Vicki’s Comments (group member since Sep 08, 2018)

Vicki’s comments from the Challenge Corner group.

Because I left for a month to Florida, I didn't want to pack my hardbacks, so I will start this one sometime during the next couple of days. I need to see what to prioritize.

Oh no!!! And it's SO long! Let me know if it changes from boring to totally doable!

I'm so sorry I've been pretty much MIA! I am finally home now but I need to write reviews, which I'll do as soon as my shoulder and back quick hurting me. I slept on a recliner all month and it took its toll on my body.

Review:https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
Pages: 288
Dr. Facilier SKULL in title
How it Fits: The letters SKULL are in the title

Review:https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
Pages: 318
Ursula Features a witch
How it Fits: features witches

Elizabeth, good luck to you and especially your mom. I hope all goes well for her.

Trisha, thanks for posting our books.

Trisha, I think you know that my shoulder is VERY PAINFUL (from my torn rotator cuff) and it's too difficult to type on my laptop, so I will post some comments here when my shoulder is better.

I totally agree with your final comments as well as your rating!

How is it so far?

Review: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
Buddy Read: https://www.goodreads.com/topic/show/... 304
Shan Yu: 'Invader' in text (pg/% & quote)
How it Fits: "he embraced the intruder" (50)

The End

(view spoiler)[I feel like the motif of the elephants came full circle. The ending is hopeful, so what started as the elephants being a symbol of unspoken memory and burdens is reframed as a kind of inheritance of strength. I love it. Their choices around family, loyalty, and identity crystalize. There's still pain, still unfinished business, but the tone shifts toward acceptance.

Yet, I think the conclusion is bittersweet. The "elephants" remain, but they no longer only are obstacles. They're witnesses, keepers of memory, and quiet companions to whatever lies ahead.

Hope I make sense. lol (hide spoiler)]

Through Ch. 34

(view spoiler)[Boy, the weight of what's been passed down is heavy on both Charlie and Sidney. Their journey is changing all the time. Some of the characters are pushing back against their heritage while others are expected to carry the "weight of the elephants."

I feel like the pacing has quickened but the emotional weight keeps the story grounded, if that makes sense. Memory isn't just about nostalgia, but it's about shaping choices in the present. (hide spoiler)]

Through Ch. 23

(view spoiler)[Charlie's refections on his wrongful conviction have really brought to light the trauma of a wrongful conviction! Interesting - that saying that elephants have a great memory makes me think here how what happened to him can never be erased/forgotten.

I see how Sidney would wonder how he could "claim" her as his daughter after all this time has gone by and he's been absent. The silent times between them speaks loud, like every unspoken word between them is an elephant in the room.

I'm thoroughly enjoying this one so far. (hide spoiler)]

Through Ch. 11

(view spoiler)[This one is trippy and super philosophical! The way it starts by introducing Charlie as the world has been totally reshaped by a surreal cataclysm of every white person in America walking into the water and drowning themselves. Ugh. But that would definitely created a new societal landscape.

I imagine the shock when Sidney calls as "Elizabeth's daughter." Not even knowing she was alive, she's half-white and lived though the self-drownings. Her spending so much time herself in isolation would've been very difficult, Their conversations are full of tension! I think due to the years of absence that Charlie feels guilt and parental obligations to her now.

I love the symbolism of the elephants in the sky! Charlie's internal conflict is evident and full of trauma. I'm curious how their trip to the South will change things. The whites are all gone, but the history is still there. The speculative fiction style is interesting too. I think the book is doing an excellent job of weaving in questions of power, identity, and meaning, especially through Charlie's eyes as a scientist and a man who's haunted by his past. He's carrying the burden of his own story AND a generational one. (hide spoiler)]

I'm here too and SO sorry for the delay. Thanks, Trisha, for letting me know about this team/thread, :)

I somehow missed this. If possible and teams still can use another player, may I please join Trisha’s team?

Finished last night but dozed off and didn't get a chance to post my final thoughts so here they are.

(view spoiler)[I had wondered all along if Julien was a "good" guy because he just seemed TOO anxious to get them to "the party" and then there wasn't even a party. I don't often like books that have cults in them and I thought in some ways that the cult of bone worshippers was a bit on the silly side. I was sad to see Val killed too even though her personality almost made her deserve it. lol I was happy that Sean and Ruby ended up together and all of the parents seemed to be more accepting now that they know what it's like to almost lose their child. In reality, what a horrible experience that would have been for everyone! (hide spoiler)]

Through Ch. 37 / pg. 262 / 75%

(view spoiler)[Oh. My. God. I did NOT expect anyone to die! The loss of Olivia crushed me. She had been steady and resourceful, and to see her die just because her inhaler slipped away...devastating. It drove home how fragile every single moment in the catacombs is.

The group feels different now. The energy shifts some. Julien is still leading, but even he's been shaken. I could feel the fear clawing at all of them, and me too! The catacombs feel like living, breathing villains!

And the action! The underwater squeezes, the near-misses, the scraping through jagged stone. It had me sitting on the edge of my seat. The atmosphere is just so claustrophobic and relentless.

And then that guy...omg! He showed up like a predator in the darkness, using the cave to his advantage. The catacombs were bad enough, but add a killer in the mix? No, thank you! Watching them fight him off and finally end it was both terrifying and a relief. But it also showed me how far they've been pushed. These kids aren't just surviving the catacombs, they're surviving the worst of humanity in them.

And, bless Sean. He's a winner and one to keep! (hide spoiler)]

Through Ch. 23 / pg. 176 / 51%

(view spoiler)[Boy, the tension really ramped up here! Ruby and the girls are still trapped in the catacombs, and the weight of being lost is really starting to press on them. They have fewer options and every step they take just seems to make the situation more desperate.

The writing makes you feel the walls closing in. The darkness, the tight air, the endless tunnels, so the fear really sinks in! Urban makes the reader (ME) feel the fear of being trapped underground. Every turn they take can be dead end. I feel like even the air feels heavy and it's hard to breathe. They have LITTLE light and I can feel the dark catacombs, the bones, the dead body (bodies), ugh. It's such a suffocating, closed-in feeling.

Ruby and Selena keep clashing. Val's boldness is cracking, and Olivia's trying to keep the peace. (Do I have all that right?) lol
Sean's chapters aboveground balance this all out because you can feel his panic and how desperate he is to get help before it's too late.

One of the scariest moments so far is when they realize they'll have to hold their breath and go through the water, with Julien leading them. Trusting Julien in that moment adds another layer of fear. You just don't know if he's leading them to safety or into more danger.

Sean staying behind after his dad ordered him to come home proves just how much Ruby really does mean to him. I hope his dad is more forgiving! (hide spoiler)]

Jamie, you and Alaina are doing an awesome job for us! Don't stress...it's only a game and meant to be FUN! :)

Thanks for posting a book for me, Alaina. :) I have a few reviews to do and I'll try to get them done today.

That's cool, thanks. I wasn't able to read more yesterday so I'm getting back to it now. :)