Matthew Ted’s Comments (group member since Sep 02, 2020)

Matthew Ted’s comments from the The Obscure Reading Group group.

Hi all,

Sorry, I am only just catching up now as I'm writing my MA dissertation and stupidly reading about 4 other books on the go!

I agree with this idea of anger so far, and frankly, I am loving it. I found Boots' discussion on himself and the Germans concerning the War just fascinating. As a 23 year old male, I couldn't care less that the only men being portrayed are 'bad'; it is true that Petry might be excluding certain good males that must have been around but that isn't really the point, is it? In a way, I think she is deliberately showing us the extreme. And, it wouldn't surprise me if that is a good portrait of men either. Men have been glorified enough, let's be honest.

The one thing that continues, on every page to astound me, is how seamlessly Petry can move from the present to the past. Sometimes it is so expertly done that I hardly realise I'm reading a scene from the past that is reappearing in a character's head. And how Petry moves from head to head with such clarity while also maintaining that horrible claustrophobia, I don't know. It really is a pleasure to read on one side and a difficult one on the other.

I'll begin by saying that though the writing has been brilliant from the beginning, the start was slow, but had me intrigued. It was only when the perspective starting shifting between the characters that I became truly invested; I wasn't expecting to move from Lutie's point of view, but it makes the story so much richer, I think. Chapter 4, from Jones' view, was just startling—it was tense and disturbing: already the characters are coming to life.

I'll read chapter 5 shortly. Goodness, that was a good chapter 4! Brilliant writing, too.

Got my reserved copy from the library yesterday, eager to start it soon!

Denise wrote: "Hi, I’m new to the group. I live in Philly and was searching for a Hardy group. Hardy is my favorite writer of all time but I love lots of others too. I’ve just started a MA in English Lit program ..."

Brilliant that you are starting an MA! I have my MA in Creative Writing Dissertation due in December and then I'm done! 20,000 words though...

Bionic Jean wrote: "Thank you Carol :) And *ouch*!

Matthew - I would just love to see Eddie Izzard performing Charles Dickens! And now you have me wondering whether he has played a role..."

Actually, no one has ever said that to me, sadly. There is a plaque here in Worthing, on the building he wrote the play in, though it is now a horrible block of flats and hardly romantic at all. On the most part, no one here in Worthing has ever even heard of Oscar Wilde, let alone his connection to our tiny dot on the map. We have wild connections with many poets too: we have Byron Road, Shelley Road, Longfellow Road, Milton Street, Tennyson Road... and more!

Jan wrote: "Matthew wrote: "Hi all, I've just joined the group and looking forward to some discussions. I'm Matt, I'm twenty-three years old from Worthing near Brighton in the south of England. Thanks for invi..."

Oh yes, it's not so bad here. Just a seaside town with a pier, and a very stony beach. Look forward to discussing things too, I seem to be surrounded by very intelligent adults! (I consider myself a child in comparison.)

Ken wrote: "I don't even remember Handel in GE. Was there water music involved?"

Handel was simply the nickname Herbert gave Pip. One of the other students called me Pip first, on accounts of the "Victorian" looking coats I like to wear (just pea-coats, really) and decided that the fellow I lived with must be Herbert then. He began calling me Handel as his character did in the novel but the other woman continued to call me Pip... I preferred the former name.

Kathleen wrote: "Carol wrote: "My how we have grown. A Hardy Welcome to you all, pun intended."

I second the Hardy Welcome to all of our new members!

Ken, you made me take a look at my favorite authors, and while..."

Witty response, I appreciate that, Kathleen. Nice to meet you.

Bionic Jean wrote: "Matthew wrote: "Jean, I'm also English and new to the group but I'd say I've possibly read more American literature than English! ..."

That's amazing! I'm guessing it's unusual, so even more impre..."

It is brilliant already, yes. Great Expectations has a special place in my heart, especially as old housemate and I still call one another Herbert (him) and Handel (me) after Pip and Herbs in the book. I recently saw Eddie Izzard perform the whole novel (abridged) in two hours on the top of the De La Warr Pavilion in Bexhill; he was fantastic, did all the voices and the descriptions, really did the novel justice, and somehow did the whole thing in a red dress too despite the wind!

Jean, I'm also English and new to the group but I'd say I've possibly read more American literature than English! I have soft spots for many of the latter though: Dickens, Greene, Orwell, Isherwood... I'm currently reading David Copperfield for the first time and it's distracting me from finishing my Master's Dissertation due in December; I say it's worth it.

Hi all, I've just joined the group and looking forward to some discussions. I'm Matt, I'm twenty-three years old from Worthing near Brighton in the south of England. Thanks for inviting me, Ken. Look forward to reading some good books with you all.