L Y N N’s Comments (group member since Nov 10, 2018)

L Y N N’s comments from the Ultimate Popsugar Reading Challenge group.

Nadine in NY wrote: "Winter is knocking at the door now, it's COLD. I'm really glad my heat has been working the last two days. I need to drag my container plantings into the garage - I leave them out for a few freezes so they know it's time to "go to bed" now."
And sweet dreams to them!

"In most states in the USA, we switched back to Standard Time last weekend, and even though the jump "back" is easier to deal with when waking up, I'm still all out of sorts, and I will be for a week or two more. These time changes really mess me up."
It throws me off a bit as well, but only for 2-3 days. I still disagree with this. I personally believe we would all be healthier without messing with "time." I guess I'm showing my age, but really!!

"Admin stuff
Nothing new.

November group read is The Night Circus - discussion post is here:
https://www.goodreads.com/topic/show/..."
Oh, ye of little faith! I have posted some initial questions for the November Monthly Group Read with more specific questions to follow at mid-month. It looks as if there are a few who will be participating. Now I must locate my copy to reread quickly next week. 😋

"Earthdivers, Vol. 1: Kill Columbus written by Stephen Graham Jones - I had been really looking forward to this graphic novel ever since Jones first told us he was working on it! It sounds so awesome!! But I was disappointed, it was confusing and not much happened. I don't know if I'll bother reading the next volume (if there even is a next volume)."
Ugh. It's so...disappointing...to be...disappointed! 😒

"The Cloud Roads by Martha Wells - back when MurderBot first came out, I decided I needed to read more Martha Wells, so a few years ago when my library system was hacked and shut down for months, I figured I should buy some books, and I bought this book. I never got around to reading it back then, so I decided this year I would definitely read it, and I put this on my list of Books I Must Read in 2023 (only one book left to go on the list!). It's entertaining enough, I guess, but it's not particularly special in any way. I never would have sought out more books by Wells if this had been my introduction to her. It's really hard to believe the same author wrote both!"
I still might give this one a try if I come across a cheap copy...

"Question of the Week
How many of the 76 most popular books of the past decade have you read? Are any of these books favorites of yours?
https://www.goodreads.com/blog/show/2...

I can't resist a list, so when I saw this article, I started counting. 34 (and one of those was a DNF)

I usually don't like the super popular books, so I was surprised to find that several of my favorites were on this list!
Normal People
Beautiful World, Where Are You
Big Little Lies
The Vanishing Half
Born a Crime: Stories From a South African Childhood
The Underground Railroad
Homegoing
Station Eleven
Sea of Tranquility"
So funny! I have two favorites among your list: The Vanishing Half and Homegoing. I haven't even read 5 from your favorites listing.

Popsugar: 45/50
Nadine’s Q1 Mini-Challenge: 7/10
AtY: 52/52 DONE!
RHC: 14/24

FINISHED:
*Strange Sight (Essex Witch Museum Mystery #2) by Syd Moore ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ I picked this up as a palate cleanser before launching back into The Three-Body Problem! This was extremely well done, IMO! I appreciate the informative bits (Charles Bonnet Syndrome) as well as the inclusion of intense social issues (child trafficking). All while maintaining romantic bits as well as some paranormal bits! I think Rosie and I are quite a bit alike in some ways…
I waited for Sam to answer. There was so much testosterone in the room, I knew if I were to jump in first it might emasculate my colleague. Nuance you see. I was getting there.
I could relate to curbing my own initial reaction to jump right in without forethought as to the implications for a male colleague! That would be me! Just charging on ahead! 😊 (I’m not an Aries for nothing! LOL)
POPSUGAR: #1, #5, #19-2017: prompt #32 A book about an interesting woman, #36, #39, #46-Hecate, #50
ATY: #2, #3-A book with a secret passage, #6, #10-Scary, #11-Mary’s Charles Bonnet Syndrome, #13-hook, flowers, #14-Mary and Tom, #18, #37, #42, #43, #45
RHC: #23, #24-2015: A romance novel

*The Strange Casebook (Essex Witch Museum between-the-numbers) by Syd Moore ⭐⭐ is shown between installments 4 and 5 in this series, but not numbered. It was only available as an ebook ☹ or audiobook, so I quickly read it on my new-to-me laptop! A collection of short stories:
“Death Becomes Her” was a bit creepy at the end!
“Snowy” was another story about death…seems to be a theme here!
“Madness in a Coruña” was quite strange…and involved a suicide (death again!)
“She Saw Three Ships” was uh…uhm…UGH! Not my kind of story. A bit too gruesome though also starkly unbelievable. Kinda like zombies. I dislike the whole concept of zombies…
“Jocelyn’s Story” was weird. That’s all I can say…
“The House on Savage Lane” contained what could be referred to as “dark humor,” though for me this was just gross and wrong…
I definitely did not enjoy this collection. Too horrific for me. I am such a wuss!
POPSUGAR: #5, #19-2020: prompt #35 A book with a 3-word title
ATY: #2, #3-A book where a battle takes place, #10-Scary, #14, #28, #34, #42, #43, #45
RHC: #21, #24-2015: A collection of short stories

The Complete Maus by Art Spiegelman ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ proved to be a very unique look at the Holocaust and the aftermath for one person, the author’s father. However, it was much more complex and complicated than even that. Parent-child relationships can be very difficult, particularly as the parent ages and his/her health declines. Let us remember to treat others with acceptance, compassion, and respect! Each and every one!
POPSUGAR: #4, NEW #18, #19-2015: prompt #18 A Pulitzer Prize winner, #23, #28, #31
ATY: #3-A cultural book that depicts a place or time and its culture, #5, #6-his mother’s diaries, #10-Scary, #14, #19-graphic novel, #24, #28, #37, #43, #52
RHC: NEW #8, #23-social horror, #24-2015: A graphic novel, a graphic memoir, or a collection of comics of any kind

This completes my documentation of the Mrs. Pollifax books! I have loaned them all out to my best friend and she is binge-reading them now!
*A Palm for Mrs. Pollifax (Mrs. Pollifax #4) by Dorothy Gilman ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ was absolutely delightful! Emily P has amazing encounters with some of the pertinent (and impertinent?) people! But she makes some friends here who will be with her in some of her future adventures as well!
POPSUGAR: #16, #19-2015: prompt #29 A book set somewhere you have always wanted to visit (Switzerland), #28, #36, #39, #50
ATY: #3-An adventure book, #5, #11-Mr. Sabry, #14, #24, #33, #34, #37, #43, #45
RHC: #23, #24-2015: A book written by someone over the age of 65

*Mrs. Pollifax on Safari (Mrs. Pollifax #5) by Dorothy Gilman ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ finds Mrs. P on safari with at least one assassin, the most wanted and vilest of assassins. But she doesn’t know which fellow traveler is the assassin. And there is a very smitten Cyrus Reed along…and if not for the (literal) feather in her hat, she might not be alive!!
POPSUGAR: #16, #19-2015: prompt #29 A book set somewhere you have always wanted to visit (Africa), #28, #36, #39
ATY: #1-Africa, #3-A book in which someone is captured, taken hostage, trapped, or imprisoned, #5, #10-Scary, #14, #24, #37, #43
RHC: #23, #24-2020: prompt #3 A mystery where the victim is not a woman

*Mrs. Pollifax on the China Station (Mrs. Pollifax #6) by Dorothy Gilman ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ was another excellent and uniquely thought-provoking installment in this series. Spies battling it out for a person with exclusive knowledge that could propel a nation ahead of all others in a specific area. Is that worthy of murder? I did think the ending was a bit unrealistic, but definitely not enough to deter me from reading the series!
POPSUGAR: #16, #17, #19-2022: prompt #29 A different book written by an author you read in 2021, #28, #36, #39
ATY: #3-A book that involves a moral dilemma or question, #5, #10-Scary, #14, #18-Forensics, #24, #37, #43, #45
RHC: #23, #24-2017: prompt #11 A book set more than 5,000 miles from your location

CONTINUING:
*Marjorie Morningstar by Herman Wouk is the book I had selected to fulfill prompt #13 A book published in the year you were born. (It’s not exactly that year, but very close!) I wanted to read this because I remembered having read and enjoyed a Herman Wouk book when I was in my teens. I think it was The Winds of War, though I am not certain… I plan to read that one sometime next year after finishing this book! I am finding this one to be an absolute delight! I can relate to both Marjorie and her mother! I laugh at least once on every page!
*The Three-Body Problem by Liu Cixin
This one may need to wait until December or at least near the end of this month.

PLANNED:
*The Night Circus by Erin Morgenstern for our Monthly Group Read! This is a reread for me and although I already have a full slate of books planned to read this month, I really am looking forward to reading this one again!
*10th Anniversary (Women’s Murder Club #9) by James Patterson and Maxine Paetro
*Split Tooth by Tanya Tagaqfor an IRL book club
*To Shape a Dragon's Breath by Moniquill Blackgoose for an IRL book club
*Last of the Breed by Louis L'Amour for an IRL book club
*Riders of the Purple Sage by Zane Grey for an IRL book club
Dirty Thirty (Stephanie Plum #30) by Janet Evanovich released October 31!
Bookshops & Bonedust (Legends & Lattes #0) by Travis Baldree for our December Monthly Group Read, released November 7.
System Collapse (Murderbot Diaries #7) by Martha Wells scheduled to release November 14.

Just as soon as I believe we are finally into cooler weather, we aren’t!! It was 75° yesterday! Geeminy!! Surprised I’m not sick today!! It’s only supposed to make it up to 60° today, but since it is already 2:30PM and only 55° I doubt it will get that high. And...then my brand new laptop locked up with an urgent alert from Windows Security that I had been attacked by a Trojan virus and was unable to use my computer again until I called a number...

I was immediately alert since a good friend of ours had just been fooled into giving all his personal information out over the phone, believing he was speaking with Amazon about an order that had been misdelivered... The first guy hung up on me because I related my hesitations to him! LOL Then as I sat blinking into a laptop screen that I was unable to use, I called again and got a different person. I will say I am rather grateful right now that I have NO credit! Honestly, it doesn't matter to me a whole lot if someone gained access to my bank account, etc. More power to them if they can obtain any credit with my information! I can't... LOL 😁 I followed their instructions and did get a name and extension number for the person who claimed to be a Microsoft Tech... At one point he did ask if I'd placed an order through Amazon lately and I was happy to report it had been YEARS since I had used Amazon because I dislike the company and will shop anywhere else if at all possible. So I will forewarn you-all that criminals have been using Amazon as a cover to try to gain access to financial resources. For what it's worth. I "think" this guy was legit, but honestly, who knows? Our friend is now paying for protection of his financial resources. I have no resources to protect, so I'm just glad to have access to my computer once again! And if they were looking to scam me...SURPRISE! You didn't vet your victims very well in advance! 😊

Myrtle is currently in “sick bay”! 😊 (No, not a person! My car! LOL) The brakes just started grinding like crazy on my way home the other day. She’s done very well in the aftermath of a deer running into her a while back. And the mechanic discovered it was the fault of the brake parts they had installed about 18 months ago, so we won’t have to pay for parts and perhaps much less of the labor cost. Fingers crossed!! In the meantime, one friend/neighbor gave me a ride to pick up another friend’s (actually her husband’s) extra vehicle. Both of them thanked me for allowing them to help someone else. Such wonderful friends! I am blessed. 🤗

ADMIN STUFF:
The November Monthly Group Read will be The Night Circus by Erin Morgenstern!. The discussion is posted in the Current Monthly Group Read folder HERE. (I and the IRL book club I facilitate LOVED this book so much!) This book could be used to fulfill prompt #41 A book written during NaNoWriMo! No “marvelous manager” volunteered to lead this discussion! I have posted some generic questions and will post others about mid-month since most of them are to be answered upon reading the whole book, IMO. With that said, there is, IMO, more than enough material for a good discussion to occur organically! So if you are planning to read this, please join in! I had not planned to reread it but will try to do so this next week. This is one book I do not mind revisiting since I found it enthralling and literally awe-inspiring the first time around.

The December Monthly Group Read will be Bookshops & Bonedust (Legends & Lattes #0) by Travis Baldree. This book could be used to fulfill prompt #32 A book published in the last half of 2023. I’m certain there is a “cool captain” out there amongst you-all who is just dying to facilitate this discussion! Please message either myself or Nadine to volunteer!

Just a reminder that the comprehensive listing of 2023 Monthly Group Reads can be found HERE

Question of the Week:
How many of the 76 most popular books of the past decade have you read? Are any of these books favorites of yours?
Ack! You changed it on me, Nadine! LOL 😉 I like this one better though!! It’s more fun…

I have read 35 of them with another 30 already on my TBR listing, of which I own 11. Interesting…

I would say that 25 of the 35 I’ve read are favorite reads for me! Ugh. A listing is expected... Okay.
1. All the Light We Cannot See
2. Where the Crawdads Sing
3. The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo
4. Daisy Jones & The Six
5. The Nightingale
6. Becoming
7. The Goldfinch
8. The Tattooist of Auschwitz
9. Malibu Rising
10. The Vanishing Half
11. The Great Alone
12. A Gentleman in Moscow
13. Everything I Never Told You
14. Pachinko
15. Project Hail Mary
16. Carrie Soto Is Back
17. Beartown
18. Crazy Rich Asians
19. The Giver of Stars
20. Remarkably Bright Creatures
21. The Lost Apothecary
22. Before the Coffee Gets Cold
23. Homegoing
24. An American Marriage
25. Between the World and Me

This is in no way prioritized. I could never do that since there are different genres/subgenres represented... But you already know that I truly enjoy and love many of the books I read! (I'm easy! LOL)

Message is too long, so my books listing is in another posting!

I'll go first since that seems to help others join in! 😁

1) What, if any, are your expectations of this book?
Since I have already read it, albeit quite a while ago, I remember the foundational story arc but am aware I have forgotten many of the details. But I do remember being awed by this book and there aren't many books that have made me feel that way...

2) Would you have considered reading this book if it wasn't selected as a Popsugar Monthly Group Read?
Since it is a reread for me, no, I don't believe I would have chosen to do so, at least not right now...

3) Have you read Morgenstern's sophomore novel, The Starless Sea?
I have. The book club I facilitate read it and as one member stated, "I hope never to have to work that hard to read a book again. At least not for a very long time." I have read it twice and felt I really needed to do that to get a real grip on the story arc as well as details. I admit to preferring The Night Circus!

4) What are your thoughts regarding a novel you know originated through NaNoWriMo? Does that make a difference to you?
I can't say it makes any difference to me, per se, except that I admire anyone who perseveres throughout the whole month of November to write a whole book! YAY for them!!

Erin wrote: "Well in another case of 2023 being truly the worst year, the brand new job I started this summer just had to do a bunch of layoffs. I think I'm still shell shocked- especially cause I turned down another great job to work there. And I told them I had another offer. This year, I swear"
Oh, no! I am so sorry! But you just never know. Perhaps there is yet another job out there of which you are unaware that will prove to be the best you've ever had!! Sending you positive "job" energy!

Some initial questions to consider:

1) What, if any, are your expectations of this book?

2) Would you have considered reading this book if it wasn't selected as a Popsugar Monthly Group Read?

3) Have you read Morgenstern's sophomore novel, The Starless Sea?

4) What are your thoughts regarding a novel you know originated through NaNoWriMo? Does that make a difference to you?

I just started reading a rather long book (Marjorie Morningstar and have overscheduled myself with November buddy reads, book club reads, etc., but if I can find the time at all, I will plan to read this one next week. I read it 4 years ago and am sure I would benefit from a second reading. There are (supposedly) many literary references throughout, particularly with regard to Shakespeare plays, but the book club I facilitate didn't really get into any of that in our discussion. However, we all loved the experience of reading this! And it provided much fodder for discussion.

I have located a listing of discussion topics/questions from the publisher's website, but most of them are, IMO, better saved until we have finished reading the book in its entirety.

I suggest that as you read, you simply comment on your reactions, etc. Please do use spoilers for anything sensitive to divulging the plot, etc. It also helps if you can at least list the chapter you are currently reading so that others can be alerted to whether they are that far along yet or not. (Page numbers can be misleading as they may vary quite a bit in different editions.)

It has also struck me in the 24 hours following finishing this book that the juxtaposition of the current father-son relationship against the Holocaust experiences was, IMO, even better at pointing out the bizarre and horrific aspects of the Holocaust...

Jen wrote: "L Y N N wrote: "System Collapse by Martha Wells - going to a book signing for this at a local bookstore and I cannot wait!"
Oh, my! Where is that?!?"

It's in the Seattle area, at an awesome local ..."
I already looked it up. *sigh* If I had the money, I would be there! I love Seattle!

Ron wrote: "Wahoo finished this book:

Teaching with Comics and Graphic Novels

What a great read! As a future teacher, I've mentioned using comics and graphic novels to people before, but this was an excellent resource so definitely one worth holding on to. Only took me 2 days to read it.

Now time for a small break so I can figure out what to read next since my mind is fried with all of this educational stuff. LOL!"
It can become a bit overwhelming at times! But what a great idea!

Juanita wrote: "I didn’t finish any books during this check-in period but I am closing in on completing the 40-book challenge. I hope to finish this week. I have a growing stack of TBR that I want to read so I am beginning to resent the challenge."
Oohhh...here's hoping you finish the challenge and get the other books!

"Question of the week
I tried to think of a book that was given to me and I can’t think of many I didn’t directly request. My best friend gave me The Four Agreements. I hated it. Not a fan of parables. At all."
Ha! Ha! I liked this one and agreed with it. Sorry it didn't work for you!

Ron wrote: "Keep meaning to drop in. Haven't in a short while. Been busy reading books for NFN, and now I'm doing NaNoWriMo so that's taking up time as well. Having a blast with both though."
That's great!

Mandy wrote: "Happy Friday!

I completely forgot to check-in yesterday. I was such a day. Today is much better: less stress, many work accomplishments, and two expensive coffees makes a good day.

This morning I thought Ziggy was broken. He was walking funny and slower than normal. I mean he sashays as it is cuz he's a dachshund/chihuahua (looks like a dachy with longer legs). Anyhoo, I bent down to check him out and felt that he had a leg through the neck of his sweater!

It was 5:14 am and dark and I wasn't quite awake yet. Plus, the sweater is dark blue and he is black so it was tough to see even with a light on.

So I yank the sweater up and put his leg back into the proper hole.

Then my mom (73 this year) didn't answer the phone. Every time I hang up, she tells me to let it ring and ring and ring. Okay I did. three calls later, she finally answers.

I was about ready to have a sheriff do a well check when she finally answers and says, she's on the phone with my sister, who is sick.

Okay, she could have just answered after ring 7 instead of 35 rings and three calls later to tell me to F@#k off. I could have handled that. I would have preferred it actually. That would be understandable. But keeping me hanging until i'm worried that she has fallen or passed out or whatever else my brain was coming up with that cranky old ladies can do to hurt themselves. sheesh!

So my sister made it home okay, and I didn't call the sheriff."
That was quite a day!

"Fourth Wing"
It seems everyone is reading this one!

"QOTW:
I'm not sure. The last time I got a book was I Want To Eat Your Pancreas light novel. A friend gave it to me for Christmas. The same person gave me a copy of Vivian Vande Velde's Dragon Bait.

I usually tell people what I want book wise because no one knows exactly what I have or don't besides me. And sometimes even that is iffy."
Those are both certainly unique titles! I rely on Goodreads to tell me whether I own a specific book or not! 😯

Carmen wrote: "Well, my cold really messed up my sense of time kahjkadg I didn't realize it was Thursday until I went to bed last night oops

Sadly this means I can't catch up on all the messages, because I never would check in and I don't think I've missed any check ins this year for the first time ever (a max of one maybe) so yay me!"
Definitely YAY YOU!!

"So yeah. Major cold. Got the flu shot on Friday, my arm was a mess until Tuesday. On Saturday my entire non-shot arm decided to grant me with a major fibro flare so from the tips of my fingers to my neck, I was in pain. Then as soon as my shot-arm settled down, I got a major cold. It's been 4 days. I am done. I have sat in the car with a box of tissues and a baggie for my used tissues. I have sat in a take away place waiting for food with said box. Every time I put vaseline around my nose to keep it from cracking, I end up sneezing a lot and wiping off the vaseline ajsdhfkasg AND I now have confirmation my allergy to mint isn't merely mouth related. I put Vicks Vaporub on my chest to try to bridge the gap between 'my nose is stuffed again' and 'I can't use my nose spray again for another two hours'. yeah. It burned jhaksdkfas

And of course there's the headache and the MAJOR sensitivity to natural light. Being in the car during the day was absolute hell, and if there was sun I wish I could curl up on the backseat.

So yeah. ajhdsfkasg help me"
I'm so sorry you've been so sick! Ugh! Sending you healing energy!

"I have started working on my puzzle again, though! Bit by bit I am making progress! Dumbo is almost complete and the water from his tub is coming along nicely!"K/i>
Sounds fun!

"My Sister Lives on the Mantelpiece
I gotta be honest: I got this on Audible in a 1+1 sale because David Tennant narrated it and I didn't hate the premise. (ngl, if the other kind of cover had been on there I probably would have dismissed it; the power of covers is real!) I also started this last night because I wanted an audiobook while playing Calm Colors and nothing appealed to me so I figured listening to David would be nice.

I'm hooked. It's already 11pm and I still gotta watch the new Loki so I fear I won't be able to continue tonight as I am exhausted from going to the store (30min drive) to get guirlands and lights (I have carte blanche this year to decorate the house as mom is away for two weeks and I have IdeasTM), but I really can't wait!"
Added this to my TBR listing! Glad you can decorate as you like!

"QOTW
My best friend is the only one who surprises me with books really, and I rarely read them because my brain just be like that. I will eventually, they just don't take precedence. One I remember from semi-recently is Lemony Snicket, the Unauthorized Biography; I was super excited to read it, but wasn't reading at the time and ... therefore haven't yet. Maybe soon!"
I hope you enjoy when you do read it!

Lilith wrote: "Title: Dear Martin
Author: Nic Stone
Would you recommend this book? Yes! I'm late to the party but I loved it."
No late about it! I loved this one!

"I've read The Complete Maus and have absolutely loved it. It tore my heart out, which is what it was supposed to do, and I recommend it to absolutely everyone."
Quite thought-provoking on so many levels!

I could empathize with Artie trying to deal with his father. I have no way of knowing what Vladek's life was truly like since I have never been in danger of being hunted down and killed. But I did fault Artie for not using compassion and caring FIRST when dealing with his father.

I particularly appreciated the demonstration that although Vladek had been a victim of EXTREME prejudice, he himself was prejudiced later in life, with evidently no realization that he was propagating the exact same biases that directly affected him, his family, and his friends in the past. That always amazes me. How can that be? I refuse to believe it is instinctual behavior but is rather a learned social construct. However, Artie didn't try to explain this to him, and I could kinda understand his perspective--I think at this point he has kinda had it with his father. While Artie obviously had no similar experience so he could not truly empathize with his father, IMO he should have tried much harder to at least sympathize with him. There is a difference...

It is difficult when you appear to be an exact opposite of your parent (e.g. my mother and me) in most ways. But I do fault Artie for not being kind.

And I kinda got the impression that Artie might be using his father's experience a bit for his own advantage, though IMO the more the Holocaust is described and depicted, the better chance humanity may eventually overcome such bigotry and narrow-mindedness. Though I feel we may be reaching a tipping point with regard to these issues in today's world... I want acceptance, compassion, and respect for all to win!! 👍🤗

Thank you so much for leading, Jennifer!!

Britany wrote: "I completely agree Jennifer. Their relationship was hard to read at times, and I felt Artie's frustration with his dad, and telling of this story must've been so tough to translate.
Really wish we could know how Vladek felt about the finished product"
The book was published 2 years and 8 months before Vladek died. I wonder if he read it?
Edited to update: Correction! According to Wikipedia (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Art_Spi...) this was completed in 1991 after 13 years of working on it. Vladek died in 1982.

Jennifer W wrote: "A moral question: I saw a PBS show once that the US had the intel to bomb Auschwitz at the height of the Holocaust. They opted not to. Should they have killed those already there if it would have meant destroying a major piece of the extermination machine?"
I'm rather certain the US had much knowledge about such facilities that was never shared with the general public. I think the US (and to a great degree, the world) was 'war-weary' after WWI and determined not to fight another one! My understanding is that WWI was much more vicious and the weapons were much more technologically advanced than ever before, so many more were killed as a result. (I may be wrong, but that has been my impression.) I believe that is the only reason Hitler was allowed to proceed as he did. And here we are 80+ years later still 'fighting the same battles', so to speak. *sigh* Overall, I do not believe the human race is very smart...

Jennifer W wrote: "Also, I love Artie drawing himself as shrinking to a child when he's feeling guilty, depressed or overwhelmed. Such a neat and smart touch!"
That was very smart! IMO. :)

Jennifer W wrote: "Yesterday I got to the coat scene. It seemed so strange to me that Valdek would just throw away a coat. He's such a penny pincher and given the deprivations he's been through, a coat could be worth..."
I personally felt it demonstrated Vladek's lack of logical thought at times. He is older with several life-threatening long-term illnesses, and I felt all along he was showing some signs of senility... I felt it made no sense.