Chelsea’s Comments (group member since Jun 08, 2015)

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

Eldarwen wrote: "There are some major time skips, too. Mari and Akira have just arrived in the city and technically there's still a week to go before the competition starts and suddenly Mari is standing in front of the Summer Room..."
Good catch! That's weird that it was glossed over. Also, the competition itself happens all within 48 hours! That seems kinda unnecessary. It says that the emperor is impatient to get things over with, but it doesn't explain why. If he's so eager to get his son married, why is he rushing the process so much? There's only one sentence that suggests he is rushing it because it reminds him of his wife and it makes him sad, but I think it warrants more discussion than one sentence. There's absolutely no unpacking of emotions whatsoever, even between Mari and Taro.

5. We have met the Winter Room in Part I. If you've already read the first chapter in Part II, then you have met the Summer Room. What are your expectations for what the competitors are going to see and encounter in the Spring and Autumn Rooms? If you have read all of Part II already, were your expectations met? Or were you taken by surprise?
I've already finished Part 2. And I think you're a little mixed up? They talk about the Winter Room in Part 1 because they throw a yokai in there but Taro only sneaks in to pay respects to the yokai. The competition starts with the Summer Room and then moves through in order, so autumn next, winter, ending with spring. The Spring Room was definitely not what I was expecting and a let down because it felt super rushed and ignored the seasonal effects. Really, all the rooms have felt rushed but the last one in particular. I'm already mentally demoting the book from 5 to 4 stars because of this. As Alison suggested, we aren't given the time to emotionally connect to the characters or the scenes.

Does anyone else feel like the plot is moving super quickly? I keep thinking, "Wow, that's already done?" at each major development. This is not necessarily a problem, but I feel like Jean could have spent more time developing each scene.

DQs Day 1

1. Some of us talked about what we were hoping for from this book at earlier in the thread: good (YA) fantasy; diversity - location & characters; minimal YA tropes. Did you have any (other) hopes for the book? How's is shaping up in part 1?
I wasn't a part of that discussion but I do generally love to see representation for minority groups. I don't think we've seen any LGBTQ characters yet but at least considering this is loosely based on Japanese myth, that means all the characters are Japanese except for the handful of white traders that are mentioned. It's refreshing to have non-white characters in a non-European/Western setting.

2. We've got three main POVs, plus some world-building legends. Do you like the POV characters? Have a preference for one of them over the others? What about the legends - do they help or distract?
I've enjoyed all of the above so far! Mari seems to be the main focus so in getting to know her the best I like her a lot. I also like how Taro wants to be different, although I wish he would realize that he can change things later in life as an Emperor instead of running away. The legends are fun- I don't find them distracting at all.

3. The settings we have seen so far - the mountain village, the palace and the city proper, are all very different. Do you like the contrasts (the difference of views of kappa is an obvious one)? Which place would you most like to like in?
It's def nice to have a change of scenery from time to time to keep things interesting. I did really like Mari's explanation of how kappas are not the monsters they're made out to be, which is not that surprising necessarily but a good show of both sides of the coin. As far as where I would most like to live... probly not the city because it seems crowded and dirty and dangerous- I generally don't like big cities in real life either! I wouldn't say no to living in a palace short term but I can see how it would get annoying long term, so a mountain village seems peaceful in comparison.

4. What do you think of the yokai and how they interact with humans? Do you think this will change as a result of events in the book? How?
I feel really bad for them and I both hope and predict that Mari and Taro will end up working together to free them from slavery. I can't see how the book can end happily with any yokai still in slavery. It would obviously take time for an emancipation to reach outside of the city and a very long time for people to get past their prejudices, but I can't see the book ending any other way.

I plan on joining this one. Are we going to get a chapter breakdown soon?

I have the book but have been really busy and I haven't had a chance to read much! I'll try to catch up but I may not be able to.

Discussion Questions SET 3: chapters 21-34

12) I was thinking about the sisters' names, and how they all have a surface meaning, and a deeper meaning, like Abbess Glass: clear, lets light through, breakable - also invisible, so you might not know its there until you run into it. What do you think the name Cage says about Nona? What are the surface and underlying meanings to the Sister name you would give yourself?
Well the surface meaning is obvious since she stated that she felt like she lived her life in a cage (sometimes literally) before coming to the convent. Metaphorically, I think she often feels trapped: she can feel the potential of the Path but not harness it, and she can use her hunska powers but still feels lacking in them.

I had tentatively picked Ink for myself, on the surface being about books and writing. I hadn't thought about an underlying meaning though. I suppose I often feel like a pot of spilled ink when things don't go right, but ink can also be a powerful tool.

13) Walking the path takes clarity and serenity, but each person has a different recipe for what brings personal serenity. And what is serenity - is it just being 100% true to yourself? Does serenity need to be the opposite of being a fighter? Why do you think Nona can't achieve her serenity, or does she need to take a different path? What brings you serenity?
I think serenity includes accepting yourself for who you are, which is definitely something Nona struggles with because she's still discovering who she is. She also has a hard time clearing her mind, so it seems like anger is the easiest way for her to do that. It may just take some time for her to gain enough wisdom to achieve serenity in the "normal" way. Books and cats bring me serenity:)

14) What do you think about Sister Pan words: "When you get to my age you need things like this to keep you alive. Take it from me. I have been too young to know, and I have been too old to care. It's in that oh-so-narrow slice between that memories are made. So enjoy it."
I thought that was really interesting! I agree that it's important to experience new things all throughout one's life and to remember all the best things. You have to savor the good moments and take note of them to reflect on later in happiness.

15) When they go to Caltess, Nona sees Raymel, and remembering Saida, attacks him. I was a little surprised there weren't more repercussions for that move. What do you think about the things now in Raymel that seemed to recognize and trigger something in Nona? Do you think she's been irreversibly poisoned?
I think there weren't repercussions because people thought it was an accident. Most people aren't hunska fast and so can't follow the precise movements. And even if they could, they may not have been looking for intention like that. I suppose Raymel has some sort of demons in him now, perhaps demons that also wish to feed on the Path's energy or that already use it in some way. I highly doubt she's been irreversibly poisoned as our heroine:)

16) I love the quote "A book is as dangerous as any journey you might take. The person who closes the back cover may not be the same one that opened the front one. Treat books with respect." What book that you've read comes to mind when you read this quote?
Recently, books about race and social class- they have opened my mind to realities that I hadn't considered before. They are always worth the read.

17) Nona sees Yisht digging under the dome, where the shipheart is. Do you think she is doing this on Sherzal's orders? Do you think Zole is a participant or a tool? I am so curious about the shiphearts and the emperor's Ark, and how they play into the mysteries of the ice with its tunnel systems and hidden "undercities abandoned by the Missing." Sister Pan's view is that the four tribes descend from travelers who came from another planet on a host of ships. Are you starting to put together theories about this, and the Path, threads, the Ancestor, etc?
I do think Yisht is working under Sherzal's orders, who probably wants the shipheart to counter her brother's Ark. It's unclear if Zole is a participant or not, but I'm sure she at least knows more than she's letting on. I'm not really trying to piece together theories about the travelers and the Path, etc.- I'm just taking it all in and enjoying it as it comes!

Teddie wrote: "I found it so interesting that a woman of faith could see that a prophecy doesn't need to be provably real, but if enough people fervently believe, it becomes self-fulfilling."

Exactly! The prophecy itself is probably a farce, but it becomes incredibly important when so many people think it's true. So it will be interesting to see how this real/not real aspect plays out in the future.

Comments and Questions
18&19 June
Chapters 9 - 20

7. So very much happens in this section, I almost don't know where to start. Ok. The Tacsis family sends 2 different delegations after Nona. The first time, Raymel's brother attacks her. Do you have any speculation what exactly is going on with her hands? I'm struggling trying to coincide a family with that much power, money, and influence having a son fighting in the 'pits'. Do you think we've really seen the last of this family?
I think she cut him with her nails- towards the end of this section she recounts other times that she cut people in the same way. As for a wealthy son fighting in the pits, I'm guessing it can be a point of honor to be such a strong fighter; and besides, he earns tons of money doing it! I definitely think we'll see more of this family in the future- there's no way they'll let this whole thing slide in the long run.

8. Nona appears so naive in social situations. She seems to place a high value on friendships. I found myself wondering if Clera had not somehow sold information on her in town and that is how she switched her penny for a silver coin. Do you see that naivete somehow playing a further plot point in the story?
I think she's so naive because she had no friends in her village, so she hasn't had any practice having friends and being social. I'm not sure how much her naivete will play a role in the plot, but it certainly allows for a lot of character development. I haven't seen any reason to believe that Clera sold information about her.

9. The faux trial, the truth test, the Shield test. Wow! It was nonstop. I had to keep reminding myself that Nona is not yet even a teenager. It was hard to stomach. That one man could force all of this cruelty and chaos. And that everyone went along with it. What was your biggest takeaway? What did you enjoy the most? The politics, the revelations, the action? Were you satisfied with how it eventually resolved?
Money is power. No matter what kind of story you read- fiction, nonfiction, fantasy, romance- people are obsessed with power and will do anything to both get it and keep it. People go along with it because it's the status quo and change is hard. I wasn't really surprised by the politics, but the descriptions of how Nona stopped the weapons in the Shield test were fascinating. And I have no great complaints about how it was resolved.

10. We learned more about the prophecy. Both what is rumored and what the Abbess believes. We also learn what Arabella and Nona will claim as their Sister names. Do you think it was really Arabella in the Prologue? Have you changed your viewpoint on Arabella?
I honestly had forgotten about the Prologue- I guess that is her, sometime in the future! Which could potentially be a spoiler- it states that she's a Red Sister, which mean she definitely doesn't have all four types of blood to qualify as the Chosen One, otherwise she probably would have picked another of the rarer paths. That's fun to know that she ends up being a talented Red Sister though! With the current storyline, I'm still not sure that I trust her but there's hope.

11. As we come to the middle of the novel, have your thoughts changed regarding any of the characters? The style? The book itself? Any major surprises? What do you think will happen next?
My opinions on the novices are shifting as we learn more about them. I still dig the writing style and the plot. I honestly have no predictions for the future. Obviously there is a lot more schooling to do and I think the Tacsis family will be a recurring problem, otherwise I don't know.

Comments and Questions
16&17 June
Chapters 1-8

1. The opening line of this book had me really sit up and take notice! Did it hit you in the face too? What's your favourite opening line from a novel? (Mine is Anna Karenina: "All happy families are alike; each unhappy family is unhappy in its own way"
Yes, the opening lines for both the prologue and Chapter One were good. I don't make a habit of writing down favorite first lines from novels, although this makes me think that maybe I should!

2. The Author's Note at the front says to skip it and return only if you need it. So.. I skipped it. (I'm not big on spoilers). How about you? Did you skip it, or read it?
I skimmed through it and didn't think there were any spoilers because you don't really understand it all until you start reading and get to the relevant information in the story. I have already started to go back and review what the different blood and nun types are, so it's useful.

3. How are you finding the style? Do you like the flashbacks into Nona's past?
I like the style and the stories/flashbacks from Nona. Some amount of flashback is usually necessary for character building.

4. Raymel Tacsis is "surrounded by Academy men sweating to keep him from death". Would you want people to try and save you like this, given the risks?
Probably not, especially since it seems like he may not be the same mentally after the procedure. If that much effort has to be put into it, it's probably better to just pass on. Then again, he's worth a lot of money as a prize fighter, so it's not surprising that they want to keep him alive.

5. What do you think of the world building? I'm finding it quite intriguing. And I love the names of the Sisters (flint, apple, wheel!). What name would you give yourself?
The world seems pretty harsh in both climate and lifestyle with all the starving children, and by the quick explanation we got about the climate it seems like it will only continue to get worse. As for more specifics, it can be difficult to visualize what the convent's plateau looks like with the arrangement of buildings, but it's certainly interesting. The Sisters' names are sometimes odd, which makes me want to know the story behind each of them. I feel like my object name would be something like Paper or Ink since I enjoy both reading and writing. Or perhaps Water for some of my hobbies, although that's not really an object.

6. Initial thoughts - are you enjoying the book so far? Any favourite characters?
I'm definitely enjoying it so far. I kinda hope Arabella gets showed up in a major way and that Nona ends up being the Chosen One instead, just because I hate people that are so egotistical and arrogant. I don't feel like I know all the characters well enough to pick a favorite besides Nona, since it's pretty easy to love the heroine. I like how intelligent Nona is- recognizing not to show all her strength at once.

I finally finished it yesterday and I loved it. I was wrong about who Feng was: (view spoiler)[I still don't understand how she wasn't really there when she interacted so much with Waipo and Waigong. I mean, she had conversations and translated for Leigh. I guess I can see how Leigh imagined her being there and having conversations, but what about the translations? She wasn't suddenly able to speak Chinese. She talks about how her Chinese got better because she started picking up a few words she used to know, but that's a far cry from being able to understand entire stories, etc. (hide spoiler)] All of the magical realism still blows my mind- I'll probly be thinking about this book for awhile.

Finally got a chance to do some more reading lol...

Day 3 Discussion Questions April 20 & 21

13. Have you ever had a friend like Axel who came and bailed you out of an situation? I'm looking forward to reading why they are no longer friends because it seems like he would do anything to help Leigh and make her happy. Any ideas?
I don't think I've ever been in a situation that I needed to be bailed out of, lol.
I thought that was clear- they kissed and then her mother died so Leigh both felt weird and needed some space to grieve. I hope she gets over the awkwardness and rekindles their friendship, whether or not that includes more than just friendship.

14. Scary situation. Leigh definitely wasn't thinking about her dad's feelings when she left camp and didn't tell anyone. As a parent this scene was a bit terrifying though I understand why she left. I'm guessing because Leigh's dad sent her away to camp, didn't check with her and the fall out from leaving camp all contributed to their uneasy relationship that we see now. What do you think?
I think their relationship was already frail and tense before that, although that situation certainly didn't help any. He was already really absent and dismissive of her art before that.

15. What are your thoughts on electroconvulsive therapy?
I have no idea what modern techniques are like, I've only seen stuff about it in movies- which isn't always accurate. So I suppose I'm extremely hesitant about it but I would need to learn more about it to form a strong opinion.

16. Maybe not a question but I think Feng is (view spoiler) Anyone else agree or disagree?
No, I don't think so. At least she's not identifying as such. I suppose if you/they believe in reincarnation, she could be her reincarnated spirit, but that's not the impression I've gotten. And if she is, I don't think Waipo and Waigong have been made aware of it because they would have said something.

17. I really hope Leigh gets the art chance that her teacher told her about. Do you think she will get to go or there is too much going on in her family.
I thought she already missed it? Because it was happening in June and it's currently summertime, so I thought she missed it with her mother dying and everything. Although maybe I have the timeline wrong.

Day 2 Discussion Questions -April 18 & 19; Chapters 26-56

8. Are you enjoying the author's writing style; switching from the past to the present?
Yes, I think it works. Some authors make such transitions jarring, but Pan's style makes sense for this story.

9. In chapter 42 ( 37%; loc 1901) we read this poem
"I lost a world the other
day.
Has anybody found?
You'll know it by the
row of stars
Around its forehead bound? "

What do you think the poem means to Leigh's mom? What do you think she lost?
Judging by her depression, she may feel that she's lost a part of herself, which makes sense considering she's disconnected from her family and her homeland. So it could be both a physical and an emotional loss. Maybe she realizes that despite having a "good" reason to separate herself from her family, whatever that may be, she still misses them and needs them.

10. Any idea who the two girls are in the picture that Leigh and Axel found?
It could be her mother and an old friend. We haven't yet heard about her grandmother leaving behind a good friend from childhood like she did her adoptive mother, so it may be more likely that it's her mother in the picture.

11. Chapter 48 was a tiny bit bittersweet reading about the happy, fun memories that Leigh and her dad used to participate in. Any ideas why they grew apart? What are your fond memories from childhood about your dad?
Sometimes parents and children grow apart as the children age if the parents don't make an effort to stay connected. It seems like her father was maybe getting frustrated with her mother and used his work to escape, and in the process he drifted from his daughter as well. Considering that he wasn't supportive of her art, it seems like he isn't a very sympathetic person.

My dad has always been really quiet and introverted, but he's always doing something. He has a million craft hobbies and he can build anything, so I suppose I just remember watching him do so much and supporting our family so well that it crafted my image of a good man. Anytime I need him, he's there.

12. I'm enjoying Pan's book; she makes the reader feel an array of emotions. My heart is breaking for Leigh having to deal with her mom's depression and attempted suicide and a father who is absent and not reachable. I'm now feeling a bit of outrage at Leigh's dad that he didn't answer Leigh's numerous telephone calls when she needed him and his reaction to his wife and her struggles were not supportive. What did you think of this scene?
Yes, I was disappointed in how he dealt with it but not necessarily surprised. It's really difficult for someone who has no personal experience with depression to understand the struggle. It's sad that Leigh had to go through all of that, but even sadder that her mother went through all of that and had no support. Leigh would have done more, I'm sure, but she really didn't understand what was happening, and it's not the child's responsibility to take care of the parent. Maybe if her dad had stopped traveling for awhile to help look after her mother, things would have been different.

I just noticed that so far there's only two other people reading this, lol. Hey, ladies! I'm a little behind but I'll try to keep up!

DQs Day 1 Chapter 1-25

1. Why did you want to read this BOM?
It's been awhile since I've had the time to read a BOM and the premise of this one sounded really good.

2. Leigh’s Mother left a cryptic note and her meds in the garbage. The note said, “I want you to remember.” What do you think Leigh’s Mother wants her family to remember?
I feel like it has something to do reconnecting as a family, as in "remember that we're family, remember that we're here for each other". But it's hard to say at this point.

3. Leigh sees a red bird and believes it is her Mother. Leigh’s Father believes the bird and/or the color of the bird may have significance to Leigh. What is the significance of a bird to you? And the color red?
Well, since birds can fly, they can represent freedom, mobility, traveling, being carefree, etc. In Western culture, red often represents evil or danger, but that's not the case in most Asian cultures. Red is used quite often in China and Japan, and brides wear red in India. So since she's Taiwanese, it could be red for luck.

4. Leigh’s Mother never spoke Mandarin to Leigh, she renamed herself Dorothy and discouraged Leigh from learning the language and culture. Any guesses why Leigh’s Mother was so estranged from her family? Do you think Leigh’s Mother should have allowed Leigh to learn the language and culture?
I have no idea yet why her mother was estranged from her family, but I'm sure it's because of that estrangement that she wasn't encouraging Leigh to learn Mandarin. I don't think her mother would have prevented her from learning it if she was truly motivated, but she didn't want to encourage it herself because of her own issues.

5. Leigh and her Father have a strained relationship. He is so opposed to Leigh’s painting. Any thoughts on why? Do you think he is a good Father?
It seems like their relationship is strained simply because he was gone so often for work so they didn't get a lot of time to bond. As for his opposition to her painting, lots of people think that any interest in the arts is pointless and that you can't earn a living from it, so it's not that surprising to me. But I generally think he's doing the best he can as a father.

6. Leigh’s Grandparents burned the box so it could be with Leigh’s Mother. And somehow Leigh is able to see her Mother’s memories now. What do you think about the supernatural aspects of the story? Will this help Leigh figure out what her Mother wants Leigh to remember?
Yes, the ability to see memories is fascinating. I'm sure the whole point of this is for Leigh to understand something in particular, and perhaps to rekindle a relationship with her Taiwanese family.

7. What do you think about Axel and Leigh’s relationship? Why do you think Axel has started dating Leeann?
I'm really disappointed in Leigh for giving up on their friendship. I understand that the timing was really weird with their first kiss and her mother dying, but I really wish she had contacted him because he could have been helping her through this and he's a truly wonderful friend to her. As for Axel dating Leeann, it may have just been a timing thing- nothing was progressing with Leigh or perhaps he simply didn't recognize his own feelings for her yet, so he saw a pretty girl and asked her out. I don't blame Axel for liking Leeann.

Yeah, I'm only seeing it for $23 on Amazon from a UK seller and I don't particularly want to spend that much on it atm. I guess I'll earmark it to read after the US release!

I didn't realize the answers had been posted! Thanks for your work, Karen, and I agree with you about the magic library and the Maria Owens story!

Ahhh, I'm sorry y'all but I've been so busy with writing my thesis that I haven't had time to even start reading this book. It just goes to show that I shouldn't commit to extra things in the last few weeks of crunch time. Although luckily y'all still haven't found someone for the third set of questions, so you're not waiting on mine :P Sorry to have to leave you with no one for the last day as well! Hopefully I can read this book once I'm done!

I still haven't had the time to finish it, but I'll post several questions.

How did you come up with all the ingredients the Owens women use in various spells, or simply on their own, like carrying lavender in their pockets? Is everything from research or did you invent some of it yourself?

How did it feel to have Practical Magic be made into a movie? Were you pleased with how it turned out?

What made you decide to write this prequel so many years after Practical Magic?

Thank you for answering our questions, Ms. Hoffman!

Moderators, just FYI that you didn't actually put in a break day where there is supposedly one.

Also, I can do DQs for the last section. :)