Sue’s Comments (group member since Jan 21, 2020)

Sue’s comments from the The Obscure Reading Group group.

I too was surprised to see this book both in the list of nominees and as winner. I’ve never thought of it as obscure though I know many avoid reading it. I did until a few years ago. I won’t be reading it again with the group but will try to follow the discussion. Maybe I will try another Dostoevsky tome in companionship.

There are three I like, one the one I voted for before. I did vote for the same as in the first round though.

Rest up, Yvonne. Feel better soon.

Ken, you’re a brave soul to take all of this on. I’m about to vote soon, well after dinner, so more votes coming. Thanks for what you do with this group.

Kathleen, you have a winner there! And I like the Festivus too.

Great idea, Ken, and Have a Merry and Happy and Festive and all!

It’s an interesting list. I think I have read a couple and was surprised to see a couple like Lost Horizon which I think was on reading lists when I was in school. Probably not any more since it was older even then.

Thanks for that Ken. I knew some of this but not all of it by any means. Some of that 3% does appear to be living in plain sight, doesn’t it.

Ginny, I like that image of Jackson being a few steps ahead of us and cheering or taunting us on to figure out what is happening.

I’m glad I read it too because I didn’t realize that there was this other side to Jackson’s writing, the sly, sarcastic humor, witty repartee. I’ll be watching for it in my future reading.

Life Among the Savages is on my list. Now I’m more motivated to read it.

Interesting information, Sandra. Thanks. It does make this all feel more autobiographical, especially the forefathers and the house itself.

Thanks for mentioning the Fanny/Fancy bit, Diane. I found myself tripping over the names frequently during my reading and then the sense of the story would be wrong. Although, given the twists in this story, maybe confusing the names wouldn’t have interfered as badly as in other stories.

The memorial apartment upstairs was creepy and showing it to Fancy as essentially a legacy was strange since it had no meaning for her at all? I was thinking Fancy would enjoy burning it!

As for the sundial, I just looked up the definition to be sure I wasn’t missing some esoteric meaning. But no, it tells the time if there is sunlight. Lots of guessing possible but nothing obvious except that much of the important activity took place in fog or looking in a mirror. So why the sundial? I don’t remember why Mr Halloran Sr wanted it to begin with, part of his wish to outdo anyone and everyone else and be superior.

I agree with others here and think a reader likes what a reader likes.
This was a strange novel. As for this being Jackson’s “baby,” that wasn’t my comment. What I did include in my review was information I found in a GR friend’s review referring to why she wrote this book. Apparently Jackson had noted in her essays (or wherever) that novels of this type seem to be written from the viewpoint of outside the walls and she wanted to write one from within the walls. Of course, this is my summary of another person’s summary, but she is someone who is a Jackson completist.

Other than feeling deflated when I suddenly hit the end of this book, I sort of enjoyed this experience. I guess I wanted something apocalyptic to happen but that wouldn’t have fit for inside the walls.

Did anyone else feel a touch of Flannery O’Connor during Julia’s ride to the city that went so weird. The driver was out of another book entirely.

Perhaps the fact I have read little of Jackson’s work has left me with no real expectations for this book. I have read The Haunting of Hill House and I think The Lottery.

I’ve begun the second half. I’ll save my comments.

I’m with you both, Diane and Kathleen. Wondering where we are going but enjoying the trip.

Ken, maybe she does lose interest in some characters temporarily and look for reactions and ideas elsewhere. I wonder if she could be creating as she goes, adding the new characters because she can, not for any purpose since they don’t appear to further whatever the plot is. I guess we’ll have to wait a while to know.

I don’t have a comment on The Knight’s Tale quote but I do want to add that I am enjoying reading this in a “what’s coming next” way, without holding it to scrutiny for anything else at the moment. I’m letting it play out and then I will decide what I judge it to be. Also, I wonder about Essex as a screwball (and sexy) Greek chorus, often spouting these odd lines off to the side of the action and the story.