Erin’s Comments (group member since Feb 07, 2016)

Erin’s comments from the 2017 Reading Challenge group.

Hi Regine and Jennifer - I would like to participate as well, let me know what y'all are thinking. Regards

I actually really enjoyed this book. It gave a broad overview of a interesting and relevant topic for our times. I wish I would have read something like this before I got married and that many married people would read it now. I suggest it for anyone interested in the subject matter - it is very academic - and also to anyone looking to expand their understanding of their own marriage (or potential marriage).

Has there been any consensus on this? I am happy to make the list, if y'all don't mind - but I don't know how to post, etc. for any further steps that need to be taken to move it into 2017. I am relatively new.

I am happy to go through comments and make a list of the all the suggestions, than we can have a vote or randomly select the 40-45 categories + additional wild cards (total: 52) - the ones that aren't used can be used the following year.
Please let me know - because I really enjoyed the set up of this book club and would like to contribute to next year's group if possible.

I picked up this book for a light read...and spent a lot of time not enjoying the writing. But since putting it down, I do feel like I learned a little bit about the subject matter. I found it to be pretty base - the characters appropriately flawed, the climax in the perfect place, and the ending appropriately tied together. I guess a bit dull. The writing improved a bit in the second half of the book. I don't know - I don't necessarily recommend the book, but I didn't stop reading it half way through...so if you're in for something simple and mildly interesting, this is a fine book for that purpose.

Completely agree! I think I read it in a day. Which is nice sometimes :)

I really enjoyed the flow of this book. I liked the style of an interview and thought the character was very good. I've never read or even heard of a book written in this fashion. It was really fun to read.

I have very little to say about this book. It was creative that the author took a European, classic fairytale and made it VERY modern. I just couldn't really get into the theme, characters, or subject. It all felt a little forced.

There were so many aspects to this book that I didn't enjoy reading. Personally, reading memoirs is kind of a challenge for me; at some point they all begin to feel a bit too self-indulgent for my taste. This is a book that has lived on my TBR for years. I finally found it through e-books (Freading) and decided to go for it to meet the goals of my book club challenge, "Australia." However, I didn't like the style of writing. You could feel the tension and confusion that Davidson describes in a very real way and it is easy to understand that two years after such an ordeal, the memories were not straight forward. There were so many analogies!! And, a bit too much repetition of language choice.
If you do decide to read this book, I recommend reading the P.S. at the end, written by Davidson in 2012. First of all, she has obviously grown as a writer in the years between the two writings. Secondly, the P.S. pulls the work together in a way that was not done in the original piece. Perspective, I suppose. Maybe she should have waited to write about it until now...than it would have been a more enjoyable read. I felt like I was readings someone's notes from their diary. It took me way too long to read this book and I wanted to leave it for good dozens of times.

This was a fun little collection of Sherlock Holmes shorts. I was hoping for a more robust collection, but this is what the online library collection had available - so, I'm still on the look out for more stories. I may have to purchase something. I digress.
I really enjoyed these short stories. They were entertaining and the sketches were beautifully done. I would definitely recommend this if you are looking for something easy to go through before bed. The story begins and ends within 20 pages or so and definitely keeps one engaged. It was fun!

Another enjoyable read from this series. Very complex and interesting for a young adult book. Looking forward to completing the series.

I really enjoyed the thoughtfulness of this book. The emotions conveyed are very complex and endearing. After reading the author's note at the end, I do believe that M. Benjamin did what she set out to do - describe the story of why we all remember the Lindbergh's, why we "love" them as she puts it. Anne Lindbergh is a complex and interesting character. I really wish that I had read this when I had a bit more life experience - in marriage, middle-age, child-rearing - it would make the character come to life a bit more. But I do think that the emotion conveyed is visceral. I gave it a 4-star because I really do not like to have so much repetition in the written word. There were a lot of places where events, emotions, and characterizations were conveyed nearly the exact same way, using too similar of wording over and over. Other than, very worthwhile read.

I really enjoyed this book. It only took me a few days to get through it. I have seen the movies, but the book provides a stronger analysis of the dystopian future world and the characters. I think this is a good example of when the two pair nicely together. The writing was well-constructed and the topic matter addressed very interesting. I also enjoyed the characters.

I really enjoyed this book too! I listened to it on audio and was actually shocked at the end. I didn't expect it to end that way at all! I completely agree with the description of your struggle with who to blame and for whom to feel sorry. I was conflicted.

The book was extremely predictable. The main character a complete and utter narcissist. The dialogue was probably just right for the characters ages and general behaviors, but was not pleasing to read. The book also would have benefitted from considerable editing - much of the text was redundant. The only thing that was remotely enjoyable about this book were the descriptions of food.

Hi Natália,

Thank you so much for your response! I completely agree with your point about the progression in some of the chapters. Definitely added an unnecessary start/stop/start motion to the reading that made me a little sea-sick.
I am really surprised that people DNF the work, while it is a little slow to start, I really wanted to finish it by about a third of the way into reading.

I have so many thoughts about this book, I am not even quite sure where to begin. The writing was good; but, I believe, a bit nuanced for the intended audience. The subject matter is tragic, but the relationships are so clearly defined that it brightens the reality of the topic in a way. I was astounded by how attached I became to the characters. I greatly appreciated the interwoven messages and the inter-generational understandings of complex topics - like war, poverty, wealth, mental health, injustice. It was very well done. A part of me really liked the book and I want to give it a five; but another part of me was consumed so much by the nuanced language and sentence structure, that I just can't - I may have to read it again.

** spoiler alert ** This book was very near perfection. The writing was very good, the story intriguing, and the characters well-developed. A couple of things that truly bothered me were the length and the parallel story about the diamond and the cancer patient Nazi. I just don't know if it added much to the overall tale. Additionally, the wrap up bothered me in terms of Jutta. This character, who I longed to hear from for most of the novel, fell rather short overall with a sad, but altogether too brief story.
Truly though, this was a worthwhile and better than average read. It captured quite beautifully the overall complexity of WWII. The stories, memories, and relationships all a whirlpool of sadness and strangeness.
Overall, I'd suggest you read this book.

I've never read little house on the prairie, but the character reminded me a bit of the teacher from Matilda.

This was an exceptional book. The content was a tough subject that was portrayed with all of its complexity and depth through the author's three characters. Amazing. I would definitely recommend this book to just about anyone.