Welcome to the first book for our new adult book club, called the Genre Book Club! In this book club, we will be taking a look at stories that are often shunned by the literary world of publishing, but are just as good, if not better, than some of their 'literary' cohorts. We will read books each month for the book club that fall into one of four distinct fictional genres: crime/mystery/thriller, fantasy, sci-fi, and horror
Last month's book, The Name of the Wind by Patrick Rothfuss, was discussed virtually on Thursday, February 25th at 5:30 PM. The questions have now been made available online for you to use at your convenience.
The Name of the Wind
by Patrick Rothfuss
Summary
"My name is Kvothe, pronounced nearly the same as "quothe." Names are important as they tell you a great deal about a person. I've had more names than anyone has a right to. The Adem call me Maedre. Which, depending on how it's spoken, can mean The Flame, The Thunder, or The Broken Tree.
"The Flame" is obvious if you've ever seen me. I have red hair, bright. If I had been born a couple of hundred years ago I would probably have been burned as a demon. I keep it short but it's unruly. When left to its own devices, it sticks up and makes me look as if I have been set afire.
"The Thunder" I attribute to a strong baritone and a great deal of stage training at an early age.
I've never thought of "The Broken Tree" as very significant. Although in retrospect, I suppose it could be considered at least partially prophetic.
My first mentor called me E'lir because I was clever and I knew it. My first real lover called me Dulator because she liked the sound of it. I have been called Shadicar, Lightfinger, and Six-String. I have been called Kvothe the Bloodless, Kvothe the Arcane, and Kvothe Kingkiller. I have earned those names. Bought and paid for them.
But I was brought up as Kvothe. My father once told me it meant "to know."
I have, of course, been called many other things. Most of them uncouth, although very few were unearned.
I have stolen princesses back from sleeping barrow kings. I burned down the town of Trebon. I have spent the night with Felurian and left with both my sanity and my life. I was expelled from the University at a younger age than most people are allowed in. I tread paths by moonlight that others fear to speak of during day. I have talked to Gods, loved women, and written songs that make the minstrels weep.
You may have heard of me.
So begins the tale of Kvothe—from his childhood in a troupe of traveling players, to years spent as a near-feral orphan in a crime-riddled city, to his daringly brazen yet successful bid to enter a difficult and dangerous school of magic. In these pages you will come to know Kvothe as a notorious magician, an accomplished thief, a masterful musician, and an infamous assassin. But The Name of the Wind is so much more—for the story it tells reveals the truth behind Kvothe's legend." (from author's website)
Discussion Questions
1. This genre requires quite a lot of world building before the story can begin, and as the story goes along. Did you think that Rothfuss’s world building was effective?
2. Which of the characters did you like the most? Which did you dislike? Were you able to keep the characters straight? Readers often comment that it is hard in another fantasy series, Game of Thrones, to keep track of all the characters. Did Rothfuss do a better job with his characters here?
3. Many epic fantasies written over the past 25 years deal explicitly with social and economic class differences, and want readers to make a note of the difference between the various classes. Does Rothfuss do that in this book, and what is his purpose of doing or not doing so?
4. Many fantasy writers throughout the 20th century wrote one-dimensional, and often offensive, female characters in their stories. Did Rothfuss do a better job at not only including female characters in this story, but making them three-dimensional and giving them actual characterization?
5. How does Rothfuss use the concept of time to help tell the tale of Kvothe? Is there any significance to the way that the novel is actually written in terms of style and delivery?
6. Who are the Chandrian? Why do you think it is that Kvothe hits roadblocks in trying to find information about them?
7. Can you think of incidents in the book where Rothfuss writes about naming? What is naming? What is the significance?
8. Can you think of incidents in the book where Rothfuss writes about the wind? What is the significance of the wind in these scenes?
9. Kvothe’s mother is a minor character, but central to his view of the world. What do you think of her? What do we know about her? Where does she come from?
10. Did this book make you want to read the next in the series?
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