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  Blue Bells of Scotland Discussion

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  Hello-- I'll throw out the first few questions for the group discussion.
  
  What do the opening scenes tell us about Shawn and Niall?
  What are some characteristics of each?
  How are Shawn alike and how are they different?
  Why do you think Amy is still with Shawn? What does she see in him?
  How do you think the worlds in which they live have influenced each of their characters?
  Do you identify with any of the characters? Are you able to look at the story through their eyes?
  What does the story’s central conflict appear to be at this point? Is it between characters, a character and society, a character and nature? Is it internal—an emotional struggle within the character?
  Do you have access to the characters' inner thoughts and motivations? Or do you know them mostly through dialogue and action?

  Laura V started this discussion 9 months ago. ( reply | permalink )

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  Ben A 

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  What do the opening scenes tell us about Shawn and Niall? They're similar in a lot of ways

  What are some characteristics of each? Confidence/ arrogance. Both are good at what they do.

  How are Shawn alike and how are they different? They're both confident, both good at what they do. Shawn appears to have a different set of values.

  Why do you think Amy is still with Shawn? What does she see in him? He's very sure of himself. He's got everything. I kind of doubt it's going to last, though. I don't think she really sees that much in him at this point.

  How do you think the worlds in which they live have influenced each of their characters? Shawn couldn't afford to lvie the way he does in Niall's world. There's too much going on to play games.

  Do you identify with any of the characters? Are you able to look at the story through their eyes?

  What does the story’s central conflict appear to be at this point? Is it between characters, a character and society, a character and nature? Is it internal—an emotional struggle within the character? The conflicts are different for different characters. Amy's is internal. Niall's is with 'society' ie the fight against England. Shawn is clueless that he has or is going to have a struggle at all.

  Do you have access to the characters' inner thoughts and motivations? Or do you know them mostly through dialogue and action? Mostly through dialogue and action. Detail of movement often clues us in.

  posted 9 months ago. ( permalink )

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  Kim J 

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  What do the opening scenes tell us about Shawn and Niall? They're very much alike

  What are some characteristics of each? Both are go-getters.

  How are Shawn alike and how are they different? Niall knows and respects his place in society. Shawn just goes after anything he wants, whether it should be his or not.

  Why do you think Amy is still with Shawn? What does she see in him? Perhaps she is a gold digger. Maybe she thinks she can change his bad behaviors.

  How do you think the worlds in which they live have influenced each of their characters? Niall has a very difficult life and his behavior can have serious consequences. Shawn can do whatever he wants and get away with it.

  Do you identify with any of the characters? Are you able to look at the story through their eyes? I think a lot of girls, including me, have been a little like Amy in a relationship at one time or another.

  What does the story’s central conflict appear to be at this point? Is it between characters, a character and society, a character and nature? Is it internal—an emotional struggle within the character? The conflicts are different for different characters. I agree with everything Ben A put on this one...

  Do you have access to the characters' inner thoughts and motivations? Or do you know them mostly through dialogue and action? Dialogue and action.

  posted 9 months ago. ( permalink )

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  Steph A 

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  Not sure how far into the book the questions go, but I'm about where he gets left in the tower, and so far it seems like they're very much opposite sides of the same coin. yeah, they're opposite... but they're not. And I think it has a lot to do with the worlds they were lived in. It's something to think about. I think the conflict is going to revolve around Shawn's character-- his struggle against himself.

  posted 9 months ago. ( permalink )

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  Steph A 

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  Just adding, I'm really enjoying it.

  posted 9 months ago. ( permalink )

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  Laura V (edited)

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  Thanks, Steph, and it's nice to hear from everyone.

  Going up to the part where Shawn is left in the tower:

  How does setting affect the mood in the scenes?

  Is the plot simple or complex? Are there subplots related to the main plot?

  Does the plot hold your interest? Does it keep you turning pages? Does it move briskly or unfold slowly?

  How will Amy walking out on Shawn affect him and their relationship?

  Knowing from the dust jacket what Shawn will wake up to, any guesses how he will react when he wakes up?

  What clues or foreshadows hint at what is to come?

  Who in this book would you most like to meet? What would you ask—or say?

  At this point, what would you say motivates each of the three main characters, Amy, Shawn, and Niall? Do you have expectations that those motivations will change?

  posted 9 months ago. ( permalink )

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  Steph A 

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  Mood and scenes-- castle ruins are always mysterious places, so we half expect something mysterious to happen here.

  The plot is simple in being a story of two men switching places, but I think it's going to get more complex with subplots as characters work through their own issues.

  Yes, it holds my interest. I finished the book because I couldn't put it down!

  Shawn has to make some big changes, and take a real look at himself now that she's walked out on him.

  I'd most like to meet Shawn and ask what makes him tick.

  posted 9 months ago. ( permalink )

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