Joanne’s Comments

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

Note: Joanne is not currently a member of this group.

Just came to claim "jet" but I see it's already taken. My book fits really well because it's about rich people that are always flying around the world on their private jets. I'll keep an eye on what else it might fit though.

I think I blocked most of the parts about Erik out, seeing as he was such a creepy guy. 😂

I don't remember anything about an exclusive neighbourhood or consider any of the character particularly successful (although I guess they are "successful" at solving the case).

I still think it works better for food, since they spend time discussing different types of chestnuts and which are edible, and the students at the school even prepare some roasted chestnuts for the parents to eat.

Maybe The Chestnut Man would work for the food square? Chestnuts are edible, even though that's not exactly how they're used in the book.

I'll finish tonight though.

I'm working on finishing Artemis but I will admit that I'm pretty much taking any excuse that comes along to put it down and do something else. Blegh.

If we can use partial titles of books, maybe the third Fifty Shades of Mr Darcy could go in the first story as character "Mr Darcy" instead of trying for a third story, and Sea Witch could be swapped out and used for colour cover, since it's not a "bad book". Not sure if we can use the same title twice in the story. It would be nice to use all our "bad books".

✿ Claire ✿ wrote: "I'm in the middle of American Gods. I swear this is the last Neil Gaiman book I read. I don't know there's just something about his books that doesn't click with me. And I guess my main complaint i..."

This is exactly what happened to me. I've read so many Gaiman books (Neverwhere, The Ocean at the End of the Lane, Coraline) and thought they were ok but not great. American Gods was so boring and terrible for me that I'm done trying. Don't care if everyone else on the planet thinks he's the best author ever.

Just went to check and it wasn't even me who added American Gods to this thread, although it could have been.

Alysa wrote: "We want to do one complete story, with majority comprised of Bad Books. A second complete story would be good — since we are so close — so long as we do not have to sacrifice too many of our Color ..."

Yeah. I haven't done the math, so I'm sure your way is good. I just looked at 2 points + 1 bonus vs 5 points.

Are we planning to do more than one story, or just keep it to one story, using bad books mostly/only? Colour cover is still worth more points if a book is not on the bad books thread, right?

Day 6 - Chapters 99-113

26. How convenient that Hess found the chestnut people & animals by accident in the photo from the case in 1989. I honestly thought this could have been carried out /written better. What were your thoughts? Did you still remember they had requested the photos but never looked at them?

At the time they requested them, I thought they would be the key to the case, but then I forgot about them.

27. Lol after the chapter in which Genz and Thulin went for a run I made a note to ask you guys what your thoughts were of him, and then there was this big reveal! Did you suspect him at all?

I suspected nothing. You all must be much more observant than me. I did know it had to be someone on the inside though.

28. It had been mentioned before that Rosa was in the foster system. Did you pick up on it back then and already make the connection? What was your theory?

I remembered this being mentioned, but I didn't give it much thought.

29. Wow, that last chapter 113 - didn't expect this background story to hit me so hard. Did you expect anything like this? How do you feel about Rosa, her parents and the twins right now?

This was so tragic. If someone has multiple kids and one tells this story about the other, most parents would hear the kids out and investigate, then get the kids the help they need (I hope, anyway). Giving the offending kid away wouldn't even be an option. This is why foster kids can live such hard lives.

30. Also, where is Frederick Vogel??? Do you think he plays a part in this, or was it just a coincidence that he wasn't there when Rosa asked about him?

I don't think he has anything to do with this.

To kind of pick up on the bonus question of Day 4 - I think this book would make an amazing tv show, do you think or hope it'll get made into one? Would you watch?

It would make a great, really dark tv show, although once I've read the book and know how it will end, I wouldn't watch it. I usually read or watch, not both.

DQs Day 5 - Chapters 79-98

20. Why do you think all the victims were from abusive or neglectful homes? And how do you think the minister Rosa Hartem ties into these chestnut men? Is it more than just her daughter’s “disappearance”?

It seems clear that the killings are focused on abused children and there seems to be a revenge motivation. I don't know about Rosa and how she fits in.

21. I find the character of Lunas Becker fascinating. I think he makes a great scapegoat for the crime of Katherine’s disappearance, and he seems to know something about The Chestnut Man.. What did you think about the interview Thulin and Hess have with Lunas Becker in the facility for the criminally insane?

He was creepy and a real sociopath. I can see how he may be released if he convinces people that he is "cured"

22. Eskar Neergord and his wife Benedicta come up with a plan to infiltrate the Minister’s house by having Eskar hired as her private driver. That gives him direct access to her son Gustav, and when things start to go awry, Eskar and Benedicta decide to kidnap him. At the same time, the police broke into Eskar and Benedicta’s home and find all sorts of photos of the minister’s house. Do you think they are involved somehow with the chestnut dolls showing up?

No. From their POV, they just tried to scare and hurt Rosa. They were not trying to hide that, so why would we suspect them of also being the killers when there is no evidence?

23. Hess appears to be the only one in the room who thinks Eskar and Benedicta are not involved in the murders of the women, even if they are involved in the kidnapping. As he looks around the command room, he seems to think they are all still dancing to invisible strings in the air. Why do you think Hess thinks that and do you agree?

They have alibis.

24. Eskar is able to stop Benedicta from hurting Gustav when they pull off into the woods. Then a strange car pulls off into the woods behind them and someone starts walking up. Later we find that both Eskar and Benedicta are dead outside the van, and the boy was saved by the task force that arrives. Who do you think followed the couple into the woods and killed them? Do you think it could be Frederick Vogel the minister’s advisor?

I don't even know why Vogel is a suspect? Just because he has a bunch of pictures with Rosa and her family where her husband is not there? There didn't seem to be anything else weird going on for him to be a suspect.

25. Who do you think put the cut off hands and feet in the mini-fridge in the slaughterhouse?

The Chestnut Man!

Did you like it? I thought that book was great!

DQs Day 4: Chapters 63-78

16. I could not believe how much abuse Eric afflicted on his wife and children. It made me sick to my stomach reading about how he justified his actions and knew he would get away with it. Even when he found out about his wife’s death after learning that she was planning on running away, Eric thought it was justice being served. How was your experience reading this section?

This POV was very sickening

17. Hess is annoyed when he finds out that Nylander is in communication with his ex-boss from Interpol. There’s been hints so far as to what resulted in Hess’s dismissal from his previous job. Do you have any ideas what it might have been?

I assume he wasn't a "team player" and that his a like a dog with a bone. Maybe he found a case there too that he didn't want to give up on, like the Hartung case.

18. The killer keeps distracting the police officers with incorrect leads. Did you think the killer was going to come to Jessie’s apartment? Were you surprised that her lover came instead?

I did think that, but obviously it's too early. Interesting that the killer took the time to text the man she was having an affair with to come to the apartment. Once that happened, they of course would race over to where Jessie was to make sure she was ok. Why would the killer bother, unless the it's the thrill of almost getting caught. He could have let the police waste all night there and killed Jessie in peace.

I suspect a cop or someone cop-adjacent is involved because how would the killer find out all the details of an undercover operation?

19. One of the things I really like about this book is how you get multiple viewpoints from the various characters (the women before they are killed, Nylander, the cop in charge of Kristine’s case etc.) It really helps to flesh out the plot and character development. What are your thoughts about this? Do you like this type of narrative or would you have wanted the focus to be on Thulin and Hess?

I think the different POVs are fine. I never have trouble distinguishing the characters.

Bonus question: The author of this book is a writer for the TV show – The Killing. Have you watched it or are you interested in watching it after reading this book?

When I read this question, I was thinking of the show Killing Eve, which I DO want to watch (because I love Sandra Oh). I googled it and realized I've never heard of The Killing. I wouldn't necessarily watch it unless I heard a lot of good things about it.

I liked When Dimple Met Rishi!

I'm reading Artemis and while it's nowhere near as good as The Martian, it's entertaining enough so far. I'm not very far along yet though.

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 assumed she just forgot. It was something they did often so she just may be confused about when exactly it happened.

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?

Definitely.

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 think that he saw that the wording was similar (the notes to Laura and Rosa have "whore" and "slut" so I bet the other note did as well. And my guess is that there is a note that someone high up and important investigated that case and determined all was ok so he doesn't want to open it up again.

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?

I think so. They are getting vengeance on mothers that they believe are not protecting their children.

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."?

I think he was the abuser. His wife seemed scared of him. Abused people often blame the partner of the abuser just as much as the abuser themselves, for not protecting them. I think the killer blame's their own mother for not protecting them and thinks these mothers should have left their partners.

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

So far I like it. The short chapters are nice because I can read "just one more" pretty easily. It's flowing nicely and I'm looking forward to putting all the pieces together.

7. What are your impressions about the time line from Marius to Kristine to Laura?

It seems like the same killer or in some way related because of the chestnuts of course, but I wonder what would cause the killer to wait so long before starting up again.

8. Hess and Thulin are not necessarily bosom buddies How do you see their differing working methods and relationship developing?

I like Hess' passion and how he doesn't want to give up his suspicions, even when he's told the case is closed on the missing girl. I think eventually they will work well together.

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 thought that was to establish that the chestnut man had not just been hanging there for who-knows-how-long unrelated to the murder. Magnus had been there the day before and not seen it so it must have been the killer who placed it there and not a random person.

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?

He seemed like a really creepy guy and it seemed like his wife was afraid of him, but I've read ahead a bit so I'll leave it at that.

I like it because they have regular books, not just self-published stuff like Kindle Unlimited. Lots of good non-fiction I find, plus their audiobook selection is excellent, although they cap you if you listen to too many. I haven't been able to figure out exactly how it works, but if you listen to a few new release audios in a month, I find that some others become "unavailable" until a certain day, then they're ok. I rarely hit the cap because I only listen to 1-2 audios per month generally. I find it a good supplement to my library, which often has long hold times.

I'm Canadian and I have Scribd.

I'm enjoying The Chestnut Man so far, although I'm only on Day 2s reading.

I'm debating that Darcy book but REALLY don't want to add it to my shelves.