Discussion Questions for The Ill-Made Knight

 


Poiteres 1356


1. What do you think of Sir William?


2. Geoffrey Chaucher, what did you think of his appearance in this book? 


3. To protect his sister from his uncles advances, William goes to the church, and the monks actually take care of business. Is this realistic? 


4. What do we think of the kids fighting every Sunday afternoon? 


5. William's Uncle completely ruins his future. Why does William blame himself for his change in the fortune?


6. What do you think of William's new life as the cook's boy? 


7. What did you think of De Vere's and William's swashbuckling?


8. Do the monks and priests in this book seem particularly violent?


9. War has started, so there's no "chivalry" as the army moves through France. Does this change how we feel about the men in this book?


10. What did you think of the way William handled the situation with Marie?


11. What do you think of the fact that they held a dinner for the lords, including the ones they just won a fight against? 


12. What did you think of the strategy that the Prince was using against the French? 


13. William spent a lot of his fight in the mud. Do you think this helped keep him alive? 


14. Do you think that the fact that William keeps learning from each fight is what puts him above the rest of the squires?


15. If you were the one who had asked about this battle, would you be satisfied with the story William Gold told?


Paris 1357-59


1. Do you think William was very brave to confront that mob? 


2. What did you think of the confrontation between Willian and Camus? The guy who stabbed his butt


3. William ends up being a pimp at an inn. Why does he include this in his tale about the Paris fights?


4. Why was it when Chaucher and William met in the inn before he started telling stories we didn't realize how close they had been?


5. What did you think of the effects of talks of peace coming to these lands after years of war?


6. William ends up being able to use the men who wanted to take over the inn as his retinue. Was this a smart move? 


7. William is upset that when they get to Hawkwood and he dismisses him and his men. Why was he surprised they were just an escort? 


8. William decides to let Du Guesclin go. Will this back fire on him?


9. Do you think Chaucher should be more grateful that William turned back and saved him?


10. Would it really have made a difference if Master Hoo had shared his true mission before he died?


11. Were you surprised that the knight, De Guesclin, that William let go already made an appearance? 


12. What did you think of the reception that William and Richard received when they returned?

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