Discussing Books in English: Useful Words and Phrases
If you want to talk about a book in English, the words good \ bad alone are not enough. You can't do without a minimum of terms, such as "main character", "plot". In this article, you'll learn the basic words on the topic of literature, the names of genres, and phrases that will come in handy for discussing a book or review.
Literary terms in English
If you are just retelling a book, general vocabulary is enough – so-and-so did this and this happened. But sometimes you need to say or write about the author, the structure of the plot, the main characters (for example, if you write an essay in English). In this case, these terms will come in handy.
Other articles on similar topics:
- Where can I find simple texts in English to read?
- How to read in English, enriching your vocabulary?
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| Book | Book |
| Page | Page |
| Book cover | Book Cover |
| Hardcover book | Hardcover book |
| Paperback book | Paperback |
| Book title | Book Title |
| Chapter \ Volume | Chapter |
| Author | Author |
| Writer | Writer |
| Reader | Reader |
| Table of contents \ Contents | Table of Contents (List of Chapters) |
| Story | History (told in the book) |
| Plot | Plot |
| Setting | Setting (place and time of action) |
| Idea | Idea |
| Episode \ passage | Episode, excerpt |
| Preface | Foreword |
| Epigraph | Epigraph |
| Prologue | Prologue |
| Exposition | Exposition |
| Conflict | Conflict |
| Rising action | Development of the action |
| Climax | Culmination |
| Falling action | Drop in action (development after climax) |
| Resolution | Denouement |
| Epilogue | Epilogue |
| Plot device | Plot move, technique |
| Plot twist | Plot twist (usual unexpected) |
| Romance | Love Line |
| Summary | Synopsis, summary |
| Point of view (POV) | Point of view |
| Narrator | Narrator |
| Non-linear narrative | Non-linear storytelling |
| Character | Character |
| Main character | The main character |
| Protagonist | Protagonist, protagonist |
| Antagonist | Antagonist |
| Surprise ending | Unexpected ending |
| Suspense | Anxious anticipation, tension, suspense |
| (Un) predictable plot | (Not) predictable plot |
| Plot-driven story | A story driven by plot |
| Character-driven story | A story driven by heroes |
| Page-turner | Fascinating book |
| Book series | Book series |
| Sequel | Sequel (continued) |
| Prequel | Prequel (Background) |
| Spin-off | Spin-off (offshoot from the series) |
Notes:
What is point of view (POV)? There is a concept of narrative point of view — the position of the narrator, that is, from what person the narration is conducted, for example, from the first person (first-person) or from the third person (third-person). But POV is often also understood as the character from whose point of view the story is told, such as Dr. Watson in the Sherlock Holmes stories or the alternating characters in George R.R. Martin's A Song of Ice and Fire.
Suspense is the effect of anxious anticipation produced by a book (movie, video game). The reader is tense to the limit in anticipation of something unknown, perhaps terrible. The effect is typical for horror and thrillers.
Genres of fiction in English
In English-language literature, genres are divided into two large categories:
Fiction is what we call fiction. Works containing fiction (fiction = fiction). Detective stories, historical novels, science fiction - all this is "fiction".
Non-fiction is non-fiction. The facts presented in it are perceived not as fiction, but as reality. Non-fiction includes: biographies, memoirs, reference books, textbooks, manuals, cookbooks, etc.
In addition, along with the division into genres, such as detective, fantasy and others, there is a division into forms: novel, novel, story. The latter are sometimes called forms (forms, narrative forms), and sometimes also genres (genres). These include:
- Short story — a story,
- Novel — a novel.
The main genres of fiction are listed in this table:
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| Crime | Criminal prose |
| Detective fiction | Detective |
| Science fiction | Science fiction |
| Post-apocalyptic | Post-apocalypse |
| Distopia | Dystopia |
| Cyberpunk | Cyberpunk |
| Fantasy | Fantasy |
| Romance novel (romantic novel) | Love Novel |
| Western | Western |
| Horror | Horror |
| Classic | Classical literature |
| Fairy tale | Fairy tale |
| Fan fiction | Fan fiction |
| Folklore | Folklore |
| Historical fiction | Historical prose |
| Humor | Humorous prose |
| Mystery | Detective |
| Picture book | Picture book (children's books) |
| Thriller | Thriller |
| Erotic fiction | Erotica |
Notes:
This is not an exhaustive list, as I did not include numerous subgenres. For example, in fantasy alone, there are more than a dozen of them: epic fantasy, heroic fantasy, dark fantasy, etc.
Mystery is not mysticism or mystery. Under mystery (lit. "mystery") understand a detective story where a detective unravels a mysterious crime, usually a murder, for example, "Murder on the Orient Express" by A. Christie.
Genres of Non-Fiction in English
| Biograpy | Biography |
| Autobiography | Autobiography |
| Essay | Essay |
| Owner’s manual (Instruction manual, User’s guide) | Instructions |
| Journalism | Journalism |
| Memoir | Memoirs |
| Reference book | Handbook |
| Self-help book \ How-to book | Manuals, Self-Development |
| Textbook | Textbook |
| Academic paper | Scientific research |
| Encyclopedia | Encyclopedia |
| Dictionary | Dictionary |
| Popular science | Popular Science |
| Photograph | Photobook |
| Technical writing | Technical literature |
| Cookbook | Cookbook |
Poetic genres, forms, terms in English
Let's also consider the main terms related to poetry.
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| Poetry | Poetry |
| Poem | Poem |
| Line | Verse |
| Stanza | Stanza |
| Rhythm | Rhythm |
| Meter | Meter |
| Metrical pattern | Poetic meter |
| Rhyme | Rhyme |
| Alliteration | Alliteration |
| Metrical foot | Foot (metric) |
| Iamb | Iambic |
| Trochee, choree | Choraeus |
| Dactyl | Dactyl |
| Anapest | Anapest |
| Amphibrach | Amphibrachius |
| Couplet | Couplet |
| Triplet | Three-line |
| Quatrain | Quatrain |
| Narrative poetry | Poetic. Works with a plot |
| Epic poetry | Epic poetry |
| Dramatic poetry | Dramatic poetry |
| Satirical poetry | Satirical poetry |
| Lyric poetry | Lyric poetry |
| Verse fable | Fable (in verse) |
Review: How to talk about a book in English?
You can tell about the book in different ways. It can be a retelling of the plot to a friend or a real review. In any case, these phrases will help you.
Book title and author's name
The book title is ‘Gone with the Wind’ by Margaret Mitchell — The book is called "Gone with the Wind" by Margaret Mitchell
The title of the book is ‘The Novice’ by Michael Lermontov. — The book is called "Mtsyri" by Mikhail Lermontov
The title of the book series is ‘The Saxon Tales’ by Bernard Cornwell. — The series of books is called The Saxon Chronicles, by Bernard Cornwell
I have read ‘The Minds of Billy Milligan’ by Daniel Keyes. — I read "The Multiple Minds of Billy Milligan" by Daniel Keyes
Genre of the book
It’s a detective story. — This is a detective story.
The genre of the book is detective. — The genre of the book is a detective story.
Why you decided to read the book
My friend recommended it. — A friend of mine recommended reading it.
I read a book review. — I have read the review (review).
I liked another book by that author. — I liked another book by this author.
I like books in this genre — I like books of this genre.
What the book is about in a nutshell
The book is about pirates. — This book is about pirates.
This is a typical love story. — This is a typical love story.
This is a story of revenge — This is a story of revenge.
Time & Dare
The story is set in England in 1194. — The story takes place in England in 1194.
The book is set in 1194 England. — The book is set in England in 1194.
The book is set in the present time. — The action of the book takes place in our time.
On whose behalf is the narration conducted?
The story is told from the first-person view. — The story is told in the first person.
The story is told by an identified narrator. — The narration is conducted on behalf of an uncertain narrator.
The story is told by the author. — The narration is conducted on behalf of an uncertain narrator.
There are many shifting narrators in the story. — There are many alternating narrators in the book.
The novel is told via multiple perspectives. — The narrative in the novel is conducted from different points of view.
A few words about the main character
The protagonist (main character) of the book is a pirate. He seeks for treasure. — The main character of this book is a pirate. He is looking for a treasure.
The story is about the wizard who fights against the Dark Lord. — This is a story about a wizard who fights the Dark Lord.
The main character is a group of teenagers abducted by aliens. — This is a story about a group of teenagers abducted by aliens.
General opinion about the characters
The characters are deep and convincing. — The characters are deep and convincing.
The character reminded me of [who?]
The characters changed by the end of the story.
The characters are flat and boring.
Harry Potter is ten years old. He lives with his uncle and aunt. They don’t like him. He doesn’t know that his real parents were wizards. One day he is invited to magic school Hogwards.
Harry Potter is ten years old. He lives with his uncle and aunt. They don't like him. Harry doesn't know that his real parents were wizards. One day, he is invited to Hogwarts School of Magic.
This is a good/so-so\bad book
This is a good book \ read. — Good book.
This book is a real page turner. — You can't tear yourself away from the book.
I couldn’t put it down. — I could not put down the book.
A true masterpiece. — A true masterpiece.
I stayed up all night reading it. — I read the book all night.
I’ve read it twice. — I read the book twice.
I want to reread it. — I want to read it again.
This book is a must read. — This book is a must-read.
This book is and enjoyable read. — This book is a pleasure to read.
It was okay. — Not bad.
I struggled to finish it. — I barely finished reading the book.
It’s the worst book I’ve ever read. — The worst book I've ever read.
It was educational. — It was educational.
It was difficult to read. — It was difficult to read.
Example of a review of a book in English
Here are some examples of book reviews. I chose three books and series of different genres: detective, fantasy and historical novel. If you want to read reviews written by native speakers, I recommend looking at book sites, for example, Goodreads (an English-language social network for reading lovers) — there are a lot of readers' reviews.
1. «If Tomorrow Comes», by Sidney Sheldon
«If Tomorrow Comes» is a detective novel by Sidney Sheldon. It is a story about an ordinary woman who is framed by mafia, her quest for vengeance and then her struggle for a better life as a con artist.
This novel is definitely a thrilling read. Your mind will be blown away exactly how Tracy Whitney’s life is revolutionized in the course of twenty-four hours. The story is plot-driven, moving from event to event. It’s a real page-turner, If you love books in this genre, I highly recommend it.
"If Tomorrow Comes" is a detective novel by Sidney Sheldon. This is the story of an ordinary woman who was framed by the mafia, her search for revenge and struggle for a better life as a swindler.
It's definitely a tense romance. You will be amazed at how exactly Tracy Whitney's life turned upside down during the day. The story is action-packed, events quickly replace each other. The book is insanely fascinating. If you love books of this genre, I highly recommend it.
2. «Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone», by J. K. Rowling
«Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone» is a fantasy story by J. K. Rowling. It’s the first novel of Harry Potter series. I read it because I liked the movie.
The main character is an orphant boy Harry Potter who doesn’t know that he is a wizard. Harry lives with his relatives who don’t like him. One day his life changes when he receives an invitation to Hogwards, the school of magic.
At first, the story seems simple but then it turns out there are a few twists that will make you say «wow». As for the characters, they all look really alive and I loved how they cooperated and supported one another using their specific skills.
The book is a really enjoyable read. I recommend it even if you have watched the movie.
"Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone" is a fantasy by J. Rowling. It is the first novel in the Harry Potter series. I read it because I liked the movie.
The main character is an orphan boy, Harry Potter, who does not know that he is a wizard. Harry lives with his relatives who don't like him. One day, his life changes when he receives an invitation to Hogwarts, a school of magic.
At first, the plot seems simple, then it turns out that it has a few twists and turns that will make you say "wow". As for the characters, they all seem to be very alive, and I liked how they interact, support each other, each using their own special skills.
The book is a real pleasure. I recommend it, even if you watched the film adaptation.
3. «The Saxon Tales», by Bernard Cornwell
«The Saxon Tales» is a historical novel series, written by Bernard Cornwell. The story is set in 9th century Britain during the Danish invasion when almost all English kingdoms were conquered.
The protagonits of the story is Uhtred of Bebbanburg. Born as a Saxon, he is adopted by the vikings. Uthred is a deep and controversial character. After his Danish family is betrayed and murdered, he returns to the Saxons. He has to fight for the last English kingdom, but his heart is still with the Danes. He is a pagan but he becomes one the most trusted men of King Alfred — the most devoted christian Uhtred ever met.
What I really loved about the book is that the historical events are told from the first-view perspective of such an interesting character who doesn’t fully belong to one of the sides. In this case a first-view perspective is a really wider one.
If you are curious about British history and vikings this series is a must read.
The Saxon Chronicles is a series of historical novels written by Bernard Cornwell. The action takes place in Britain in the ninth century during the Danish invasion, when almost all the English kingdoms were conquered.
The main character's name is Uhtred of Bebbanburg. He was born a Saxon, but adopted by the Vikings. Uhtred is a deep and provocative character. After his Danish family is betrayed and killed, he returns to the Saxons. He has to fight for the last English kingdom, but his heart is still with the Danes. He is a pagan, but he becomes one of King Alfred's most trusted men, the most ardent Christian Uhtred has ever met.
What I really liked about the book is that the historical events are shown in the first person, from the point of view of such an interesting character who completely does not belong to either side. This is the case when the first-person view gives a great perspective.
If you're interested in British history and the Vikings, this series is a must-read.
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