Apoorv ’s Comments (group member since Mar 26, 2014)

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

I have another book set in China that I can read - just not claiming it yet still I get through the City of Brass.

Tone wrote: "But if anyone reads another one quicker feel free to grab the task!"

The book I read earlier this month, Upgrade, is entirely based in the STEM field. The MC, which also a law enforcement person, is essentially a scientist who creates newer genetic technology to overpower the genetic mutation that was caused in him due to a breach in a chemical lab.

So, that can be used for the new Chipmunk task "Solve for X - Read a book with a character who works in STEM career (Science, Technology, Engineering, Mathematics)"

Team Ashara
DQs: Day 3, Chap 12 - 18

10. I've noticed Carlota's perceptions are often described using non visual cues: she hears a lot, and even smells Montgomery behind her bedroom door but then dismisses the idea. After her attack, she finds herself noticing that "Her fingers, in the mirror, looked very long, the nails almost too sharp and the eyes...". Do you feel Carlota ever questions her own nature as a human/hybrid or is she too ingenuous to do so? Do you also feel the author is using alternate senses and, if so, as clues for the reader or red herrings?
Wasn't it established early on itself that Carlota is Dr. Moreau's experiment or did I just assume that and ran with it? Because as a reader, it never came as surprise when all these things happened with Carlota. She certainly was naïve and unassuming of any of this and that is understandable.

11. For much of this part, I felt Montgomery was conflicted regarding his feelings for Carlota. He "writes" to his wife using what I felt was a brotherly perspective only to realise, a few lines and drinks later, he could not resist kissing her if she were there in that moment. What did you make of this change of heart and do you find his various missteps bring something to the story?
I think he always had those feelings and it is just a moment of realization for Montgomery. He may not want to admit to them but he certainly felt that pull towards her early on. They are also living in an area fairly cut off from the world and where really there is no one else who could potentially capture their attention apart from each other - so its hardly a surprise that he felt a liking towards her.

12. We're already halfway through the story - Doctor Moreau and Montgomery are both complex characters. Am I alone in thinking Carlota and her hybrid friends deserve to be more thoroughly fleshed out and layered?
Oh, I absolutely agree. I distinctly felt a lack of connection towards Carlota and lack of curiosity towards her hybrid friends, primarily because I never quite knew them. It was just assumed that the hybrid friends exist and that's how it is - which would have been fine, if we spent enough time with them. Here they are just thrown in and they work on the outer fringes, which does help one feel much of anything towards them. As for Carlota, her character rarely develops, IMO. She continues to be the naïve, slightly whiny teenager even after the time jump. Now given the fact that both Carlota and her hybrid friends have always been within the confines of this world and have never lived a life as Montgomery or Dr. Moreau - but even with their own world, they someone come across as one note for the most part.

13. What did you make of the scene where Carlota loses her virginity by the cenote - did her reaction seem natural to you or did you find yourself questioning her fearlessness? In your opinion, if Carlota is herself a hybrid, what effect might that have on their progeny?
She did come across as a unknowing, naïve (I've used that word 3 times within this set of answers now - wonder how I really feel about Carlota! :P) young girl - but her reaction was certainly anything but. Maybe she was anticipating or hoping for that to happen or maybe her inner animalistic trait actually made an appearance here, but she certainly felt like a different person during and after the act. I didn't quite think of her progeny while I was reading this piece, but that is an interesting question.

14. There's a storm brewing as the hybrids plan to join Juan Cumux and Carlota attempts to retrieve her father's notes and formulas. Do you think the hybrids will remain subservient once they remove themselves from Doctor Moreau's influence or could the story turn dark?
I really want something to happen at this point. Hehe! The moment the hybrids leave their subservience, they inner true animalistic nature is going to make an appearance - it's only natural. And that is certainly going to result in something truly dark. Or so I hope!

Team Ashara
DQs: Day 2, Chap 6 – 11

6. As Sonia noted, we jump six years. Do the characters, especially Carlota, feel six years older? Do you like books that have time jumps or would you have preferred to see Montgomery get used to working in his new jobs? (Sonia already asked about the fallout but feel free to add that here).
I am perfectly fine with time jumps in books, especially if they placed at opportune points in books. Here, it certainly felt a bit abrupt and a wee bit too early. Having said that, Carlota still sounds and acts childish in my opinion. She is probably closer to late teenage here, and she acts like she is 12! Montgomery does seem to have aged well in her world weariness and I would have loved to see a little bit more of the transition.

7. Do you like the method of telling the same scene from both points of view? Is there one point of view you prefer?
It surely is interesting and a writing technique that not a lot of writers seem to use. If well done, it gives a great depth into characters' motivations and perceptions of and towards the same situations. Obviously, since majority of the books even with multiple narratives are linear in terms of their story-telling, this definitely took a little bit to understand the value addition of this narrative tool.

8. And we have the start of a love triangle. What do you think of the two young men and Carlota’s reaction to them?
It is strictly fine. For some reason, they all act way to childish for my taste. I would have liked to see more of a matured courting process given the time span the book is set in and the lavish emotive expanse that people from that century seemed to have as compared to the textual lingo of today's love. This felt like a romance set in any high school in the 21st century at many instances.

9. So far these feels very much like a historical fiction book with relationships being forwarded over the science and hybrids. Do you agree, and were you expecting that?
I was not expecting that and I am slightly disappointed to be honest. And I would have totally fine with this being outwardly romance-y as well, only if the romance felt more emotive and true. Since that is not the case here, I would have liked the science-y bit to be a bit hefty which would have atleast balanced the weak romantic angle.

Bonus: If you were part critter, and didn’t have the health concerns, what species would you prefer?
Would love the agility of a horse, the intelligence of an elephant, the grace of a cat, the beauty of a peacock, and the presence of a butterfly. Now lets find a Dr. Moreau to make me into one of these! :P

Team Ashara - Discussion Questions
Day 1, Chap 1 - 5

1. Have you read the original Island of Dr Moreau book? Or watched any of the films? I only saw the 1996 movie, so, in my head, I keep seeing Dr Moreau as Marlon Brando, Val Killer as Montgomery and Fairuza Balk as Carlota.
I have not read or seen the original book and movie. Honestly, I did not know one existed. So, I am definitely going into this one blindly. This book had been on my radar for a while and the primary instinct was Silvia Moreno-Garcia, because I was definitely impressed with Mexican Gothic.

2. In the movie, Fairuza was one of the hybrids, although here, she only has "treatments" with jaguar genetic code. Do you think it's just a ruse from the doctor and she is actually the first hybrid?
Could very possibly be, but then Dr. Moreau isn't necessarily the most sane and believable person around.

3. Montgomery's past was a sad one. And he looks like just a drunk with some natural instincts to protect the innocent. Were you surprised he was considering not to accept the job, and then when the incident happens and he needs to kill the hybrid he decides to stay?
I'm not necessarily surprised, per say. Definitely feel like his natural instincts to protect the innocent are strong enough given his history - and going into something so out of whack, it made sense how his decisions were affected along the way.

4. I'm a bit disappointed that he didn't explain exactly how his studies came to be. In a scientific point of view, how is it even possible? We're in the 1870s... way before in vitro fertilization or genetic advances... and he manages to separate and mix genomes, or as called in the book gemmules? Not to mention that the original story was written way before cloning was a thing....
Ah, the suspension of belief trope! Absolutely wanted some details around this. I can understand why the author did not bother with it since I don't think the intention was ever to make this book a dense science-y thing - but I would have loved some background around why and how the doctor was able to achieve what he did.

5. So, hybrids are dangerous. Specially when they're still developing, and their animal instincts are overpowering the human ones (in theory, since we had no idea what the level of brain maturity the developing hybrid was). Back in the movie, there is a rebellion and it doesn't end well for humans. Do you think it will be the case here?
Not having seen the movie or knowing the backstory around the available literature, it only make sense that humans are going to find themselves in a LOT of shit very soon. Atleast, that is all the movies that revolve around mad scientist doing crazy things have taught me! :P

And a bonus, Am I the only one that is sad that we're jumping 6 years? I wanted to see the fall out from the incident.
Did not like it. I felt like I was taken out of a story I was just beginning to get into. Maybe it was because the 6 years were primarily about Montgomery settling in - but the jump happened at a very interesting point and now I am back to piecing things together than actually enjoying it. Hopefully, the books settles in on itself really quickly.

Nanci wrote: "Ok, thanks to MN Lisa I have the link for my question above.
https://www.goodreads.com/list/best_b...

I finally found a book on the 2015 list (I Was Here) that I could get from ..."

Should be all set, Nanci.
Just added the task number in Column H in the "Books" tab, which feeds the data in the Chipmunks tab.

Nanci wrote: "For the Chipmunks tasks how are you all getting the link for tasks #1 and #3 and #7. I can't get those "Best of 2014" or "Best of 2013" or "Best of 2015" lists to come up. They won't open when I ho..."

Here you go, Nanci.
2013: https://www.goodreads.com/list/best_o...
2014: https://www.goodreads.com/list/best_o...
2015: https://www.goodreads.com/list/best_o...

And I am pretty sure we would get tasks from other years too as they get revealed, so this is the link to all the years:
https://www.goodreads.com/list/best_b...

I have a couple back-up X Author books as well, incase someone doesn't get to theirs - Iron Widow being one of them.

(Albeit, I count authors with the first letter of their last name - so, that is a Z author book for me. Haha! :P)

Elinor wrote: "Also, just a question about the MOD Towers - how can I check for MT23? I must have missed/misunderstood the rules about the BOMs before a certain date. So I'm a bit stuck with checking for this one

Here you go, Elinor. That's the spreadsheet that lists all the BOMs NBRC has had since August 2010. You only have 272 options! :P :)

https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/...

Thank you Shannon, Suzanne, and Kerri.
I was surprised to not find a Violet in our main rainbow though.
LOVE that color and most of its shades. :)

Question:
Do you folks think this shade of violet is the closest to the Rainbow tag RT20/38/56? We don't really have a "violet" prompt in the main 18-book tower. So was curious if this fits anywhere.



P.S. Suzanne, should be all set on the shelf fix.

MN Lisa wrote: "If the spreadsheet works for you its a beautiful thing. I've shared my tracking spreadsheet before and people get overwhelmed. I like it and it works for me. :)"

Fantastic spreadsheet, Lisa. Thank you for sharing.
I'm so delighted to see that you capture such detailed meta data about a book (it certainly made me feel relieved to see I am not a nut to do it with my spreadsheets and there is someone else who does it too, haha!).

It makes even more sense for you to have it laid out so immaculately given the sheer quantity of books and the amount of challenges you participate in.

I'm particularly intrigued by the "Word Find" challenge and the way you set it up. Also, which font are you using? I am very interested to know that because the way it makes the words sit within a cell, looks fantastic!

MN Lisa wrote: "I love spreadsheets. It's my obsession. If you want to see how obsessive I can get, let me know I have a few examples. :)."

I LOVE spreadsheets! And I love that you are obsessed with them, Lisa! :)

I have a spreadsheet for all the books I've read and each books metadata, all movies I've watched, all the flights I have taken, etc. etc. - so I am thrilled to see there is another spreadsheet nut in the mix. Haha! :)

Can't wait to see what you do with this challenges' spreadsheet! :)

Hey! Hey! Hey! Good humans!
I am so darn excited to be part of this humongously awesome team and for once I am not the captain or the co-cap, so this is definitely a different (albeit somewhat chill) feeling. Hehe! I can't wait to get another TT underway.

I am Apoorv (he/him), currently in Boston, Massachusetts, USA and I am practically the old crone with these challenges now. :P Every year TT gets more exciting and different and this year seems particularly interesting. Also, Ashara is a beautiful team name to have (I think it means auspicious in Arabic, so great start already! :=)).

I see a bunch of familiar faces and a few new friends on the list - can't wait to read your stories and interact with all of you. Thank you to all the cappies for getting us all set up and ready to go. Much appreciated! :)

LET'S GOOOOOOOO! :D



My Shelf: Challenge-NBRC-TTX

Sonia wrote: "Hey team. So, I have this thing happening this weekend with no internet access. I'll be back on monday, with tim e to spare to do the rounds last call.

Happy readings"

Got you covered. No worries!
Hope the thing on the weekend is something fun! :)

COMPLETION POST
Week #2

Small Game | Blair Braverman | 24Nov2022

Pages: 288
Cover Color: No
Tag: No

Spell-out
✔ A - Character A (Ashley)
✔ B - Author B
✔ E - Character E (Ethan)
✔ S - Title S
✔ T - Character T (Tom)

COMPLETION POST
Week #2

Beautiful World, Where Are You | Sally Rooney | 22Nov2022

Pages: 356
Cover Color: No
Tag: No

Spell-out
✔ A - Character A (Alice Kelleher)
✔ B - Title B
✔ D - Character D (Danielle)
✔ E - Character E (Eileen Lydon)
✔ L - Character L (Lydon, Eileen)
✔ R - Author R (Rooney, Sally)
✔ S - Author S (Sally Rooney)

Sonia wrote: "Info for next round:

ROUND 2 : from 21 Nov to 28 Nov
Spell out Phrase: RAZORBLADE TEARS
Colour: PINK
Shelf/Tag: Mythology (min 10 tags)"

On a side note, if anyone has not read Razorblade Tears, consider this as my earnest request to please read it. It is a powerful story (with a lot of trigger warnings!), worth reading!

COMPLETION POST
Week #1

The Long Way to a Small, Angry Planet | Becky Chambers | 17Nov2022
Wayfarers #1

Pages: 518
Cover Color: No
Tag: Space Opera (723 users)

Spell-out
✔ A - Character A (Ashby Santoso)
✔ L - Title L
✔ O - Character O (Ohan)
✔ R - Character R (Rosemary Harper)
✔ S - Character S (Santoso, Ashby)

What is funny is that in the "Rules" for the Awards, it says the for eligibility in the first round, "Opening round official nominees must have an average rating of 3.50 or higher at the time of launch. "

At the time of launch? So that explains all the 5-stars a book gets BEFORE it is officially published! Hmmm!