Lexi’s Comments (group member since Jul 27, 2016)

Lexi’s comments from the Nothing But Reading Challenges group.

DAY 3 DQ'S CHAPTERS 20-30

10. "Art is coincidence. Love is Chaos."
"Art is a small break from human despair."

Do you agree? Discuss these quotes in relation to the book and real life in general.
Love can also be stability and being there. You see that in this book for the parents who are not there and consistent. I also think art takes practice and that is seen in this book. It is a good sound bite I guess.

11. We still don't know the artist's real name and now we find out he isn't even in the picture! What do you think is the author's intention in regards to the Artist's role throughout the novel? And how about the significance of the title of the picture, " The One of the Sea instead of the Artist's thoughts it should have been called, The Boys and Her?
I thought they should have given him a name earlier. The artist got a little annoying to read over and over. I think it made him into more of a idea than a person and kind of this tragic figure especially as everyone was in love with someone and being tragic about it for life despite being 15.

12. Louise asks Ted, "Were you two a couple?" In light of how the relationship is written were you surprised by his answer?
No, I wasn't. See above on the whole tragic, loving someone who did not love them really got on my nerves.

13. This novel is full of big emotions, real life hardships, death and tragedy but connected and possibly redeemed by the beauty in meaningful and fragile human relationships. The Artist and his friends, Christian and the Artist, Ted and the Artist, Ali and Joar, Ted and Louisa, Fish and Louisa... Which relationship has made the most impression on you? Which one do you think is pivotal to the storyline?
I wasn’t that invested in most of the relationships. I was just kind of over this book for most of it.

14. Chapter 30 - Louisa leaves the picture then gets off the train when Ted is asleep. Did you see that happening, what do you think will happen next? Ted and Louisa reconnecting or big tragedy? (More tissues needed!)
I we had to have more drama than them just riding the train to the end of the line. That they would get back together was obvious since that was the framing structure for the story being told.

Day 1, Chapters 1-11 (1-18%)

1. Warm-up question: have you read any other books by Fredrik Backman before? If yes, what do you like/dislike about his themes/style, etc?
I liked his older books (Ove, Grandmother) but not Anxious people or this one. I like the humor but found the last ones a little overdone.

2. In the first chapter we are introduced to quite a memorable auction scene with super-rich people who all want to possess THE PAINTING, though their intentions are questionable. Did this make you think of some similar events happening in the world right now?
I know people use paintings for money trafficking or at least it is used as plot device in books and it makes sense as not trackable as much as cash. The lack of sense of place I think was a detriment to this book as it always seemed to start commenting on a topic without committing.

3. "Artists vs Normal People" - another aspect of these first chapters is the great divide between true artists and normal people. Backman seems to suggest that most people don't/cannot get true art and artists are so much more different (possibly better people?). Do you agree with this? Or is it a generalisation?
I found most of the art part an overgeneralization and a lot of “us” and finding one and only comparing it to the rich types and not other types of creation and passion.

4. In a sequence of weird events, Louisa ends up in possession of The Painting.
Any guesses what may happen to her and to it?
I have finished reading so no guesses.

Bonus Q: do you have a favourite artist or a favourite piece of painting/sculpture?
I have a particular fondest for Mesopotamian votive statues that have the giant eyes and Indus cattle statues. If I was really rich and had real art, I would want a tiny cow.

DQs Day 1: Chapter 1 -5
1) Do you have any expectations going in? This book is one of the 6 novels up for the Hugo award for Best Novel this year: https://www.thehugoawards.org/hugo-hi.... Did you know that and do you try to read the Hugo books or winners or have no interactions with the awards?
I have read three of the 6, including this one. I plan to read 2 more and there is one I am not interested in. I usually follow each year to see who won and will often try to novel and novella winner if I have not already read it.

2) What do you think of the world building so far? Are then any particular details that stand out and if this is a reread, is anything standing out more on your re-read this early in the story? (please use spoiler tags if applicable)
It has been fun on the reread to see how it is introduced and how it isn't a large info dump but gradually introduced. I also have seen some clues I missed on the first read as I didn't know the "solution" then to the mystery.

3) So this runs right up to the edge/ crosses over into body horror between the murder scene and modifications to people? Do you read body horror or books with that theme in it? Do you have any favorites?
I really like What Moves the Dead and The Hollow Places by T. Kingfisher, which has mild body horror. It is the type I am mostly likely to read of horror, where strange things are happening and can include some dismemberment.

4) Does your version have a map? If it does, did you look at before reading or at any point when reading this first section? Do you like maps in books? (Map under spoiler if you were audio only)
(view spoiler)

I am reading the ebook so I did look at the map this second time. It is a ring based map so very easy to read and it was fun to find the second book's location on the map.

DQs Day 1: Chapter 1 -5

1) Do you have any expectations going in? This book is one of the 6 novels up for the Hugo award for Best Novel this year: https://www.thehugoawards.org/hugo-hi.... Did you know that and do you try to read the Hugo books or winners or have no interactions with the awards?

2) What do you think of the world building so far? Are then any particular details that stand out and if this is a reread, is anything standing out more on your re-read this early in the story? (please use spoiler tags if applicable)

3) So this runs right up to the edge/ crosses over into body horror between the murder scene and modifications to people? Do you read body horror or books with that theme in it? Do you have any favorites?

4) Does your version have a map? If it does, did you look at before reading or at any point when reading this first section? Do you like maps in books? (Map under spoiler if you were audio only)
(view spoiler)[ (hide spoiler)]

Thanks for taking one for the team, Melanie

I found a book that works for X and Day of the Dead. If someone has one that works for either of those, I’ll add it to the other task.

Intinerary eight is done. Books can now be finished for the next itinerary. Happy reading

In my Nigeria book, one of the MC’s is a sculptor if someone else has a Nigerian author they want to read

Please hold off finishing any hard country until one more medium country is finished. If anyone finishes a medium country before I do, please feel free to switch itinerary spots.

Have you read Finna? A bit short for this challenge but it and the second one are my all time favorite on this theme.

Yay, I only have a week left to read the BOM. I will read it on the plane tomorrow.

Thank you, Suzanne

Hard countries can be read again as we are on to our 8th itinerary. That is very impressive. Each itinerary must have three medium books, so I moved some books around to make sure there was 3 medium ones in this next round. Books will still be moved around as people finish them.

Erin and Ann, you both have a Estonia book. Please make sure that both do not occur in the same itinerary or we won't be able to count both.

Sorry, work has been hard. I am off to a conference next week, which will have the usual increase in reading associated with sitting around in airports. However, it is only in Canada so no 18 hour flights thankfully.

I’ll finish my Iran book tonight but please hold off finishing hard countries until I do.

I’ve got them all added to the spreadsheet, thank you. Hope you are enjoying your reading

Erin *Proud Book Hoarder* wrote: "Suzanne wrote: "I finished my Dragon Prince audiobook and will listen to The Poisonwood Bible next. BUT - I'm not sure what country to put. I believe when our team read it earlier, we p..."

Yes, good catch. Suzanne, I have changed it to the DRC and it is our second one so all good there.

Suzanne, I DNF’d Into Thin Air so you can read your Nepal book whenever. It was a bit too much detail on a topic I wasn’t that interested in.

Cathy, I’m so sorry. Seconding, do whatever you need to take care of yourself and family

Happy Month 3 reading everyone. We are impressively in 2nd place and read more books as a team in the last month than the first month. Great job, everyone