Allison Ann’s Comments (group member since Oct 19, 2014)

Allison Ann’s comments from the Nothing But Reading Challenges group.

Hope you're feeling better Danielle.

Updated.

Day 7 Chapters 34-39 End

Q34 The girl's father comes to each of them to say goodbye. Did you realise what he had planned ? Did this change your opinion of him ?
My opinion of him had already improved when I found out he was involved in the Resistance. Sacrificing himself for his children is terribly brave, it doesn't change his past but I have to respect his apologies.

Q35 Micheline Babineau said "Some stories don't have happy endings. Even love stories. Maybe especially love stories" Do you agree with this ? Do you like your books to have a happy ending ?
I like happy endings but not all books need them. What I don't like is books where everyone is miserable from beginning to end. If there's no joy, there's no point in me reading it.

Q36 Vianne's reunion with Antoine was not what she had dreamed off. She said she was naive in her belief that staying alive was all that mattered. Antoine said "it's not the forgetting we need Vianne" It's remembering" Do think this is true ?
Vianne was naive in everything she did, I wouldn't expect her to be different now.

Q37 Sophie told her mother is was too late to protect her. Her mother tells her love has to be stronger than hate or there is no future for us. Do you believe this. Could you forgive or forget ?
I am good at forgiving and forgetting with people I love, it's how I was raised, we don't hold grudges, it's poison.

Q38 Isabelle and Vivanne survived the same war in different ways. Did you think one was stronger than the other ? Do you think you could have survived in either of their places ?
Not stronger, just different. I would have found Isabelle's life easier than Viannes.

Q39 "Men tell stories, Women get on with it " Do you agree with this ?
I don't believe any of the men are/do this, women are/do that, people are people.

Q40 Vianne kept her one secret. Do you think she did the right thing. Do you think Antoine knew ?
I think Vianne did the right thing and I think that Antoine probably knew or at least suspected and I think that him not holding it against Vianne or Julien was incredible and brave.

Q41 What did you think of the ending. Believable ? Disappointing ? Did you enjoy the book overall ? would you read more by this author ?
I liked the book more than I thought I would from the beginning, but I didn't love it. The author isn't one of my favourites though if I am in the mood for a romance she is someone I consider.

I don't have 200 books on my TBR, so I'm definitely out for the last goal. :D I'll see what I can find for the others.

-- Read a book with a truck on the cover.

-- Read a book where a character is given a last chance.

-- Read a book shelved (listed on the first page of the "top shelves" of the book) as borrowed - plurals and minor spelling variations are acceptable.

-- Sort your "to read" shelf by 'date added' and read a book that is within Numbers 201-250 on your list (the first column before the book cover image).

-- Read a book whose author died 5+ years ago.

Thanks Donna - I used the shorter one just because the longer one had some more possibilities for future goals

Thanks Tara - I added your book for our musical instrument goal. Bettering your personal goal is awesome! I'm looking forward to going back to a slower reading speed myself as much as I have enjoyed this challenge. My crafting has definitely suffered. I might even watch some TV in February. :D

Thanks Donna - which one has more action in the medieval period please? And does it say what century they go back to, or just medieval?

Updated to here.

-- Read a book with a truck on the cover.

-- Read a book where a character is given a last chance.

-- Read a book that is set in a medieval time period (between 5th to the 15th century).

-- Read a book with a guitar or other musical instrument on the cover.

-- Read a book shelved (listed on the first page of the "top shelves" of the book) as borrowed - plurals and minor spelling variations are acceptable.

Sarah-jane wrote: "Only 10 days left ?! :(
Don't feel like I have helped you guys all that much ! Ha !"

Of course you helped. We've used every single one of your books for goals! I think the level of participation on this team has been outstanding. Bravo all of us!

I need a day off from screen reading, so I should be finishing up my actual dead tree books today for no image on the cover and shelved as trilogy.

I can't believe we probably have only 10 days left in this challenge. I will be glad to go back to leisurely reading but I will miss this challenge and you people. :D

Karsyn wrote: "I like her, but I don't like her within the story. It feels like she's an afterthought, like the whole story was written without her and then an editor told the author to add in a female. I think the story would have been better without her."

That is an interesting thought. I don't like her at all, so perhaps that is why I didn't think about her within the terms of the story but she definitely ruined it for me. Was she an afterthought? And why was it so hard for a female author to write a female character? Everyone else seemed so well constructed and Lila was just a flat cliche.

Karen wrote: "re: #26.. I thought the same as you on the interpretation of that remark "

Sophie struck me as very Isabelle at that remark. If I was her mother it would have devasted me to hear her so jaded at such a young age.

January 17
Chapters 21 - 25

Q24. So much happened in this small section! First, let’s talk about Isabelle. Many people think she’s going on too many trips to take downed airmen to the British consulate and it was risky considering how badly the Nazis were searching for the Nightingale. Do you agree? Was she being reckless and possibly risking the whole operation by taking too many trips? And do you think she’ll continue on with the trips if she recovers from her injury or will she be forced to take a break?
I think she will continue making the trips until she is caught and I do think she is being reckless and risking the operation, but how can you stop when you are helping as much as she is? Plus it helps enforce her "specialness" in her own mind. Isabelle is Isabelle's biggest fan.

Q25. What did you think of Beck warning Vianne and Rachel about the foreign-born Jews being deported and then obtaining false papers for Ari? Do you think his feelings for Vianne influenced these choices or are they signs of his being a good person in a bad situation?
Yuck, I really thought this was going to devolve into a sappy romance at this point.

Q26. I must admit, I teared up when we lost an innocent life - Sarah. And then my heart broke when we found Sophie losing her innocence when her mother told her the news - “Do you think I’m stupid? She’s Jewish.” What was your reaction to both of these events?
I think I interpreted this differently than most people. I thought the "She's Jewish" was to point out that she couldn't be in the same heaven as Sophie's grandmother and was supposed to show how quickly Sophie had to grow up, how hard she had become, how much the war had affected her.

Q27. Vianne surprised me in this section! Not only did she attempt to help Rachel escape and then hide her, she also played a part in the death of Captain Beck! Were you shocked by this side of her and how far she was willing to go to protect her sister? Have your feelings about Vianne changed at all due to recent events?
Call me heartless but I couldn't be happier about the death of Captain Beck. Vianne finally DID something. And thank you Kristin Hannah for not putting in an adulterous "romantic" relationship. The stupid romance between Isabelle and Gaetan was more than I could handle, Vianne/Beck would have killed the book for me.

Q28. With the death of Beck and now knowing her sister has been helping downed airmen in France, do you think Vianne will begin to help as well? Or will she remain more concerned for the safety of Sophie and Ari?
I still don't see Vianne as participating in the French Resistance, but at least she's aware of what is going on. And I can't expect her to do anything but protect her children.

Updated

-- Read a book with a truck on the cover.

AL -- Read a book with no images/objects on the cover.

-- Read a book where a character is given a last chance.

AL -- Read a book shelved (listed on the first page of the "top shelves" of the book) as trilogy - plurals and minor spelling variations are acceptable.

-- Read a book that is set in a medieval time period (between 5th to the 15th century).

NEW GOAL -- Read a book shelved (listed on the first page of the "top shelves" of the book) as trilogy - plurals and minor spelling variations are acceptable.

NEW GOAL -- Read a book shelved (listed on the first page of the "top shelves" of the book) as 2010 - plurals and minor spelling variations are acceptable.
Used Donna's

NEW GOAL -- Read a book that is set in a medieval time period (between 5th to the 15th century).

I think my Jennifer Hudson biography should work for fulfulling their dream - her dream was to be skinny and famous and she's definitely skinny and arguably famous, so achieved.

Questions for Chapters 17 - 20

19. Were you surprised to find out that Isabelle's dad was working for the resistance?
I was a little surprised yes. The dad that Isabelle and Vianne remember doesn't strike me as someone capable of working for the resistance. However war changes everyone, so I guess anything is possible.

20. It would be so hard to live at a time like this. I would hope that I would have had the courage to help others. Do you think you would have helped, even if it meant risk to your family? Do you have a family story from this time period?
I do like to think that I have the courage to risk myself and help others. My job has proved that I am good in a crisis and willing to take risks, so I don't think war would be very different. I don't have any family stories - my dad was a boy in WWII and both my grandfathers were on the older side and not sent overseas. We are a small family and there weren't any great uncles that I have heard about.

21. Thinking back to the comparison about love and war at the beginning of he book; the father says, "We are all fragile Isabelle. It's the thing we learn in war." Is this something we learn in love as well? Why or why not?

22. Bend, Oregon. Hmmmm...... That is where the vignettes set in 1995 take place. Is the pilot Perkins the father of the son in the 1995 story?
I think it is a coincidence and a red herring, I'm starting to think the woman who survives is Vianne and not Isabelle.

23. The yellow stars have arrived. I was touched that Sophie offered to wear one. I was also pleased with the way that Isabelle has grown and become a stronger character while helping the pilots. She seems more confident and mature now. Has there been character growth or change that you have noticed or enjoyed?
Actually Isabelle annoys me more now than ever. She can act mature and do what has to be done because of the "romance" of helping the resistance, but she couldn't even hold her tongue for a few minutes when it was just her sister and niece at risk.

Updated