SandyL’s Comments (group member since May 11, 2015)

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

DQs Day 5: Chapters 17-21

18. There is certainly a lot of action in this book and lots of chances for Susan to be killed or taken over. One that stuck out to me was the road to Silvermere. Viven, Merlin, and Susan each chose different ways to ignore the siren song. What are your thoughts? Interesting? Funny? Distracting? or too much?

Funny

19. Merrihew is out to kill Susan. It appears to be for more reasons than just the fact of her father. Were you surprised? How involved do you think she was and do you think that there are others in the booksellers group involved as well?

I think she's a rogue bookseller

20. We finally learn more about Holly. If he really an ancient, why do you think that no one seemed to realize? Or do you think that there was a bigger cover up?

None of this really made sense to me.

21. Susan learns who her father was, but learns that he is essentially 'gone'. Do you believe this? Do you think that Susan will get to meet him?

I've finished the book so.....

22. I love the poem in the beginning of Chapter 21. 'Roses can be yellow, violets may be white; Hate might turn to liking, love could change to spite; Nothing is fixed forever, even stars will die; All that we can ever do, is ask the reason why.' What do you think? Is there a poem that speaks to you? Do you think that this is foreshadowing events, and if so, for whom?

I didn't really pay attention to the poems.

DQ4: Chapters Thirteen - Sixteen

14. Each of the chapters has been headed with a poem or snippet of a poem, in varying styles. Do you scour these for meaning, and if so, what meaning have you wrung from them? Do you like them - as poems or as elements of the book structure? And critically: who is going to take on the challenge of writing one for review of the book? (Jenny's position as NBRC poet laureate is under strong challenge after Kaley's backroom haiku)

Lots of book have something like this at the beginning of each chapter. I didn't read anything into these, but I imagine the mean something to the author.

15. Okay... theories on Reg Holly and what is up with him?!

He's a bad guy!

16. The Fenris wolf and the well-spirit - what do you think of these additions to the Old World creatures we've met? Do you think Susan did the right thing by removing the sword?

I began to enjoy the book a little bit more at this point. Yes, she did the right thing.

17. We have another gender-swap in pop culture, with the characters from The Professionals being switched to female from male. Together with the political figures that have been gender-switched, and a comment earlier about how Britain took early steps to achieve equality, this is clearly an important part of Nix's world. Does the subtly of this work for you? Is there a deeper point to it than simply wanting gender equality? Why hasn't he gender-swapped any authors?

I didn't notice any of this.

DQs - Day 3 - Chapter Nine - Twelve

10. We are about half way through the book now and I've been looking at the cover and trying to see how it fits with the story. The cover feels dark to me and so far I don't really feel that in the story. Do you feel like the cover fits the story?

Aren't most of the covers for YA fantasy dark? I didn't really pay much attention to it.

11. So the old fashioned booksellers in charge might feel the need to remove Susan if they find out her father is one of the Ancients. It seems like Merrihew and Thurston are not greatly respected in the Booksellers realm. How do you feel about them? Do you think they might be involved in what is happening to Susan?

I had trouble keeping all of these characters straight. I'm not sure who is causing Susan trouble.

12. We keep getting all these references to books, musical groups, and other pop culture from the 80's. Take for example this quote: "The ground floor facing the street was all floor-to-ceiling high windows, with a wonderful display of Umberto Eco's The Name of the Rose complete with a cardboard castle to the left of the central revolving door, and a selection of new release thrillers an mysteries built up in a series of pyramids in the window to the right, including John Le Carre's The Little Drummer Girl, Jeffery Archer's First Among Equals, and Ken Follett's On Wings of Eagles." That sentence is long and the following one is not much shorter. How do you feel about all of these references?

None of this caught my interest. Listening to the book, long sentences didn't really register.

13. In the last section Vivian gives Susan a steel knife and salt and tells her how to bind something to herself. Do you think she will have to bind something? Any idea who or what she will bind?

I'm guessing that, as much as she says she'd never do that, something will come up that she'll need to.

DQ's - Day 2 - CHAPTER 5 to CHAPTER 8

6. Merlin and Susan get pulled into the May Fair. "The happiness is unsettling, all the smiling and laughing". Was there a part of the fair that stuck out to you? And would YOU have noticed the colorless rose?

It was interesting and you could tell the goblins were making things as chaotic as possible so they wouldn't notice the 'something that didn't fit.' I probably wouldn't have noticed the rose - it seemed so crowded and I would have been uncomfortable in that setting and looking to get out of it.

7. Susan seems to have some sort of powers of command, which we see with the wolf at the end of the fair, and hear more about at the end of Chapter 8. What are your guesses about her heritage? Do you have any new guesses about her father?

She's definitely more than human. Still no clue about her dad.

8. My favorite part of these chapters was reading about the New Bookstore and its contents. If you could spend time in there, what would you want to check out?

I love bookstores and definitely would have spent time checking the whole place out.

9. The grandmothers were interesting. Any thoughts about them? If I were one of the grandmothers, I'd totally be hanging out with my mastiff. What would you have keeping you company?

They were cool and I'd love the mastiff as well.

DQ'S DAY 1 - PROLOGUE - CHAPTER 4

1. I nominated this book because titles with libraries or books naturally draw me in and I've wanted to read a Garth Nix book for ages. What are your reasons for reading.. long term Garth Nix affectionado or "It's only about the points, baby"?

Not my preferred genre, so just for point. :-)

2. Wikipedia (The Oracle of quick searches about whatever and sometimes actually factual) defines a prologue as "Opening to a story that establishes the context and gives background details, often some earlier story that ties into the main one and other miscellaneous information." What have you learnt in this particular prologue that seems important to the story moving forward?

I listened to the audiobook and I've finished - I don't remember the prologue and since it was an audiobook I can't go back to look and refresh my memory. :-(

3. Chapter 1 introduces us to our main protagonists in a scene filled with murder, fashion descriptions and a giant louse! First impressions of Merlin and Susan and any sign if they will be friends or enemies or maybe even frenemies ?

I was pretty confused. Merlin was interesting, but Susan no so much.

4. Right handed and left handed booksellers policing multi layered worlds and realities. Set in 1983 London but the language and environment heavily leans on the Victorian Age. Are you comfortable with the preliminary world building, do you find it interesting and unique or same old same old in the YA fantasy genre?

Again, I was confused. This isn't a genre I read much of and I was on the fence at the beginning of the book on whether I'd stick with it or not.

5. It seems someone is after Susan, probably because of her mysterious missing father. Who do you think he is and what maybe is his significance in this alternate world and to the plot in general?

I'm guessing her dad is/was someone powerful and not human

Lexi wrote: "SandyL wrote: "I finished the book I had on the spreadsheet and added a few more - not sure where you are on substituting books for higher page counts - it you can use them, great and if not, no pr..."

I knew I forgot something :-) - done!

I finished the book I had on the spreadsheet and added a few more - not sure where you are on substituting books for higher page counts - it you can use them, great and if not, no problem.

Are you okay waiting to start your job, Sophie? How's your arm doing?

I added an X book to the spreadsheet - it's not that long though, so if we don't need it that's okay. Am I reading the s/s right in that we are just about at our limit for books for this round?

How was everybody's weekend? Did anyone do anything fun? I was just reading, but the weather was really warm and nice here.

Lexi wrote: "You all are doing awesome as we are currently in 3rd place.

Also, the last BOM for Wheel is the Dec Adult book and is The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo if people want to get in lin..."

I've got it on hold through Overdrive, but it says it's like a 12 week hold, so not sure if it will come in on time (sometimes it goes a lot faster)

I've finished my last two books and updated the spreadsheet.

I've finished one of the books I had listed, and I'll finish the other two. If you don't need them, no worries!

Welcome to the team, Michael!

Oh no, Sophie!! What a way to spend your break before starting work! I hope it heals quickly.

Done - no worries if you don't use it

I finished my book - I have one more that I'm done with but not sure if we need it - Love Story - 224 pages, letters O/C/R/E

Let me know and I'll post it

I have one more to finish on that's on the SS (The Spark) - do you want me to finish it or wait?

Done - sorry!!

I have two shorter books that I didn't add to the sheet previously, but I'll add them now, as well as a couple of others in progress that I should be able to finish.

I have a book with a wheel on it if you aren't enjoying your book, Sana - just LMK.