bookloversnest’s Comments (group member since May 01, 2015)

bookloversnest’s comments from the Tea and Tales with Cate and Allison group.

Ohhhh, I'd love to read The Crucible! I've been waiting to re-read it for ages now! And Carry On would be a great pick! I'll also throw out A Step Toward Falling by Cammie McGovern. I just read it, and it's amazing! I think we'd have some great discussions!

Hey book lovers!

I hope you all enjoyed The Storied Life of A.J. Fikry! This book seemed pretty perfect for us book lovers, and I don't know about all of you, but I definitely cried during a few parts. Here are some questions to kick off our discussion!

1. Why do you think the author chooses to set the book on an island? How does the island setting reflect A.J.’s character?

2. The author chooses to begin each chapter with a description of a short story. What are some of the ways the stories relate to the chapters they are paired with? Why is A.J. compiling these stories and for whom? If these are A.J.’s favorites, what do they say about A.J. as a reader and as a man?

3. Did you find Ismay’s motivations for stealing Tamerlane to be forgivable? How do you think she should pay for her crime? Why do you think Lambiase lets her off?

4. At one point, Maya speculates that perhaps “your whole life is determined by what store you get left in” (page 85). Is it the people or the place that makes the difference?

5. When did you become aware that Leon Friedman might be an imposter? What did you make of Leonora Ferris’s reasons for hiring him?

6. How do you think Daniel Parrish might have changed if he had lived? Do you think some people never change?

7. Were you surprised by the outcome of the short story contest? What do you think of A.J.’s comments to Maya about why certain books and stories win prizes and others don't?

8. Compare Maya’s “fiction” about the last day of her mother’s life to Ismay’s version. Which do you consider to be more accurate and why?

9. How do you think the arrival of the e-reader is related to the climax of the story? Is A.J. a man who cannot exist in a world with e-books? What do you think of e-books? Do you prefer reading in e-book form or on paper?

10. At one point, A.J. asks Maya, “Is a twist less satisfying if you know it’s coming? Is a twist that you can’t predict symptomatic of bad construction?” What do you think of this statement in view of the plot of The Storied Life of A. J. Fikry? Did you guess who Maya’s father was? If so, what were the clues?

11. The author chooses to end the novel with a new sales rep coming to an Island Books that is no longer owned by A.J. What do you make of this ending?

12. What do you think the future holds for physical books and bookstores?

13. What do you think of the novel's temporal jumps? It doesn't cover each period or moment with much depth. Does this work in the novel's favor?

14. What do you think of Amy's decision not to tell A.J. that The Late Bloomer is a work of fiction?

15. Is it more important to find out the answer (i.e. who Maya's father is) or to see the affect on the character's lives?

16. A.J. says he doesn't believe in fate but does believe in narrative construction. How do these play out in the novel?

That's so awesome, Dory!! Did you enjoy it? I finished earlier this week and loved it! I can't wait to read Lair of Dreams.

Yay Lisa!! I'm so glad you're here, my sweet Instagram BFF!

Casey, The Hotsy Totsy chapter is so good! One of my absolute favorites! It's so alive - you can practically feel the music pulsing!

Casey, The Hotsy Totsy chapter is so good! One of my absolute favorites! It's so alive - you can practically feel the music pulsing!

How's everyone doing with The Diviners? I am totally swept up in the roarin twenties, and I want to be BFFs with Evie, Sam, Mabel, Jericho, Theta, Henry, Memphis - everyone! Re-reading it, I'm completely awestruck by just how good Libba Bray is with historical fiction. There are so many elements to this book, and it fits into so many categories (mystery, supernatural, fantasy, etc.) that it can be easy to lose sight of the history. But you never do! It's just at atmospheric as other rich historical novels while also having such fun and engaging characters and a twisted plot that keeps you guessing.

What has struck/interested you in The Diviners? Who else wants to bob their hair, put on a flapper dress, and go dancing?!

Casey, I totally agree! This book definitely gets a bit scary. When I read before going to bed, I can't stop after a Naughty John chapter. He's too creepy!

I really wish we all lived close to each other so that when we finished, we could throw a Diviners party! Get out your flapper dresses and your ouija boards!

I just started re-reading The Diviners, and oh my word, I'm already completely back in the roarin' 20s! I keep finding myself using Eve's expressions, like "It's all Jake!" and "Posi-tute-ly!" Has anyone else started yet?

Yes, I really hope so, too! Do we know when the sequel is coming out? From IG, it looks like she's currently writing something right now!

It basically means that you help put together the questions for that month's book discussion. Either Cate or I will start the thread, and then the co-host posts his/her questions. I hope that helps! Take a look at the A Darker Shade of Magic discussion thread to see how Casey and Cate co-hosted. :)

Hey everyone!

Looks like we'll be reading The Storied Life of A.J. Fikry for September! This has been on my TBR list for a while, so I'm excited to finally read it. If you're interested in co-hosting this month's book discussion, please just let me know! We loved co-hosting with Casey last month, and we'd love to co-host with YOU!

Allison

Welcome welcome to all of you newbies who've found your way here! We're so delighted to have you and can't wait to get to know you better! Don't forget to vote in the September book poll. We're going to announce the book tomorrow!

Hey everyone!

Cate and I thought it would be fun to add a section for buddy reads. These are more informal and less structured than the monthly book discussions, and there's no pressure to participate. But if you see a buddy read you'd like to join, or if there's one you want to add, go ahead and post here! Each buddy read will have its own thread where you and anyone else who is participating can write comments as you read, ask questions, and discuss whatever you want!

Our first buddy read will be The Dinvers and Lair of Dreams by Libba Bray. We're planning to read these through September, but we can take longer depending on what participants want. So far, Dory, Cate, and I will be reading these together, and we'd love to have you join us!

Happy reading!

Allison

Hi Casey (and everyone)!

These are such thoughtful questions! I actually had to take some time to think them over before I posted my response. Thanks for provoking such a great discussion!

I loved seeing the different Londons! What a unique and interesting idea, and seeing the city from so many different perspectives was amazing. I loved them all for different reasons, and I can't wait to see Black London in an upcoming book (fingers crossed)! White London was really intriguing, and I would have liked to see more of it. It seemed liked the most complex, and I think Schwab could have flushed it out a bit more. I got Grey London in the quiz, and no surprise that I love it! It's so Dickensian!

I thought the characters were OK. Kell and Lila made for a great pair, and I loved them together. I thought some of the secondary characters were a bit weaker (like Rhy and even Hollard). I think Schwab could have added more depth to make them less one note.

My biggest problem with the book is that it shatters suspension of disbelief quite a few times, which felt frustrating and annoying to me. Whether it was something simple (like why Lila didn't take the other coins/items she'd stolen before burning down the ship) or something big (like how Kell knew he was actually able to build a door to Black London and send Holland through it), there were a lot of unanswered questions and unexplained circumstances. To me, this feels like sloppy writing, and it's kind of a betrayal to the reader. The reader and writer essentially have a contract: I'll suspend my disbelief and go along with your fiction as long as it is consistent and makes sense within the world you create. And I think Schwab breaks that contract, which felt like a letdown to me.

What did everyone else think? Are you excited for the sequel?

I got Grey London! I like to think it's because I'm sensible, steadfast, and inventive.

Hey everyone!

As we approach September, it's time to book our next book! If you have any suggestions, please leave them here so that we can include them in September's poll!

Hopefully you can join us in August! :)

Hey book lovers! I hope you've all had a chance to finish Caitlin Moran's How to Build a Girl. This definitely seems to be a more controversial book than Mosquitoland, and I've loved hearing your opinions on Instagram! What did you all think of How to Build a Girl? Did you like or dislike it? Why or why not?

Here are some more in-depth questions to get our discussion going:

-Music is featured throughout How to Build a Girl, from Johanna/Dolly's father and family to the concerts she attends and the music reviews. What role does music play in the narrative? How does it connect to Johanna's journey to recreate her identity and find herself? What is the significance of Johanna only reviewing bands she hates?

-What role does Johanna's family, particularly her father, play in the book? How do they limit or help create her identity and sense of self?

-How does Johanna use humor to frame and understand her experiences? Does it help her deal with painful or difficult situations? Do you think humor is more of a defense mechanism or a weapon for her?

-Are Johanna's frequent book and movie references similar to or different from her relationship with music? Do these shape and affect her in the same way as music?

-What is the significance of Johanna literally renaming herself when forming her new identity? Does the name "Dolly Wilde" have any particular meaning? If so, what?

-There is a lot of about womanhood, feminism, and the struggle to create a female identity in How to Build a Girl. What does the book illuminate about these subjects through Johanna's experiences? How do Johanna's struggles and changes affect your views of these subjects? Ultimately, do you think How to Build a Girl is a feminist novel? If so, is it successful?

-What obstacles does Johanna encounter when trying to enter a male-dominated field? How does she handle these, and is she successful? Do you think a male journalist would have gotten in trouble for the John Kite article she wrote?

-How does Johanna's particular style shape and drive her identity? What is the significance of clothing in terms of marking and categorizing ourselves in society?

-On page 319, when talking about creating her identity and embracing herself, Johanna reflects, "And you will be quite on your own when you do all this. There is no academy where you can learn to be yourself; there is no line manager slowly urging you toward the correct answer. You are a midwife to yourself, and will give birth to yourself, over and over, in dark rooms, alone." What is the significance of Johanna's musings here? Do you agree or disagree with her sentiments?