrequited love.
It is winter, 1553. Pursued by the Inquisition, Hannah Green, a fourteen-year-old Jewish girl, is forced to flee Spain with her father. But Hannah is no ordinary refugee. Her gift of "Sight," the ability to foresee the future, is priceless in the troubled times of the Tudor court. Hannah is adopted by the glamorous Robert Dudley, the charismatic son of King Edward's protector, who brings her to court as a "holy fool" for Queen Mary and, ultimately, Queen Elizabeth. Hired as a fool but working as a spy; promised in wedlock but in love with her master; endangered by the laws against heresy, treason, and witchcraft, Hannah must choose between the safe life of a commoner and the dangerous intrigues of the royal family that are inextricably bound up in her own yearnings and desires.
Teeming with vibrant period detail and peopled by characters seamlessly woven into the sweeping tapestry of history, The Queen's Fool is another rich and emotionally resonant gem from this wonderful storyteller.
Book Club Questions for The Queen's Fool (Fiction)
Suggested Book Club Questions for The Queen's Fool: A Novel (Boleyn) (Fiction)
The following book club questions provide a starting point for creating a reading group discussion on The Queen's Fool:
- Did Philippa Gregory emphasize any specific themes throughout The Queen's Fool? What do you think Philippa Gregory is trying to explain with this theme?
- What was unique about the setting of The Queen's Fool and how did it affect the storyline?
- Could you relate to any of the characters? If so, which ones and why?
- How do characters change or learn throughout The Queen's Fool? What events caused these changes? Have you or someone you know experienced the same thing?
- How does The Queen's Fool reveal Philippa Gregory's own perspectives about people and the world? For a lively discussion, describe why you think Philippa Gregory is liberal or conservative.
- Did certain parts of The Queen's Fool affect you emotionally? Why did it evoke those emotions?
- Did Philippa Gregory's point of view on things lend new perspective to your own view of the world?
Book Club Questions for The Queen's Fool (for Non-Fiction)
Suggested Book Club Questions for The Queen's Fool: A Novel (Boleyn) (Non-fiction)
The following book club questions provide a starting point for creating a reading group discussion on The Queen's Fool:
- Did Philippa Gregory make persuasive arguments in The Queen's Fool? Did The Queen's Fool change or reinforce your opinion on the subject?
- What did you learn from The Queen's Fool?
- How does Philippa Gregory present the information and did you enjoy it?
- How is Philippa Gregory biased within The Queen's Fool? Is there a political slant to what is being discussed and how does it impact the book?
- What, if anything, does The Queen's Fool make you want to read next? Why?
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