Julie’s Comments (group member since Dec 11, 2014)

Julie’s comments from the HPPL Online Readers group.

Hello HPPL Online Readers!

If you are on Facebook and you're looking for a fun community of readers, you should seek out HPPL Talks Books: https://www.facebook.com/groups/26279...

Or, if you'd like to talk movies, we have a group for that, too: https://www.facebook.com/groups/71067...

We realize that staying connected is one of the most important things we can do right now.

Stay safe and join up with one of our online communities!

Any final thoughts? What was most thought-provoking to you about the novel? Would you recommend it?

So, he picked Ask Again, Yes by Mary Beth Keane. It might be worth considering after you finish The Gone Dead!

I was skimming through Facebook the other day and I noticed that Jimmy Fallon (comedian and host of NBC's The Tonight Show) was promoting summer reading. He's prepared a list of titles for his viewers to choose from and The Gone Dead was one of them!

Voting is open now if you're interested in participating: https://www.nbc.com/the-tonight-show/.... The winning title will be announced this Thurs. the 25th. I'll announce the winner here as well.

On The Hoopla Book Club website (https://theclub.hoopladigital.com/#sp...), there is a great interview with Chanelle Benz. Be sure to read it to gain some insight into her writing: https://theclub.hoopladigital.com/med...

Since Billie lost her father at such a young age, she knows him as an adult primarily through his writing, even seeking out the Avalon in one scene when she discovers it is a real place and not just imagined in her father’s poetry. Can you talk about a time that you felt like you knew someone through their writing (or perhaps another creative endeavor) alone?

The search for what really happened to Billie’s father brings her up against entrenched histories of racism and bigotry in the community. What were the subtle (and obvious) ways that she encounters the lingering wounds of slavery and continued prejudice. Did you recognize any from your own experiences?

Hi Lisa! Thanks for the response! That's how I felt about it too. It took a bit to get to that point and I'm glad she left it somewhat open-ended to allow for our imaginations to consider what could happen.

I hope you've started reading The Gone Dead! I've really been enjoying it.

Nicole wrote: "Secrets, silence, racism, injustice, pain--these elements stand out in Benz' portrayal, and they keep the community mired in inequality and a kind of resignation about the way things are in the Del..."

Nicole--we welcome your comments! Thanks so much! Since this is an online group, it should be open to all informed and avid readers on Goodreads!

Hello All!

Let's start the discussion about The Gone Dead! Any initial thoughts?

Here's a question to ponder: In the beginning of the book, Billie returns to the rural Mississippi Delta she knew in childhood. How does Benz portray the Delta community, and what commentary does it makes on the cultural, economic, and political rural South of today?

Hello all!

I hope you’ve had a chance to checkout The Gone Dead and started reading.

You can also join the discussion at

https://the club.hoopladigital.com.

We’ll begin discussing on July 5th!

Hello!

Hopefully everyone had enjoyed A Dangerous Act of Kindness.

Any final thoughts?

We’ll be moving on to The Gone Dead after the 4th. You can check it out from Hoopla Digital starting today!

Lisa—I wondered about that, too. She seems very fragile at times and not quite able to stand on her own.

But then, she does protect Lukas...just wait and see!!

Folks,

The Gone Dead is now available to checkout from Hoopla Digital (it was released yesterday)! If anyone wants to get started, you can checkout both the eBook and eAudiobook from Hoopla today!

To access the related material, go to: https://theclub.hoopladigital.com/#sp....

This book is very different from A Dangerous Act of Kindness, but I found it to be extremely thought provoking.

If you have any questions, just ask!

Do you think that Lukas and Millie will find happiness together?

I've been thinking about this question and I believe it to be the central question to consider when thinking about the book. And it applies to both Mille and Lukas.

Any other opinions about this?

How do you feel about Lukas? Is he to be trusted? How do you feel about his growing relationship with Millie?

Don't forget that you can connect with world-wide readers in the Big Library Read. Just go to the website: https://biglibraryread.com/ and join the larger discussion.

You can also get more information about the author, LP Fergusson by listening to an interview and visiting her webpage. She's also written a letter to the Big Library Read participants.

Enjoy!

If you have just started the book, come back to this question.

If not, here's a question to ponder: Millie is torn between compassion for another human being and loyalty to her country. Does she make the right choice?

Much of this story deals with loss. Which character (so far) do you feel suffers the greatest loss?