Briana’s Comments (group member since Aug 15, 2018)

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

Denise wrote: "Briana wrote: "Is anyone else reading 11/22/63? Our team's day to write the DQs is Monday and if I read the thread correctly the mods were leaving it up to the teams to decide who w..."

Shelby wrote: "I was going to read it, but I haven't even started it yet. If you can't get to it Briana can you let me know by Saturday night? I am off on Sunday and if needed I can read to catch up and post the ..."

Okay, I can definitely let you know if I'm unable to get to it unless Denise wants to write the questions. I'm not picky either way. If both would rather I write the DQs then I can.

Is anyone else reading 11/22/63? Our team's day to write the DQs is Monday and if I read the thread correctly the mods were leaving it up to the teams to decide who was writing them. I'm currently behind a fair bit but I do have plans to catch up between today and tomorrow since tomorrow is technically a break day.

Just thought I would ask so we don't miss out on those extra points for the team.

DQs Day 6
Chapters 24 - epilogue

23. Nisreen and Nahri have a very heated discussion after Nahri accidentilly killed a Geziri cleric. Nisreen believes that Nahri needs to be more thoughtful of her people and what she represents and wants to push her to become a bigger symbol to their tribe. Do you believe Nahri is too selfish or too close to "collaboration" with the Qahtanis and should have kept greater distance and shown more loyalty to her people?
I think the heated discussion was a long time in coming. However, I think Nahri is doing the best she can just to survive. She's in a world she knows nothing about and was raised as an outsider. Finding herself a symbol among a whole people that she didn't know existed it's a lot to process in only a few short months.

24. Ali clearly showed some magical connection with water, even before the Marid possessed him, that might come from his mother's side of the family. What are your thoughts on this hidden ability?
I'm definitely thinking something to do with his Ayaanale heritage, but that is some serious upscaling in power after the Marid possession.

25. What are your thoughts on the King's actions, e.g. exiling Ali. He seems to not want to order him killed, even though he knows the exile will bring about his death either way. Why could he not forgive Ali too and spin a tale in his favour like he did for Nahri?
I think in a way he's right Ali is far too taken with Nahri, perhaps not romantically, but he cares enough about her to find the way Muntadhir will ultimately treat her in the early years of their marriage unforgivable. Ghassan knows his sons and from everything I've seen he's more of a strategiest than either of them. He can see where the different actions will lead and it's easier to consign his son to a death out of his sight then actually sign his death warrant. That is his greatest weakness because Ali is his favorite son and he has not the strength to be cold when outright declaring his son a traitor and to be put to death. He can't stomach to watch his son executed the same way he can everyone else.

26. What an epilogue! Jamshid has a hidden identity, what do you think this means?
He's clearly a Nahid. And if Kevah is his actual father than Manizeh must be his mother, so either Nahri is either Manizeh's neice or Manizeh was as blessed as Ali's mother to carry a second child. That or Jamshid and Nahri are just vessels for Manizeh and her brother and they're waiting for their second coming which doesn't make too much sense either.

27. What a cliffhanger! Nisreen says Manizeh can do anything (even bringing Dara back), clearly meaning she's still alive. Do you think she is somewhere out there or was she maybe even referring to Nahri herself?
As I mentioned it's possible that Nahri and Jamshid are merely vessels for Manizeh and her brother to make a second appearance in the world in which case oh boy things are going to get very strange in book 2.

Bonus: Will you continue reading this series or do you think you'll stop with this trilogy now? I personally will go hunt down the next two books immediately.
I'm definitely reading book 2, likely in July because i have questions and I need answers asap.

Previous posts
Day 1, Day 2, Day 3, Day 4, and Day 5

DQs Day 5
Chapters 19 - 23

19. In this section there appears to be a love triangle developing. Was this what you expected. Where do you see this going?
A love triangle between Dara, Nahri, and Ali? Oh yes I fully expected that given that Nahri and Ali are the only characters we get POV chapters from. It's kind of cute but I also understand that if Nahri and Ali were to be the final couple they need to be more slow-burn than Nahri and Dara. There's a lot of hatred for Ali to work through before anything more could come of their relationship.

20. Dara lets Nahri know about the King’s marriage plans for her. He lets her know that they can’t be together. Are his reasons valid or should Nahri put up more of a fight?
If she truly loves him she should put up more of a fight. Though I'm iffy on if she did truly love him. They're attraction is hot and fast, but that doesn't always make for the best basis for a relationship.

21. Ali and Nahri both have a hidden agenda and are using their “friendship” to achieve that. Do you think they are aware of each other’s objective?
I think they're aware enough to realize they both have agendas just not what exactly they are.

22. We learn that Ali has a separate agenda that the King is not aware of? Where do you see this heading?
I'm hesitant to say that the King isn't aware of Ali's agenda after all he was aware that Ali was backing the Tanzeem and held onto that information until it would do the most damage when speaking with his son. But Ali's agenda is likely to bring ruin seeing as he's a terrible liar and he has yet to fully grasp how to fully anticipate his opponent's actions.

Previous posts
Day 1, Day 2, Day 3, Day 4

Vicky wrote: "It just dawned on me as I was adding my books to the spreadsheet that Her Cherry belongs to an O series and figured I would share in case anyone else is interested in reading a few ..."

Those titles alone make me want to give this series a try. I nabbed the first 2 on my hoopla and then found that books 1-6 are also on Scribd as audiobooks for those that would want to enjoy them that way.

DQ Day 4
Chapters 15 - 18


14. Nahri meets the king of Daevabad for the first time but doesn't seem to have a lot of further interactions with him. What do you think the king's plan is truly? He offers her everything but doesn't ask for much in return - yes, he revealed to Ali that he wants to marry her to Muntadhir, but is that really all?
Based on the basement of Nahid bodies left to rot rather than return to their creator I'm leaning toward marry, impregnante, and then after giving birth assassinate so that the child only has allegiances to the the Geziri djinn.

15. Prince Ali, fabulous he.. Were you surprised at this further development in Ali's character? The extreme hatred he displays towards Nahri? For some reason, whenever I read the passages from his point of view, I feel he comes across more like a brat rather than a hate-filled person, yet that seems to be what he shows most often when Nahri is around. He now feels he is a murderer, which, granted, he now is. He also realises that his father has been testing and playing him, and will now use him to his own ends. Do you think the poor boy will finally start growing up?
I think with this push to befriend Nahri is going to do exactly that, make Ali grow up but now in the way that his father wanted of him. I think he's far too sheltered in his devotion to the djinn religion that it's blinded him to anything but a utopian view of how things should be and he doesn't handle it well when his worldview is challenged which to me would account for him coming off as a brat. And his large amount of hatred aimed at Nahri I think is more the result of her mother's reputation and the Nahids before her rather than any real understanding of Nahri is. So I think he's going to befirend Nahri and grow up contrary to what his father wants and possibly learn how to be a better liar as a result.

16. What do you think will be the outcome of Dara's quest in the middle of the desert with a future king and a contingent of warriors, who may or may not be hell-bent on killing the Afshin? Are they going to find the ifrit before their journey comes to an end?
I think Dara is going to find an ifrit, but only after the warriors and possilby Muntadhir strike a bargain with it to kill Dara. Or at the very least putting him back into slavery. For all the Muntadhir has come across as being the middle ground between his father and brothers forms of extreme views I think he's going to turn out to be even more cutthroat than his father and even more possessive of his future throne.

17. Nahri's first patient! And what a patient that was! Did this first true test of her skills - towards someone she does not know or care about - live up to your expectations?
It went about as expected no great success but not a complete failure either. Though I'm sure they probably could have come up with a simpler first patient for her. Regardless it was interesting to see Nahri doubt her abilities and her immense dislike for her new patient and how those two thing interacted when she finally had the fire salamander in her grasp.

18. Any predictions on who Nahri's father might be? I have to admit, I thought it was the king himself. But would he really want to marry his daughter to his son? Hm. What do you think?
If it were the King I don't think he'd hesitate to announce it to all and yes still marry her to his son he strikes me as being that arrogant. However, from everything said about him so far I think he was quite possessive of Menizah and is very upset that it wasn't he that she took to her bed to be the father of her only child. No, I'm unsure who her father could be just yet but it was definitely someone Menizah felt needed to be protected if Nahri is "curesed" to appear entirely shafit to all.

Also volunteering for Damara.

Day 2 DQs
Chapter 4 - 6 or 18%

#5. How did you feel when you read Harry Dunning's essay? What would you have done if you had the power to enact change in the past?
That essay is truly sad. It makes me wish that there was something that could be done to change what had happened. Which for the sake of this novel there is and I'm glad that Jack is making an effort to change it.

#6. Money is a big deal in any timeline. Would you be able to acclimate to the past in terms of financial transactions as well as Jake? Do you think Jake acclimated TOO quickly?
I would be so lost, I never carry cash and it would be weird to me to suddenly need cash on me at all times. Though Jack's quick acclimation and sorting of his money to only have coins minted prior to 1958 on hand and hiding all his later money does seem a little surprising.

#7. Fashion is also an issue in the past. Do you think Jake is having an easier time of it because he is a man? What would be the most challenging fashion change for you to get used to? Is there something you would love to be able to wear?
Of course Jack is having an easier time with the fashion because he's male. Generally speaking, male fashion hasn't changed that much from the 50's to the modern era if you're bluecollar worker. Jeans are still acceptable casual clothing for a man and it's quick and easy to outfit you in appropriate menswear even with needing to get it tailored. Women's clothing is a monster especially if you're plus-sized. And honestly I'd hate being expected to be in a skirt, blouse, gloves, hat, heels, and perfect hair and make-up any time I left the house.

#8. There are a lot of interesting nods to older Advertising terms and slogans that King uses to help the reader recognize the timeline change of the past. Which one stood out to you the most and why?
The sloagan for the Winston's but I think that's more to do with how we've seen it the most at this point.

#9. If you have read any past King novels, some of these chapters have a lot of connections to early books about Derry, Maine, and surrounding locations. Did you find any Easter eggs from previous stories? If you haven't read earlier King novels, what about Derry seemed to stand out as unique to you?
I haven't read any other King novels just the one novella, but I have enough pop culture osmosis to get the hints about It and Pennywise. And actually, the Yellow-card man does make me think a little bit about The Colorado Kid though I can't entirely explain why.

DQs Day 3 - Chapters 10-14

9. As he walks through the Daeva Quarters, Ali is shot by a toy arrow, let loose by one of the children playing about. Rashid suggests to Ali that he should punish the boy by taking him to be raised in the Citadel, which Ali refuses. What do you think this says about Ali, and about others in the city’s upper echelon?
It speaks to Ali having a very strong belief in the religion he was raised in, but also that he has a strong moral compass and doesn't believe that removing a child from their family for what I am assuming he's trying to play off as a trivial matter doesn't make sense. Meanwhile, having Rashid mention that others in Ali's position would do just that makes me feel that most of the djinn don't have much patience and are prone to considering everything a personal sleight.

10. Nahri and Dara have a moment, but are interrupted. Do you like this partnership, romantically or otherwise? Is it doomed, or meant to be?
It wasn't exactly unexpected and considering she hasn't run into any of the other humanoid djinn it's hard to really picture her with anyone else. That may change assuming she eventually runs into Ali and spends any real time with him. Though I'm not sure how that could change much given his dislike for Nahids and Daeva's I don't see much developing there beyond a truly annoying love triangle that will only end in tears for one or all parties.

11. We learn about the terrible conditions in the shafit orphanage and the difficult lives all the shafit are forced into. Even though he immediately refuses to help, how do you think this will influence him in the future?
I think Ali is going to try and not get involved with the Tanzeem. He's going to do his best, but he's already proven himself to be sympathetic to the shafit, so I can't imagine it will last very long at all.

12. As Dara and Nahri cross the last illusion shielding Daevabad, Nahri has an odd reaction and ends up flat on her back on the deck of the ferry, with Dara rudely refusing anyone’s assistance. Do you think this was caused by something related to what Nahri is, or something else?
It very well could be related to what Nahri is, especially with how the palace has been acting strangely the closer Nahri gets to the Daevabad. Almost like the city is preparing iteself and is just making sure she is truly what it is expecting.

13. Muntadhir takes Ali to a secret room filled with dead Nahids. Do you think this room will be a turning point for Ali? Do you think Dara will discover this and his relic, and what do you think will follow if he does?
I think it's more of a disillusioning moment for Ali than an actual turning point. He's having the narrative he's grown up on torn to shreds by his brother and faced with the evidence of what previous generations of his family have done in their efforts to eradicate the Nahids. And I can't imagine Dara won't eventually find the relic, not if they're making a big deal out of it's existence. I bet he'll show just why he was called the Scourge of Qui-zi if he does find it too.

I finished my chipmunks book The Last Days.

Day 1 DQs: ch1- 3

1) I have only read a few of Stephen King's books. Is this your first book by the author or are you quite familiar with his storytelling?
The only Stephen King book I've successfully read from start to finish was his Colorado Kid short because I was entirely obsessed with the Sy-Fy show that was based on it so I'm not overly familiar with his storytelling. Though I did forget that his prose can be incredibly dense and long-winded.

2) What do you think about the character Jake so far? Would you have gone along with what Al wanted and took the initial step back into the past, or would you have not humoured him and tried to get him help?
I think Jake is a little too willing to trust even if he has known Al for such a long time. If I was in his shoes I definitely would not have made that first trip into the past. I probably would have tried to leave and called for help concerned that he was going to hurt himself the way he was babbling on about it only ever being two minutes.

3) I am not sure how I would feel if I just stepped back into the past the way Jake and Al have, but I am really curious about how the time travelling works in this story. It seemed that Jake was somewhat calm about it. How do you think you would feel if it was you?
I'd like to think I would be calm, but more likely I'd be gawking like a tourist. This would be a really quick way to make it obvious that I was definitely not someone from around there and possibly not even supposed to be there to start with.

4) I think it is clear that Jake is going to pick up Al's mission to try and stop the JFK assassination. Would you choose to continue Al's mission? Also how much do you know of the history surrounding this event?
Not going to lie I have wondered what the world would be like if JFK hadn't been assassinated but wondering is an entirely different thing from actually taking advantage of being able to travel through time and prevent it. With that in mind, I probably wouldn't have decided to take up Al's mission to prevent the assassination, I probably wouldn't be able to do all that much. Most of what I know about the assassination is from school history classes and the 90's movie with Kevin Cosner.

Day 2 DQs : Chapters 5-9

5. So many groups! We had a couple of chapters in this part that described some of the tribes in Daevabad and elsewhere - the Daeva/Djinn, Ifrit, Simurgh, Zahhak and I'm sure I haven't listed them all. Where on the confusion scale are you - with 1 being totally confused and 10 being "I've got this". And are you ok with your level at this point in the book?
I think I'm like a 5. Not confused but also not an expert on the different groups. either way I'm sure I'll be an expert on all the groups by the end or at least as much of one as I can be given what information is in this book.

6. Somewhat related to this - we learn that Suleiman curbed magical abilities because the daeva harmed humanity. I learned (thanks Google) that in the non-book world Suleiman the Magnificent was the longest-reigning Sultan of the Ottoman Empire from 1520 to 1566 - he ruled over at least 25 million people. Did you know anything about Suleiman and what do you think of his inclusion in the book?
I know nothing about Suleiman so his presence in this book doesn't really effect me. I just figured he was some sort of religious figure for the daevas.

7. We now know Dara was a slave for many years and was forced to do some things that haunt him. How does this make you feel about his character?
I still really like him a lot and I enjoyed the added backstory. If anything it makes me like him even more to know that his general jerk behavior is the result of the things he went through in life rather than him just naturally sucking at being a person.

8. Ali's father was portrayed as brutal when we first met him at the execution, and then later he seemed like a pretty good ruler as he listened to and judged people's problems. What do you think - good king or bad king?
The jury is still out on this question. I feel like I'm still waiting for the other shoe to drop where Ghassen is concerned. There hasn't been enough interaction with him to really have an informed opinion on his rule. only that he prefers to look imposing during trials and beneficient to petitioners.

I have a book for the chipmunk task title shares a word with "The Last Ten Days". Hopefully, I'll have it done by Sunday or earlier is only 286 pages.

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?
Given how sheltered she is I think he lack of knowing isn't ingenuous so much as she just has been kept in the dark all along. But I think these are clues from the author as well. She might not know the full secret of her human/hybrid status but there are hints in Carlota's perceptions that she is more than has been presented so far.

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 it's always been there. Montgomery has always been taken by Carlota but it's only six years on that he can truly recognize what his feelings are and the depth of them in the ruse of writing to his ex-wife. A woman who had already destroyed him and left him feeling as a waste of space. And his missteps are more a form of self-sabotage than anything else. He can't believe that he deserves happiness so he does what he can subconsciously to prevent such a thing.

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?
No you are not. I would love for Carlota to be more fleshed out. For her to have growth and appear as more than a puppet going along with whatever is asked of her. Lupe is the only hybrid we've met that seems to have some personality always questioning what is happening, and wishing for more from her life at Yashatun.

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 was almost too blase about the whole thing for someone that had never bene with another. I don't doubt that she's been sheltered and kept away from society and men beyond her father and Montgomery. But she was just too relaxed about the possibility that she could become pregnant, even with Eduardo's promise of marriage. It wasn't official yet at that point and it seems like a little much to give to assure such an outcome.

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 think the story is going to turn dark no matter what happens. The hybrids have every right to wish for better treatment. And Carlota searching for the formulas to their medications to take some form of medical freedom also makes sense. But the anger with which her father reacts to her asking makes me wonder if there's something more than him just wishing to protect his intellectual property.

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).
Carlota still feels young after this jump as do the other hybrids that we've met so far. The only one that seems even remotely older to me so far is Montgomery but that may be the almost tired way his POV chapters are written. You can just tell that he does this work because it pays but he doesn't enjoy it. Doesn't enjoy living in Yashatun. He's just tired.

7. Do you like the method of telling the same scene from both points of view? Is there one point of view you prefer?
I kind of like Montgomery's POV more, mostly because he doesn't take everything at face value. He applies his experiences and knowledge to read the situation where as Carlota having lead such a sheltered life and having always done whatever was expected of her to earn Dr. Moreau's approval doesn't question much of anything. She just is and honestly that makes her POV chapters kind of boring to me.

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?
I hate love triangles in novels. They're never done well and there's always one pairing that has more chemistry than the other pairing. Carlota's fiery reactions to Montgomery is exactly that sort of thing. They have such chemistry compared to Carlota and Eduardo. Eduardo feels like a snake and like every warning a girl gets for men that are only interested in one thing.

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?
It does read a lot like a historical fiction book more than a sci-fi with alternate history. I was definitely expecting the latter more than the former and I am somewhat disappointed that the book turned out to be historical fiction. Historical fiction is very rarely my genre of choice.

Bonus: If you were part critter, and didn’t have the health concerns, what species would you prefer? Dolphin.

Checking in. I'm still working on The Daughter of Doctor Moreau and The City of Brass as well as one other book. School ends Tuesday so I should be able to knock out at least 1 of the BOM's by the end of the week.

DQs: 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 haven't read the original nor seen any of the film adaptations. So I just picture vague figures that match roughly what the characters stated nationalities.

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?
I wouldn't be surprised if she was the first hybrid. Especially given how Carlota notes that she is considered as not good enough for her father in comparison to his deceased first daughter and wife.

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 was more surprised that he chose to stay after the incident given how much he seemed to dislike the whole hybrids business. But he is dispassionate so perhaps it shouldn't have come as much of a surprise that he decided to stay after killing the violent hybrid during the incident.

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....
I'm assuming that this follows an alternate history in terms of scientific advancement, it's the only thing that makes sense. If he was really mixing genomes in 1870s there's very little chance that the scientific community was unaware of the possibility after a while. It's one of those things where I'm sure someone would have heard something or questioned the equipment orders.

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?
Stands to reason that a hybrid rebellion would happen. They're treated okay by the sounds of things so far but it doesn't change the fact that they're bred specifically for slave labor and will likely be worked to death once the process of their creation is perfected. And who is really surprised that the hybrids are dangerous? If you're mixing animal traits into human ones it's only natural to expect that aspects of the animal in question carry over.

And a bonus, Am I the only one that is sad that we're jumping 6 years? I wanted to see the fallout from the incident.
Pretty sure the fallout is a deterioration of Moreau's distant relationship with Carlota. I'm not sad to have that part in writing, it feels like it would be something of a drag to read about and kind of depressing.

DQs Day 1, Ch 1-5


1. This book begins in 18th century Cairo, with France and Turkey fighting over Egypt. I have never encountered this conflict in fiction before. Have you? Were you familiar with it before you started reading?
It's entirely new to me in fiction. All the familiarity I have with the actual conflict in history is I think a brief passing mention in one of my world history classes in either high school or college so I sadly don't know a lot about what it going on in terms of backdrop.


2. Nahri has several mysterious powers, including healing, the ability to sense illness in others, and the ability to understand and speak every language she hears. Which of her powers would you like for yourself?
The ability to understand and speak every language I hear hands down. Languages fascinate me and I absolutely adored how the author described the consonants and vowels when Dara tested Nahri's ability to speak any language she heard. It added a distinctiveness to the different languages that made my day.


3. What do you think of the world building so far? Do you find it confusing, or do you feel like you’re along for the ride?
I found it easier to map out Daevabad in my head than I did Cairo. Which may be the result of Nahri being endlessly confused over the layout of parts of Cairo, but it was still significantly easier to orient myself in Daevabad in Ali's chapter.

4. So far we’ve met 3 significant players in this book: Nahri, Ali, and Dara. Do you have a favorite character so far, or one who intrigues you the most?
I like all of them equally so far but I hope to have a chapter from Dara's POV in the next section. There's just something enjoyable about the surly warrior that I want to see more of and the world through his eyes.

I just finished Practical Magic for chipmunks.

I finished The Score for the Chipmunks mini.