Chava’s Comments (group member since Dec 19, 2013)

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

Finished

Søren Sveistrup
528 pages
completed: 12/11/2019

I'll have The chestnut man finished soon, but holding off until I know when the next week starts

Lucy wrote: "Chava wrote: "This has nothing to do with books, but you guys are so awesome and I just wanted to share something amazing with you guys. We are fostering a little girl who has been with us since sh..."

that is so cute! I live in Australia though and we're about to hit summer. I am so touched by your gesture, but could you give it to a homeless shelter or a women's refuge? They will be in greater need than I am. You are amazing, Lucy! Thank you so much!!!

Sally906 wrote: "Chava that is amazing - can fully understand how reading was put to one side today."

thanks :). We're so excited that she's doing so well despite her hard start in life

This has nothing to do with books, but you guys are so awesome and I just wanted to share something amazing with you guys. We are fostering a little girl who has been with us since she was a few days old. She wasn't doing well at all. She was losing weight, not turning to noises, etc. Now at 8 months old, she is meeting her milestones and she started crawling today! My other 4 (bio) kids were cheering her on. I feel so lucky even though not much reading was done today

finished

Stephen King
496 pages
finished: 11/08/2019

Chava wrote: "Erin *Proud Book Hoarder* wrote: "Lindsay, are you going to answer some questions for The Chestnut Man? You marked it completed, but without at least two days of Q&A to link to, we can't count it a..."

make that 3 days worth of questions in :)
I'm at chapter 64

Day 3 DQ's– Chapters 39-62

11. Steen finds out from Kristine's friend Mathilde that they didn't make Chestnut Men last year like Rosa said. Do you think Rosa was just mistaken when she told the police Kristine made and sold them or that she purposely lied? What were her intentions if you think she lied - did she just want the cops to get out and leave her grieving family in peace, or do you think she knows something about the chestnut men and/or the killer?
I think she didn't really think about it and wanted to get rid of the police. I am not suspicious...yet

12. Both victims families were reported to Social Services through an anonymous tip and evidence of sexual/child abuse are later discovered. Do you think the anonymous tipper is the killer?
No, I think the killer is in some way involved with the police or Social services.

13. When Hess calls social services he speaks with social worker Henning Loeb who gives him information on Magnus, but lies about finding information about the two girls, Lina and Sofia Sejer-Lassen, after he "sees something he doesn't fully grasp, and that makes him wary." What do you think he saw and why did he lie? Do you think there is a connection here with Rosa who is the Minister for Social Affairs?
I am not trusting anyone in this story. Everyone seems to be hiding something and be lying

14. A few people have speculated that the basement Officer Marius enters in ch. 1 could have been used some sort of abuse, possibly child abuse. Given what we now know do you agree and do you think the killer was possibly a victim?
Yes or a vigilante

15. While it's clear Hauge was the one abusing Magnus we don't know for sure if Lassen was the one abusing the girls. Do you think the abuser was Lassen or his wife? (He seemed ready to offer up info on his eldest's broken nose which is the only thing giving me pause.) If the killer is reacting to the abuse, why target the mothers and not the abusers (assuming Lassen is the abuser)? Is Thulin right in speculating that in the killers eyes the mother "ought to have know... didn't react to the report."?
Maybe the killer thinks that the mothers should have know about the abuse, that they should have protected the children. That makes me think that the killer might be a victim themselves although I still think the killer is a vigilante from police or something like that

Day 2 DQ's– Chapters 20 – 38

6 We have got a fair way into the book now and my first question is to ask how you feel about it? What do you like / dislike about it
I'm not completely sure yet. I think I would have put it aside if it wasn't an audiobook. I can just let the narrator read it.

7. What are your impressions about the time line from Marius to Kristine to Laura?
I am suspicious. I think the police is more involved.

8. Hess and Thulin are not necessarily bosom buddies How do you see their differing working methods and relationship developing?
I think they have a lot of respect for each other and that they will compliment each other.


9. Hess insists on visiting Magnus Kjaer and showing him some photographs. What do you think is the significance of "The chestnut man" being something new?
I think the killer came in later after the body was found

10. Erik Sejer Lassen is arrested - there is a lot going on during the chase - How do you read the events leading up to the arrest and during the questioning?
I felt that was clearly written by someone who writes for tv. I think he was being framed

Day 1 DQs

1. At the very beginning we are hit with a chilling image and as Officer Marius is descending into the basement looking for one of the little girls he "...becomes aware of the room. Glancing around, he realizes what it's been used for. He's disgusted." What do you think this room was used for?
I reckon it's child porn.

2. We get brief look at what happens to Laura before Thulin and Hess get called out to the scene. While looking over the body and the garden Thulin notices a chestnut doll and has an odd reaction to it. "It's a simple doll consisting of two spheres and four sticks, but briefly, for some reason she can't explain, it makes Thulin's heart stop." Why do you think she had a strong reaction? Could it be a repressed memory?
I'm not sure. I thought the description of 'spheres and sticks' was very disconnected and factual. That makes me think she is trying to be overly distanced from it.

3. Speaking of Thulin and Hess. I'm a bit put off by the both of them. Thulin seems to think homicide is boring and Hess just seems to not give a flying rat's behind about anything. What do you think of our MCs so far?
I'm not very engaged by them either

4. Then we have Rosa and Steen, the parents of Kristine who is missing and presumed dead. They each have a different way of handling their grief. Rosa has thrown herself into her work as a politician and Steen is drowning his sorrows in alcohol. As a parent it's really hard to imagine losing a child. How do you think you would handle losing your child? Do you think their reactions are typical for parents who have lost a child?
I don't know and I don't want to even think about it. I think we can't judge how anyone copes with such an unimaginable loss

5. Do you think Kristine Hartung is still alive? Or is it a cruel joke being played on her parents? Why or why not?
No, I don't think she is. I do think she was alive for longer then initially thought, but I think the killer will kill her during the book

Erin *Proud Book Hoarder* wrote: "Lindsay, are you going to answer some questions for The Chestnut Man? You marked it completed, but without at least two days of Q&A to link to, we can't count it as a BOM and get the extra points.
..."

I'm at chapter 47 also as an audiobook. I had to speed it up to 1.25x. 1.5x was too fast and 1x was waaaaaaaay too slow. I'm enjoying it. I'm hoping to have it finished by the weekend

I've put 2 days of Q&A in

Erin *Proud Book Hoarder* wrote: "I should be able to start The Chestnut Man soon. Unfortunately I can only access the audio version of it, so it will take about 15 hours of listening speed, which isn't too bad but tends to take me..."

I'm also listening to the audiobook. A few trips from Melbourne to Shepparton will do it :) (3 hours each way for those who don't know)

I want to join the BOM for The chestnut man. Will we get extra points or are they taken already? If the latter, I will just read without participating in the BOM questions

Lisa - (Aussie Girl) wrote: "Ah Chava, no good when a book turns out to be disappointing, especially if you were expecting more."

I was on the waitlist for so long :(

Christina wrote: "I started the audiobook last night and wow- so many characters, so many different POVs!!! I'm still slightly overwhelmed and have been SO confused for quite a while... 😅"

I just started the audiobook. I might have to find it in the library after reading this comment of yours

completed

Tara Westover
384 disappointing pages
finished 10/31/2019

Halloween is becoming more popular here in Australia. We had an incident here in Melbourne where a girl ate candy that turns out to me meds and she’s really sick now

Ah that’s the time zone thing. It was the 30th in Australia already

Finished
Finding Audrey
Sophia Kinsella
287 pages
finished 10/30/19

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