spoko’s Comments (group member since Mar 05, 2021)

spoko’s comments from the EVERYONE Has Read This but Me - The Catch-Up Book Club group.

This begins our group discussion of our Classics book selection, We Have Always Lived in the Castle by Shirley Jackson, nominated by Sandra.

This discussion will be full of SPOILERS.

❧ Did you enjoy the book?
❧ Would you recommend this book to someone?
❧ What were your initial thoughts about Merricat and Constance?
❧ How did Jackson’s descriptions of the physical spaces—the Blackwood estate, etc.—affect the book for you?
❧ What questions were you left with?

The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe has been selected as the Catch-Up title for November 2025. Please feel free to continue with points from previous discussion, or bring up something new!

Do remember that this is the SPOILER thread, in case you would prefer to finish reading before proceeding here.

Thanks everyone—nominations are now closed, and the polls are open! Help us pick the next Catch-Up read by casting your vote here.

Thanks everyone—nominations are now closed, and the polls are open! Help us pick the next Classic read by casting your vote here.

Thanks everyone—nominations are now closed, and the polls are open! Help us pick the next Modern read by casting your vote here.

I second The Plague.

I second A Christmas Carol.

This begins our group discussion of our Modern book selection, The Bluest Eye by Toni Morrison, nominated by Rora.

This discussion will be full of SPOILERS.

Did you enjoy the book? What stood out to you? Morrison shows us multiple perspectives on Pecola; did your feelings about her change as you saw her through different eyes? Why do you suppose we get so little of her own perspective? What questions were you left with?

This begins our group discussion of our Classics book selection, The Legend of Sleepy Hollow by Washington Irving, nominated by Linda.

This discussion will be full of SPOILERS.

Did you enjoy the book? What stood out to you? How did Irving's writing style affect your reading pace—did you find yourself savoring the atmospheric details or wanting to skip ahead to the action? Did you find yourself rooting for Ichabod, laughing at him, or something else entirely? What questions were you left with?

Something Wicked This Way Comes has been selected as the Catch-Up title for October 2025. Please feel free to continue with points from previous discussion, or bring up something new!

Do remember that this is the SPOILER thread, in case you would prefer to finish reading before proceeding here.

I second The Nickel Boys and Kindred.

Liz~In~Colorado wrote: “Please forgive me.. I’m a little confused on the start and end date?”

The actual start date for the discussion is October 1, and it “ends” October 31 (though actually anyone is free to continue discussing it beyond that date). There will be a “spoiler” discussion thread at that point. These “spoiler-free” discussions go up early, so that people can chat about the book generally, without specifics that might spoil it for people who haven’t yet read it.

Thanks everyone—nominations are now closed, and the polls are open! Help us pick the next Catch-Up read by casting your vote here.

Thanks everyone—nominations are now closed, and the polls are open! Help us pick the next Classic read by casting your vote here.

Thanks everyone—nominations are now closed, and the polls are open! Help us pick the next Modern read by casting your vote here.

This is one of those books that I actually have read, but my embarrassment is that I don’t remember much about it! I’m not able to re-read it at the moment, but I’m planning to lurk in the discussion in the hopes that it will prompt me to re-read it, and/or to remember it better.

I second Kindred.

I nominate The Fire Next Time by James Baldwin (106 p., pub. 1963).

I nominate The Life We Bury by Allen Eskens (304 p., pub. 2014).

And I second The Namesake.

This begins our group discussion of our Modern book selection, Girl with the Pearl Earring by Tracy Chevalier, nominated by Lea.

This discussion will be full of SPOILERS.

Did you enjoy the book? What stood out to you? When you first started reading Girl with the Pearl Earring, did you have any assumptions or expectations about Griet’s story? How did those change as you read it? What questions were you left with?