Our With a Good Book Club selection for November is Fablehaven by Brandon Mull. This is one of the lighter fantasy novels that we’ve picked for our book club, but we thought it was fun! Hopefully you enjoyed it as well and have some points to discuss with us.
Once again we were lucky to have questions already prepared for us and provided in the book, but we never just go with the flow, so we’ve made a few edits and additions to help keep things chatty! As always, you’re not limited to the questions listed below — please feel free to interject with your own thoughts and questions! Bring up anything you wish to discuss about the novel.
- Kendra was generally a rule keeper, Seth a rule breaker. How did their attitudes evolve over the course of the book? What are advantages to both attitudes? Disadvantages?
- Many of the problems in Fablehaven arose as a result of decisions the characters made, often with good intentions. Sometimes, what we don’t know can hurt us. How was that true for Kendra and Seth? Are there similar examples in the world around you?
- It can be a challenge to find the courage to do what we fear the most. What enabled Kendra to do something that terrified her? What circumstances do you find most intimidating? How do you find the strength to make it through difficult situations?
- Circumstances arose where many of the characters in Fablehaven had to risk their lives. Do you think you would risk your life for anything? If so, what?
- Many of the creatures in Fablehaven have roots in various mythologies, particularly Greek. Can you identify which creatures come from which mythologies?
- Several of the creatures of Fablehaven personified specific attributes. What did the fairies seem to personify? The satyrs? The cliff troll? What are the strengths and weaknesses of those characteristics?
- Lena spent part of her life as a naiad, in an unchanging state. What aspects of mortality did she like? What did she dislike? How do you think she felt about being returned to the water? Was it fair for the fairies to do that?
- Fablehaven existed to help protect and conserve vanishing magical species. Why would that be worthwhile? Why do you suppose Grandpa Sorenson even wanted to protect the dangerous creatures? What non-magical plants or animals in our world are in danger of extinction? What are we doing to protect them?
- There is a promise at the front of the book that none who enter Fablehaven will leave unchanged. How did their experiences at Fablehaven change Seth and Kendra? What do you take from the book?
- Did you enjoy Fablehaven? Will you be reading the next book in the series?
To further immerse yourself in the world of Fablehaven visit Fablehaven.com.
And don’t forget to check our upcoming Book Club Selections for December and January!
ETA: Just wanted to point out that we’ve now added the ability to subscribe to comments in specific posts. We thought it’d be helpful to keep the conversation flowing, especially for our book club discussions, if you knew when others have added their responses. To be notified of new comments, check the “Notify me of followup comments via e-mail” checkbox at the bottom of the comment form when leaving your comments!
I told Jody this in email the other day but I have to admit I found the first half of this book a struggle. I was composing a post about how I didn’t understand why people loved it and almost put it down without finishing. Then it got much better and by the end of the book, I couldn’t wait to go get the next book in the series.
1. As for how the attitudes evolved, they both learn each way has its disadvantages and combining the two actually has the best results. Sometimes you *have* to follow the rules or you put yourself and others in danger. But sometimes circumstances change and you’ll be forced to break the rules to save yourself.
2. Well, the book has a mix of intentions. Sometimes they both did things that were a little selfish but regardless of their intentions they certainly never meant to put anyone else in danger. I do think their grandparents were at fault for some of what happened. They kept withholding information from the kids and I think that made it hard for them to understand the full scope of the consequences to their actions. Of course, they’re also young and often they made decisions without thinking them through. By the end of the story, they have a better understanding of action/consequence.
Ha. See, I got my book from you, so I knew it would end up being OK, but I was concerned at first because it seemed like it was going to be too young for me. I like my YA a little more on the A side of things. But as the story progressed, it got much more involved and for the second half of the novel I was very absorbed in the story. I’ve been forcing myself to wait to read the next books in the series because I didn’t want to be confusing the details when I talked about them here, but I do have #2 and 3 sitting waiting for me! I can’t wait to read them, but I’m going to hold off until the new year so I can count them towards my YA Challenge.
1. I must admit to getting quite frustrated with Seth as he continued to break rules after learning that there were indeed consequences to his actions, and that the rules really were there for everyone’s safety. So, it was nice to see when he finally did do the right thing, and I was actually quite surprised when Kendra decided to break the rules. I was sure she was going to get herself into real trouble, but it turned out to be the right thing to do.
2. I have to agree with you here. I don’t think anyone in the story ever meant to do anything that would harm anyone else, but because information wasn’t given freely, there were times that simply being unaware caused troubles.
I understand your frustration as I had to keep reminding myself of Seth’s age. I think one of the reasons I like the later books more is that the kids are a little older… both as far as their actual age and maturity-wise.
3. Her love and concern for her family and friends. In some cases, something she feared more. Compared to what Kendra and Seth faced, my fears seem silly! I’m not sure if I can find a good comparison. Sometimes it is care for my friends that pushes me to do things that intimidate me but often it’s more reminding myself there are bigger things to fear and that the consequences aren’t all that dire. The opposite of what is faced in the book but still comparable maybe in that it’s important to understand the difference between something that intimidates you because it threatens your safety and something that intimidates you because of a fear that can be conquered because the worst that can happen isn’t really all that dire. (As compared, perhaps, to the dire circumstances that could happen — in the book — if you don’t conquer that fear.
Yeah, I’m totally bs-ing here!
4. Yes, I think I would… though I’d prefer not. But I would, if it meant saving my friends or family. Or if my life was in danger (d’uh). If my liberties were threatened to the point I felt I couldn’t do anything else, yes. Altho that last one comes with the caveat that I wouldn’t stand up for my liberties if it would put my loved ones in danger. We probably could have discussed this question with The Book Thief as well. Since that’s a more realistic example of this question while also being something that happens in extreme circumstances.
3. I think eventually we end up in such a place that we just have no choice but to do what terrifies us. And I think that’s what happened to Kendra – she either went to the island or all could be lost. What choice did she have, but to just do it?
I don’t think I ever really find the strength to face my fears so much as I face them, still terrified, and realize I always had the strength to begin with. Like a job interview for example… taking the leap to switch jobs can be really scary, but I go to the interview filled with panic, and then once I’m there I realize it’s not so bad as I was expecting.
4. I would like to think that I would risk my life to save a loved one. But, I honestly don’t know? I’ve never been in a situation where someone else’s life was in danger, so it’s hard to say how I would react. I know that when I was faced with a life-threatening illness, I simply did not believe that I was going to die. Not sure if that’s what everyone thinks, or if I was just in denial of the situation?
5. The centaurs? Ha. That one was easy.
I can’t think of all the creatures right now as I don’t have the book in front of me. I actually loved how the creatures were pulled from all types of mythologies and I didn’t specifically note the Greek ones.
6. Again, a question that I may need to answer when I have the book in front of me. It’s been too long since I’ve read to answer this one from memory!
7. Hmmm, I think she liked that she felt things as a human. Oh, that’s a bad way to put it as we can tell the naiads do feel things as illustrated by their actions. If they didn’t, they wouldn’t have wanted Lena back. Still, Lena got to experience the full spectrum of feeling and she had memories and her memories built on each other throughout the years and that’s what I think the naiads are missing out on… they don’t really know it which is why they don’t hesitate to pull Lena back to them when they get the chance. I’m not sure if there’s a fair here or not. In a way, the fairies were just doing what they assumed Lena would want or what they felt was the proper order of things. It was more… an inability to open their minds and goes back to our discussion of consequences, etc. The fairies aren’t willing to challenge their assumptions to find out whether it’s what Lena wants even if they think it’s right.
As for what she felt… I don’t think she felt anything once she was in the water, isn’t that the way of the naiad?
Ok, skipping 8 & 9 for now. Will come back to them in a bit.
10 > Already answered this one with my initial comments. I have already read the next book in the series and the next.
Am now eagerly awaiting the NEXT book in the series. I really love the whole thing now, as opposed to how I felt when I was three chapters into this book.
5. Haha. I have NO idea what creatures come from which mythology! I’m ashamed to admit that for someone who is such a huge fan of fantasy, that I have very little knowledge on the origins of all these creatures that I love to read about so much. But if I’m not mistaken fairies are a general folklore type creature? I liked the wide variety of creatures featured in the book as well. It’s always more interesting that way!
I am not reading your post – just wanted to let you know I received the book today! It looks great and I hope to start reading it very soon – thanks again
(Then I will come back and look at this discussion…LOL)
Back for #9 now…
For one, both of them were forced to mature a bit by what happened at Fablehaven. But I think it’s also the knowledge of magic and all these new creatures that changes them in a big way. It’s almost like they didn’t see something before coming to Fablehaven and now their eyes are open. Which is interesting because it’s often kids in stories who accept the idea of magic/the supernatural moreso than the adults. I mean, I guess that’s kind of true here too. I’m not sure how easily their parents would believe their eyes whereas Seth and Kendra don’t have too much trouble accepting the truth.
Either way, Fablehaven changed Seth and Kendra’s world, making it a much larger place. In some ways, I wonder if it’s made it a lot harder for them to go back to being “normal.” We know they will return to their parents but it makes sense the series continues as they can’t just forget all they learned at Fablehaven.
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