Rebekah’s Comments (group member since Jun 22, 2013)

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

13. How do you feel about Rachel using Amelias hair for her wig? I was a little unsure about that whole situation. It just didnt seem realistic to me.

It was realistic, but it was sick how she justified it and wore it. Super bizarre really

14. Even though Rachel has been through a terrible ordeal I felt as if a lot of the choices that she made were very selfish. Did anyone else feel this way?

Yes, I thought she was a brat during a lot of the book

15. Are you alright with Rachel giving Dr. Solomon the lethal dose of morphine that would kill her? Even though Dr Solomon asked for it?

I wasn't alright when Rachel was being a psychopath and was going to make her know she held her life in her hands. I think how it happened in the moment was okay, though.

16. Do you think the terrible way Dr Solomon used the babies in her experiment was amplified because she was a woman?

I don't think so. People underestimate the role authority plays in people's lives, especially in this time frame. She was doing what every other successful esteemed doctor and researcher was doing.

17. Rachel struggles with her feelings towards Dr Solomon in the end even going so far as to say the doctor saved her from the cancer she caused. Do you agree with this?

Rachel was running and hiding from a lot of her own life, and seeing Dr. Solomon on her death bed gave her a needed kick in the pants to make things right, because life is short and complicated.

18. Did you have an idea that Naomi was Rachels lover? How do you feel about Rachel lying to her for all these years and finally coming clean about what she did?

Yes, that was obvious, but I thought Naomi had broken up with her and moved to Florida.

19. Did you enjoy the book? Would you read the next book by this author?
I did enjoy the book. It was obviously well researched and about a particular time and cultural group that is (apparently from my experience) ignored in American history. I would read more by this author.

6. (from Caly) I was wondering how people felt about the fact that Rachael is obviously a Lesbian?

It was interesting to consider, especially during that particular historical period

7. (from Caly) Where you surprised about what Rachel did to Naomi?

Yes! But more so, cutting Amelia's hair. Rachel is such a brat at this point

8. Rachel has started to withhold Morphine and intends to make Dr Solomon apologise. How do you feel about this?

She is pretty sick and messed up

9. I like that in this book we get to see medical practices across two different time periods, not that long ago, that are quite different from today (I hope!). For example, the examination with Dr Feldman in Rachel's present is so different to similar examinations that I have had, and surgery these days is a last resort. I was quite shocked about the invasive and excessive surgery he decided to book her in for without any discussion about it, or agreement. Thoughts?

It was not a good place to be a woman back in time not so long ago. The medical profession was dominated by males and they didn't even really study or research treatments for women illnesses. For male illnesses, they just assumed women were "little men" and lessened the dosage for weight, not taking into account hormones or genes or anything. His attitude and treatment of her seemed right on.

10. I found it interesting that Rachel was happy to be "egg" for a few years, but suddenly becomes aware of how she looks and wants to wear the hat. Do you think this is a natural consequence of going through puberty / growing up?

I think she was glad to be accepted part of a group even having a nickname, after her isolation in the infant home. Only when she realized she wasn't meeting traditional gender standards at teenage years and that her worth was based on her attractiveness to males, did she become self-conscious

11. Did you expect Sam to encourage her to stay with their uncle? I was shocked that they would even consider a marriage between a blood relative.

Most of the males were pigs in this book. I don't think Sam knew how to help her though. It did seem a big shock from how we reacted at the dance to this part of the story.

1. This is the first novel that the Author Kim van Alkemade has published. Is there a reason you chose to read this book other than the fact that it is the BoM?

I love historical fiction, books about children, books about orphans, social work, etc. But the BoM was first I had heard about it.

2. I was shocked to find that the book was based on true events! There is a section in the back of my book with pictures and historic facts. Did you know about The Orphaned Hebrew's Home before reading this book?

No! And I am kinda annoyed. I know quite a lot about this era and how children were treated. I have a masters in social work so we studied the history pretty well, but it must have been pretty Caucasian-focused, b/c I never heard about the huge and successful Jewish social services. That is pretty awful honestly.

4. And another one:Was Dr. Solomon wrong to use Rachel in her experimental study of the X-ray tonsillectomy?
YES. This part of the book was disgusting. If Rachel had been sick, it would have been disgusting but more justifiable (i.e one treatment versus another) but to just experiment on healthy children without understanding the risks is sick.

I'm in!

Yes, the last few chapters I could not stop reading! I don't usually like this type of YA book, but this one was great, smart, likable characters, not sexist. :D I want to read the next one.

I finished this one! I really liked it - 4 stars!

Questions March 13th
Chapters 2 & 3

9) At the beginning of chapter 2 Jess realizes he went from being one of the best of his group to being simply average (or lower) than most. How do you think this realization will impact his behavior? Or do you think he'll take it in stride?
Jess is tough & a survivor. I think his father and brother have made him that way on purpose.
10) What do you think of the Doctrine of Mirroring and the Doctrine of Ownership? Good or bad for society?
It is kind of an interesting dilemma. The right to freedom of speech vs. protecting society from dangerous information falling into the hands of the wrong people.
11) Do you think the Iron Tower/Obscurists will end up being an important plot thread? Any guesses as to how or why?
The Iron Tower sounds like a prison. I don't think it is good to be an Obscurist.
12) How much of Jess's family history/activities do you think Wolfe knows? Do you think he knows about Jess's recent nocturnal activities?
Wolfe seems like he knows a lot. He also reminds me of Professor Snape in HP. He is acting tough but is he really protecting Jess?
13) I guess we now know what Jess's specialty is. Any thoughts on why Wolfe didn't want him talking about how the testing in the office went with the other students? Others don't need to be secret squirrel about their specialties? Why do you think this talent is so special or hush-hush?
Probably b/c it makes you ill or there is a price to pay for doing it, or you get locked as a slave in the Iron Tower

I did flip through my Kindle to the soundtrack, that is pretty cool! I love Dropkick Murphy's!

Chapter 1

That is a great idea to keep up a tally of the books mentioned!

I am really enjoying this one so far. I have never read this author before.

The book-running and Jess's "family" seems very mafia-ish to me. Especially with Brendan going into the family business and being more violent than Jess. I thought their twin brother relationship was fascinating and that Brendan was somewhat protective of Jess. I hope there is more of their relationship in the future!

I thought it was set in Victorian London times and the runners/cutters was very Oliver Twist/Artful Dodger!

I didn't even process the name Jess as anything but a boy's name lol, I guess maybe it's more common where I am from as short for Jesse?

The background history of the library is cracking me up! Gutenberg being killed and the Americans getting rebellious!

I thought the eating of the book was a little over-the-top and was laughing at its weirdness at first. But then the dude's explanation of how some people do trophy game hunting to kill the last endangered animal, really sobered me up. He is right, there are sickos like that out there, even now. I thought that was a great modern example for the author to throw in.

I can't wait to see where this one goes!

I just got this one off hold! Yay!

I got this one off of hold just in time! I'm in!

Oh man, I just finished the BOM where I wrote discussion questions!

Would that have put us over the top? :)

Haha just kidding!

Great game guys! I hope to play with you again soon and I liked getting to see what some folks were reading this year!

It should be there!

Different Seasons - 692 pp - 4 stars - 1/23/16
Author: Stephen King
Goal: NA

GRs Rating: 4.32
Genre: classics, drama, fantasy, fiction, horror, literature-american, mystery, short-stories, suspense, thriller
Cover: trees, train tracks
Date Published: 8.27.1982
Other: 4 novellas, made into movies

The Son of Neptune - 513 pp - 4 stars - 1/16/16

Goal: Characters eat pizza
"Wind nymphs zipped around the room, delivering orders of pizza..." (Loc 5521, page 493)

I think we should win an award for weirdest goals!

The Hound of the Baskervilles
Author: Arthur Conan Doyle
Date Read: 1/15/16
Pages: 256 pp
Goal: N/A

Main Characters: Charles Baskerville, Henry Baskerville, Dr. John Watson, James Mortimer, John Barrymore, Eliza Barrymore, Jack Stapleton, Beryl Stapleton, Laura Lyons, Sherlock Holmes
GR Rating: 4.06
Genre: classics, european-literature-british-literature, fiction, mystery, mystery-crime, mystery-detective, novels, thriller, thriller-mystery-thriller,
Setting: Devon, England (United Kingdom); London, England (United Kingdom)
Date Published: 3/25/1902
Misc Info: moors, hound, murder

We have used all of our Uprooted? That was a BOM

When Things Fall Apart: Heart Advice for Difficult Times
Author: Pema Chodron
Pages: 164 pp
3 stars
Date Read: 1/5/16
Goal: NA

GRs Rating: 4.28
Genre: buddhism-zen, health, inspirational, non-fiction, philosophy-eastern-philosophy, psychology,religion, self-help, self-help-personal-development, spirituality
Cover: trees with yellow leaves
Date Published: 9/14/2010
Misc. Info: spiritual, wisdom

6-Jan VII: The Follower - VIII: An Arrangement

Q16: "I'd rather die on an adventure than live standing still." - Lily. This appears to be Lily's philosophy on life. What do you think of this quote/worldview? Are you similar?

Q17: It seems as if we know the least about Lily and her background at this point. We know more about Kell, Holland, Rhys, etc. Do you think she has a back story that will be fleshed out more? Or is she just going to stay the sole plucky sassy female character? Any theories?

Q18: Do you like the writing style of constantly switching point-of-view between characters between chapters?

Q19: Holland seems very ruthless. Why do you think he did not kill Kell? Or did he intend to?

Q20: Does the stone remind anyone of any other story? (The ring in Lord of the Rings immediately came to mind, and the horcruxes in Harry Potter). Do you think the stone CAN be destroyed? Will Kell be able to do it?

I was looking at our goalless books for that "banned" book goal, but don't really know how to search. I was looking at top shelves at some likely contenders, but didn't find any.