Kris’s Comments (group member since Oct 28, 2016)

Kris’s comments from the JPathon group.

Here we can discuss chapters 9 through 12.

Here we can discuss chapters 5 through 8.

Here we can discuss the prologue up to and including chapter 4.

Overall I thought this book was pretty good. It definitely was my least favorite of Jodi's books thus far. I just feel like it was extremely far fetched. The story did keep me interested.

I feel like Jane seeing the news the night Oliver confesses his love for her was another crazy scenario in this book. Not once did it ever mention her watching the news. I think that Jane was being extremely unreasonable when she needs Sam tell Hadley to leave. Personally I think Sam should have stood up to her and said no he is my best friend and I am not making him leave, he belongs here.

Through out these chapters Oliver seems arrogant and entitled. The more I read from his point of view the more I do not like him. I didn't like the fact that Sam knew what had happened to Jane at the hands of her father without having to say it. I feel like if she had to say it it would be more moving.

I had a feeling when Oliver heard about the whale that he was going to pick saving the whale above finding his family, which was what this whole trip was about in the first place. I think we are going to find out more about Joley and Jane's relationship as brother and sister. Something just doesn't seem quite right. It may be the simple fact that Joley only had Jane to take care of and take care of him throughout his whole life.

I surprisingly liked hearing sweet stories about Oliver when Rebecca was a baby. Though the circumstances were absolutely ridiculous I liked when Oliver finally had his epiphany and I hoped it was the real thing. I'm not sure since I seen him be so manipulative in some of the past chapters. I really loved reading Jane's take on meeting Sam. I found it sad when Jane said that she only identified herself as a mother and a wife. I think Sam was extremely harsh to Jane when they first arrived. It was like he was taking his frustrations from girls in high school out on her because she was from Newton, where many of the girls who thought they were too good for him were from.

I immediately started to dislike Jane when she admitted that she got pregnant on purpose. It started to change my whole outlook on her side of the story. I hate that all the blamed Jean for him physically abusing her. In chapter 41 there's a quote that said "She had driven me to such a point that I hit her." For a while throughout the story I was afraid the Jane had suffered sexual abuse at the hand of her father along with the physical abuse. I feel like that explains a lot about her acting more like a child figure when it comes to her relationships with Rebecca and Joley.

I had a feeling there was more behind the scenes to Oliver and Jane's relationship. I also had a feeling that there was more abuse going on such as verbal and physical abuse. I really wish Jodi did more back to back point of view chapters like she did with Rebecca and Jane at the plane crash site.

My only thoughts throughout these chapters are that I find all of our extremely manipulative. I hope Jane doesn't go back with him but it already seems like she is going to.

I think my favorite point of view throughout these chapters is Rebecca. A lot of the time she seems more like Jane's mom than her daughter. I'm still not understanding Sam and Jane's relationship at this point in the story. The scenarios that keep happening are just ridiculous and completely out of reach.

Excellent observations Kat! I couldn't agree more!

I liked hearing Rebecca's thoughts on their family trip to Bermuda even though she was only five. It showed how differently people perceive different situations. I find that Rebecca is wise beyond her years or at least seems extremely more streetsmart than her mom.

Quote That stuck out to me:
"He knows exactly what he wants, and he goes and gets it. You may not want the same thing, but he still a step ahead of you "

I'm not comfortable with Hadley and Rebecca's relationship throughout these chapters. I don't feel a 25-year-old should be dating someone who is 15. Throughout all these chapters I found myself wishing the book was written in chronological order instead of jumping back-and-forth. At this point in time I am liking this book the least out of all of Jodi's books that I have read.

Yes!!! I started wishing he would have money with each letter or something too!!

Thoughts on these chapters:

For some reason aI found myself getting extremely confused on the time sequence of things, I'm not sure why. I love that you can tell that Jodi does a ton of research on the topics she writes about. Joley's letter about the wave machine made me so sad. It made me think that Jane was probably taking Rebecca and running so she wouldn't be subjected to the things that Jane and Joley were while growing up.

Interesting fact I learned:
1. Whales don't have vocal cords.

Something that stuck out to me:
"We watch in silence as split skin heals and bruises diffuse, Still, there will be scars."

My random thoughts for these chapters:

During these chapters I though Jane was a bit naive. I just didn't find the scenarios realistic. Maybe it's just the day and age and how I grew up, but I don't see running away with your 15 year old daughter and staying in a random town with some random person realistic in any way. I do like where I think the story is going though. I feel like if it is going where I think a lot of interesting things are going to pop up.

Interesting fact I learned:
1. Humpback whales start singing before migration.

here are some of my thoughts on these chapters :)

I feel like the first 5 chapters were very one sided (jane), though she doesn't seem to have the best perception of herself. I find that that whole her hitting Oliver situation was strange, because he did hit her at one point, yet she was making a much larger deal of her doing it. I'm sure there is going to a backstory as to why, and I can't wait to find out. There seems to be some history of abuse in her family when she was young, so maybe that is why? Guess we will find out.

Some things I found interesting in these chapters:
1. Only the male whales sing.
2. That the singing is a possible method of attracting females.
3. That it may be a way to attract other males in order to fight them.

Ok everyone we have decided to split our first read Songs of the Humpback Whale into 5 chapters per day, though feel free to read it at any speed you'd like.