Novel vs. Book

Are you a bookworm like me? Do you like to read fiction or non-fiction novels? Well, even if you're not, you can learn about them and build the habit.

What Is Their Main Difference?

Both refer to paper-made materials with writings on them. Both have been written by authors. However, a 'novel' is a literary work and can be fictional or non-fictional. It has a plot, a setting, different themes, etc. A 'book', on the other hand, can be about anything and its aim is to educate and explain. It can focus on different exams, historical, astronomical, and other other issue.

Differences

As mentioned above, a 'novel' is a paper-made material. It is written by an author. It can be fictional or non-fictional. A 'novel' can have different genres like adventurous, gothic, criminal, moral, etc. It consists of a plot, several literary themes, different settings, etc. Look at the following examples:

The Handmaid's Tale is a famous English novel by the Canadian writer Margaret Atwood.

Have you read the novel 'Villette' by Charlotte Bronte?

A 'book', basically, is made from several sheets of paper. It can be about any topic; for example cooking, pastry, mathematics, literature, exams, etc. Its purpose can be to educate, explain or simply inform the readers. Look at the examples below:

What's that book you're hiding?

As the TV screen gets bigger, the number of books becomes smaller in every house.

Similarities

As mentioned above, both include sheets of paper with writings on them. They both have an author. Look at the following examples:

In Margaret Atwood's newest novel, we can see three different stories moving along side each other.

So, can I burrow this book?

Are They Interchangeable?

Although these two are used in nearly the same contexts, they cannot be used interchangeably. Compare:

✓ Next week, we will work on the book 'The Poems of John Keats'.

X Next week, we will work on the novel 'The Poems of John Keats'.

As you can see, this sentence is wrong because this book is not a novel but a collection of this poet's poems.

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