Corinne’s Comments (group member since Jun 18, 2009)

Corinne’s comments from the Curl Up with a Good Book - - Club group.

I finally finished the joy luck club. It took me a while but I feel it was definitely a worthwhile read. Let me know if anyone wants to discuss this book.

I vote that we move this book club onto reading "The Joy Luck Club" by Amy Tan. How do you feel? Votes? Suggestions? Volunteers to lead the discussion?

WOW! Obviously the book is moving...and emotional. I didn't relate to the whole "out of body" experience that she shared with Ruth. What the heck was that about? I followed the book and found it normal for everything else, except when she happened to borrow Ruth's body. What did you take away from that?

phew...I finished. I made myself sit down and finish the book. Of course, there were more tears, and more tears, and more tears slowing the whole reading process.

Kristen,
I'll do a new chain with my spoiler thoughts. Let me know what you thought!

I finally picked up this book again last night after months of not feeling motivated to read it. I just knew it would make me sad. I'm back in it now and working towards the finish line!

Here's a thread for us to share our thoughts on Lovely Bones! I'll share more when I have a chance to pick the book up again. The opening was sad. What's with this group and picking sad books???

I moved My Sister's Keeper to the "Read" shelf for the group and added Lovely Bones to the "Currently Reading" shelf. I've started it, but don't understand how Kristen read it so fast. I weeped in the first 15 pages!

Phew! I finished The Russian Concubine. It was a tough one to stay interested in, but did pick up at the end. Check out my review of the book. Can everyone see that?

If anyone else finishes we can start a dialogue to discuss...OR stick out our tongues and move on to the next one. Lovely Bones!

I've made it past the 200 page mark! I'm getting more and more into it... I have problems with the third person narrative. It seems that sometime the narrator is in Chang's head and sometimes the narrator is in Lydia's head, but always speaking in the third person. It just throws me off a bit.

Sounds like a great plan, Kristen! (to be completely out of order...) I'm looking forward to Lovely Bones.

If I finish the Russian Concubine first, you can borrow mine.

I'm on page 60 of The Russian Concubine... It's a pretty intense start, a little complicated for sleepy bed time reading, but I'm being sucked in and looking forward to this read. Anyone else reading this one?

Awesome! I'll be starting The Russian Concubine tonight at the airport waiting for my flight to leave.....darn weather delays.

Samantha wrote: "I'm not sure why the author included Campbell saying that he has no doubt Anna will be amazing 10 years from now. "

I liked that part because it gave me an uplifting sense that people were recognizing Anna for Anna and not as Kate's donor.

Samantha wrote: "I feel that the end could have been a little slower and that the author could have drawn out the process of actually deciding whether to pull the plug on Anna or not, instead of Campbell making the decision so quickly. "

I was proud of Campbell for making the decision so quickly. I think it showed that he and the Fitzgerald's learned a lot about Anna and their responsibilities as guardians in her life.

I have not read either of these books.. But Adrian is more than half-way through The Joy Luck Club and suggested I read it. It's got a lot of mother-daughter relationships... that he thinks every girl can relate to.

I picked up The Russian Concubine because it takes place in China and we just went there!

funny...I did exactly this same thing..start a thread for spolier discussions, but it didn't show up... I don't know where it went. Thanks for being our "discussion" leader.

Here are my comments. I balled through the last 20 pages! I wasn't angry about the car accident, but super sad...I had a feeling when Brian's pager went off that Anna was going to be in that MVA. Does that mean it was predictable?

I liked Sam's comment that Kate nor Anna could really "live" without a sacrifice from the other, so the author had to do something. I think the entire book, including the ending was very well written. I don't think the car accident was a cop out, but a lesson to all of us, and to the Fitzgerald's that life is fragile and unpredictable - for everyone.

There is happiness in the ending for the married couple, for Jesse getting his act together, for Kate graduating highschool and knowing that her sister is a part of her, and for all of us who learned that life should be "lived".

I'm suggesting two books for our NEXT book:

The Russian Concubine
or
The Joy Luck Club

They are both on the group bookshelf, take a peek, and cast your vote!

Now that I've finished the book, Anna is my favorite. There is a lot more to her than I gave her credit for.

I can definitely understand how this book would make a pregnant woman cry all the way through. I think I stored it up for the end. I balled through the last 20 pages. My tears were streaming so fluidly I couldn't see the pages!

I'm on page 300 of my copy (3/4 of the way through) and it finally made me cry on the train this morning. I won't give anything away to those who haven't begun or gotten this far, but I'm thoroughly enjoying the book!

All the characters are great. Jodi P. does a most wonderful job developing them, flashing back into their minds, and showing us their perspectives. If I have to pick one.

My favorite character is Brian for his calm and collectedness. I suppose you expect that from a career firefighter, but I appreciate his acceptance and support of Anna's viewpoints.