Write a critical response journal, not plot summaries, or “proof” that you read the book or a mini-research paper! They must be critical and not only descriptive — this means thinking about your feelings — love something? hate something? did something confuse you? bore you? anger you?
Start there, and then ask WHY??? Did the author maybe do this to you on purpose?
Are you supposed to be feeling this way? What are some possible reasons for how the author did this, and why the author did this?
Are you perhaps the wrong target audience? Is there something cultural going on that you maybe missed? And, most importantly, how is any of this connected to the main message for the book? So, do not read book reviews, academic articles, or anything online about the book until after you have written your own response. It needs to be entirely your own thoughts and interpretations — it does not have to be “right”
