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

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

Discussion Questions 14th and 15th August. “Special circumstances” to “David”

8. This society is starting to show it’s real face and not the “pretty” one we’ve been shown so far. What do you think of the “special Circumstances” bureau to use Tally by refusing to operate on her to find Shay and the other rebels/escapees? Dr. Cable gave me the creeps by the way, how about you?
I'm not necessarily surprised at how the Special Circumstances people are treating her, because they're obviously the people "running the game" and I expected there to be some possibly evil people behind the scenes. What I'm most curious about is how those people are chosen to work there and why they would be ok with being an unconventional Pretty.

9. Tally is really on her own and very alone. Her parents are deserting her by not supporting her decision not to go find Shay and her so called friend Peris is even worse. This is emotional blackmail of the worst kind. Eventually she cracks and is setting out to find Shay. Can you understand why she made the decision, would you have made the same one if you were in her shoes?
So far, everything Tally has done has been understandable. She hasn't really been given a choice, although now she finally has to decide for herself whether or not to reveal where the Smoke is. So far, she's done exactly what's expected of her, not including the escapes and tricks she frequently did.

10. I really liked reading about Tally’s road trip to The Smoke. The clues Shay gave weren’t very easy although the first one I could get. Reading about the Spagbol was fun and I liked her resourcefulness during this trip. I feel like I got to know her a little better. What do you think of Tally now that we are halfway?
Tally is definitely starting to grow as a character, although not necessarily in any surprising way so far. It will be more interesting to see how she makes her decision to betray David's people or not.

11. At the end of the road Tally is found by Shay and finally we meet David. What do you think of him?
I thought David would be older and a runaway himself, but I was wrong on both counts. I'm surprised he never got caught when meeting up with Shay in the old Rusties town since the Special Circumstances people were looking for him. I'm also surprised they couldn't find the Smoke with their ships; it didn't seem like the town was terribly far from the point the GPS was shut off. I would like to hear from David's parents about why they left and how they reversed their operations.

12. The Smoke seems like a good place to be people have to work for what they get and there seems to be a cohesiveness to the people. What do you think of The Smoke and his leader? Do you think Tally will be able to betray them in the end?
It seems like their town is "backwards" even for our standards but still runs well. It's good that they're self-sufficient. I think Tally will have a hard time betraying them. Maybe she can find some sort of compromise. I think that if she wants to be Pretty but can't do that in her town because she won't betray the Smoke, she should join up with those Pretties from another town; with them, she could be pretty and still fly around in the mountains and be "free."

13. What did you think of David and his parents’ story? I was impressed that they reversed the operation and made themselves “ugly” again.
Yes, I'm curious to hear their story. I'm also wondering when their town was first founded and by whom.

Elise wrote: "but it was kind of a shock to see her parents' reaction. Sure, they are middle pretties, but they put just as much pressure on her as everyone else, which is kindda depressing. "

Yeah, when I read their reaction, I thought for sure there was some kind of brainwashing going on because they didn't even hear her out. They didn't seem very understanding or compassionate. And the whole giving-up-your-kid at age 12 thing still confuses me. I almost wonder if the parents are assigned a child that was grown in a test tube rather than them being the actual parents.

Discussion Questions for 12th&13th August pages 1-101"Operation"

1. Now that we have started the book, what are your first impressions? Are you enjoying it so far, or not? What do you think of the characters we have been introduced to so far; Tally, Shay and Peris?
So far, it's an interesting concept that the world has figured out how to "equalize" people by making them pretty, although I definitely agree with Shay that it seems like brainwashing. And as a few others have mentioned so far, the pretties either eventually have to do work or their are lots of unknown uglies working somewhere, because products, etc. don't just make themselves. I hope there's some more explanation down the line.

2. What do you think of this world of Pretties and Uglies? To me it feels like a representation of our own society and the need for people to believe that they are not good enough and so that forces them to change to fit in with the societies view of perfection.
Yes, it definitely seems like it's a way to control the population for some extraneous reason. Maybe the people behind the operations have some sinister plan?

3. Tally and Shay seem like complete opposites when it comes to their ideas about being 'Uglies'. Who do you think you relate more to in this situation?
I can see both of their sides. Even though as a reader with outside perspective, it seemingly makes more sense that Shay is right because of the idea of acceptance, Tally's opinion is completely valid because of how she was raised. It's not strange at all for Tally to want to be pretty because everyone is told since birth that that's what they want. And it seems like not everyone was exposed to some other truths like Shay, so not everyone has the chance to make a choice. I'm not sure who I relate to more.

4. Who do you think David is? Do you have any ideas about why he knows so much that Tally and other Uglies have never grown up knowing? Maybe this place where he lives is more relaxed and they do not close themselves off to the rest of the world like this society seems to do.
It sounds like David lives in a town much like our own world, where they have probably kept old literature and cultural references to pass on to their children. That seems likely since David can write and the children can't. And of course, a town where everyone is "ugly" aka normal.

5. Tally see's a light near the roller coaster when they are leaving. Do you have any ideas about what this could be?
I thought it was David finally catching up, but then Shay didn't meet with him for several days afterward, so maybe not. Maybe some other "ugly" was wandering around in the ruins, and maybe Tally will run into him/her in the future.

6. In the synopsis of this book it states "Tally learns about a whole new side of the pretty world-- and it isn't very pretty." What do you think this means? There seems to be something that the Uglies are not told about the Pretties.
There's definitely allusion to some dark purpose behind the separation of the Uglies and Pretties; at the very least, the fact that some people are not turned to Pretties is kept secret so others won't hesitate to try to become one. I'm wondering if there's a whole group of people outside of the Uglies and Pretties who actually run the whole thing, like the scary guy at the operation center.

7. At this point in the story do you have any speculations about what is in store for our characters throughout the rest of the book? Will Tally turn pretty? Will Shay return?
Since we're still at the beginning, I'm sure we'll definitely learn a lot more about the world and how it works. We may even learn what happens in the background since Tally can't have the operation. Maybe Tally will get to turn pretty eventually if they can correct the error, or maybe she joins up with Shay and starts some kind of truth revolution. One big question I have is whether or not there is some mind control going on. For example, maybe when they do the operation, they don't just change you physically, but do something to alter your thought processes, originality, or previous desires.

I just got my copy:)

I don't have a problem with the schedule, but why is there not an actual break day where it says there is? It goes straight from the 15th to the 16th.

Erin wrote: "This book stands out from most dystopian books, because it cares as much about the world before the collapse as it does the aftermath. It's not just "a disaster happened! what now!""

That's a good point! I didn't realize that was something I liked about it until you mentioned it so straightforward. Most dystopian novels don't tell you anything about the world before, so you can only make assumptions.

Comments and Questions
Jul 6 - Chapters 46-55 - Pages 269-334 (end)

21. It seems that Jeevan has finally gotten to be someone who he likes being. What did you think of his ending?

I love his ending! I'm so glad he survived and has a family, and it was so touching that he named his son after his brother. He even got a little more medical training with a doctor, so he is a big help to his community. I would like to think that Kirsten eventually finds him and discovers his connection with Arthur.

22. Kirsten and Clark finally meet and exchange a Dr. Eleven book. Did this go how you thought it would? Does it seem likely that this many people from the past life would meet again in this one?

I had hoped Clark would still be there when the Symphony made it to the airport, so it was a lovely ending. I thought it was nice that Clark chose to show her the lit city first instead of immediately talking about Arthur. Considering that Kirsten was constantly traveling with the Symphony, it's not implausible that she could meet several people from the past that she's connected to.

23. Reading this book got me thinking about reading Outlander. In that book someone from the modern world is thrust back in time and has to make do without modern conveniences (and a lot more violence). In this book, everyone is thrust forward into a time without modern conveniences or at least without most of them. In both cases you lose a lot of who you knew before. Did you see any similarities with other books you've read? Would you prefer to be sent back in time and try to live in the past or try to live in a future that's lost it's comforts?

Well, in a way, this book is like many other dystopian novels in that a modern world went through some apocalyptic disaster and threw it back several centuries in progression. But it seems like most of those rely on political upheaval as the downfall of society; this book is different in that there's not some tyrannical government ruling what's left, etc. And I think it would be much easier to live in the future without comforts than in the past, because at least the possibility of regaining those comforts is infinitely more likely. If the science and knowledge exists and just has to be relearned, that is much easier than recreating the ability from scratch.

24. Any final thoughts on the book? What did you rate it? Would you read another book by the author?

I haven't written my review yet, but I'll probably give it a 5. I love that it was more focused on character development than an action-based plot. I wish there was a genre called "character driven" so I could find these kinds of novels more easily. I would definitely consider reading another book by this author.

Comments and Questions
Jul 5 - Chapters 39-45 - Pages 205-268

17. Station Eleven and Eleven years between when Arthur and Miranda last saw each other. Do you think there's a significance to the number 11?

I hadn't noticed the correlation before. It being a Station Eleven rather than Station Nine or Twenty certainly wasn't premeditated, however, since the story was created well before they met. I don't recall the number eleven being significant in any other part of the book.

There seems to be some differences of opinion on the internet:
Spiritual - "The spiritual meaning of number Eleven deals directly with our involvement with the progression of life."
Biblical - "The number eleven is important in that it can symbolize disorder, chaos and judgment."

Thoughts on which one it pertains to if either?

I've never heard of these theories. I would need to research them a bit more to see if there's a connection with the book.

18. We've learned the origin of the Museum of Civilization. Did you anticipate it being tied back to the original group of characters?

It was obvious that we would learn a lot about the prophet once we learned about the Museum, but I had no idea that some of the original characters would be involved. But once Clark, Elizabeth, and Tyler all boarded the same plane, everything snapped into place.

19. Tyler looks like he is probably the prophet that we met earlier. Do you think that's the case? What do you think happened to his mother Elizabeth?

I definitely think Tyler is the prophet, without a doubt. Not only does he have a connection to planes, hence the symbol, and a background of religion, but Kirsten also recognized him slightly and it looks like he somehow ended up with a copy of Station Eleven. As for what happened to Elizabeth... She could have easily gone off the deep end. She seems weak physically and mentally, so I'm sure she died of something.

20. What are your thoughts in Kirsten's interview? Did you like the way it tied in with Clark even if only briefly?

I thought the knives represented people who had died, but didn't realize they would be people she killed; the news isn't necessarily shocking, however. It's very exciting that Clark found her interview; it means that if he's still there when she reaches the airport, the story will come full-circle. I hope they get a chance to meet.

Kelly wrote: "For those up through the July 4th reading.

I was thinking about the airline t scar and I'm thinking it represents the airplane that was sealed and sitting out on the runway. There's something part..."

Yeah, I was really just thinking it symbolized the whole airport, but it symbolizing that one isolated airplane makes sense. Especially because of Tyler's attitude towards it.

June wrote: "10. Arthur for some reason seems central to the story. But still not sure how as yet. I think the prophet is his son, which explains why Kristen thinks he looks familiar. "

I have some thoughts on this, but it looks like pretty much everyone is behind on the reading right now, so I don't want to say too much. But the pieces are coming together!

Comments and Questions
Jul 4 - Chapters 23-38 - Pages 137-204

12. What do you think happened to Dieter, Sayid and the clarinet? Do you think the clarinet committed suicide or did the same fate befall her?

I have a strong feeling that something happened to them, as in someone attacked them. The strongest possibility is the prophet, but then again Finn got out without being pursued by him, so maybe there are some other nasty characters in the area. I think the clarinet's note was old, and they were searching for missing people, so it would have been a strange time for her to just leave.

13. I think it's shocking that in the course of a day the Symphony managed to lose 5 people in 3 separate events. What do you think is the cause? I don't think they'd always be this disorganized.

There is definitely some outside influence going on. It's pretty likely the 3 first missing are dead or captured. As for the Symphony as a whole... obviously something drastic happened very quickly for them to either change direction or get lost. It's not a good sign. Best case scenario is maybe they decided to keep off the road for safety and got sidetracked in the storm.

14. What do you think about Arthur's book? Any thoughts on Victoria (The V in Dear V.)? Arthur seems to bounce between a lot of marriages. Is your opinion of him changing as the book progresses?

The book gives some good insight to his character, but it doesn't necessarily change what I think about him. It was already clear that he changed relationships quickly, however, so it was interesting to see that he felt like he had been betrayed by a friend/old girlfriend of his. If anything, it makes me like him more simply because I feel I understand him slightly better.

15. We've learned more about Jeevans life now. What do you think of his life so far? Do you think he's still alive in the present day of the book?

He was definitely very smart to stock up on so much and try to keep outside air from getting in. He probably avoided a lot of fear and danger from not going outside for the first few months, which is good for his emotional security. I want him to still be alive, but I don't want to hope too much in case he's not.

16. What do you think the airline t scar means?
It seems like the prophet used it to mark people that are unwelcome, so it could be that he left the airport at Severn City because he wasn't welcome. Maybe he thinks of the airport as some kind of hell for some reason, and so marks his enemies that way. But I don't blame Finn for staying away in case he has allies there.

July 3
DQs for Chp. 13-22

7. This is only the second novel I have read that takes place (partially) in Canada, but I didn't really learn anything new about Canadian life. Well, except that apparently U.S. residents don't know much about Canadian geography! Have you been to Canada? Does anything from the parts of the story set there remind you of Canada?

I've never been to Canada, although it sounds beautiful from many friends I have that have been there. But I really don't know much about it.

8. It was interesting seeing the process of how Miranda wrote the graphic novel, Station Eleven. Do you read graphic novels? Are there any great ones you would recommend?

Yes, I always enjoy hearing how an author/artist is inspired and how they work. I have read some graphic novels and am very interested in reading more. I read the Persepolis books by Satrapi and Asterios Polyp by Mazzucchelli, and I adored them. I own several others that I haven't gotten around to reading yet: the Maus series by Spiegelman and Blankets by Thompson. I'm open to more suggestions!

9. After learning about the plot of the Station Eleven graphic novels and after Miranda says that she and Elizabeth sitting on the floor of her study are in Station Eleven, why do you think this book is called Station Eleven?

Well, it seems like her graphic novels are connecting each of the groups in some way. But Station Eleven could also be a metaphor for a place in Miranda's mind, where the world is very different. After all, the Earth in Station Eleven's reality is also basically destroyed.

10. It was interesting reading about Arthur Leander's past, but he's been dead for 20 years -- Why the recap on his history? What role do you think his life story will have in the rest of this novel?

I think his story has to do with connecting the characters, like the graphic novels do. Because even though few people on Earth remain, they are probably connected in very surprising ways. Even if someone is dead, they can still have a huge impact on the living.

11. Do you agree with the Symphony's policy of not interfering in town policies, or do you think they should take a stand for what is right when they see an injustice being done?

I think it's definitely a smart decision to stay out of local politics. Even if there are some possibly horrible things happening, they really don't know what threats the other people could pose. If they can make things better when possible, that's great, but otherwise they really can't risk putting their own lives in danger. The police and the military don't exist anymore, or even any form of government, so they can't reasonably make themselves lawmakers when they spend their time traveling.

Comments and Questions
Jul 2 - Chapters 1-12 - Pages 1-66

1. What made you choose to join this BOM read? Were you planning on reading the book before it was chosen?

Several of my friends on Goodreads have read it and liked it, so it seemed like a great opportunity when I saw it would be discussed here:) I probably wouldn't have picked it up, otherwise.

2. How have past flu scares affected your life? H1N1 Flu Virus, Bird Flu, Ebola, etc? (link)

I don't remember being scared about H1N1 or the Bird Flu. I was slightly concerned about Ebola, however, considering I live near Dallas and a girl I work with was reading updates every half hour. But any fear was short-lived.

3. What did you think of the list of "no mores" in Chapter 6? Were there ones you didn't expect or don't believe would be true of a flu pandemic?

I thought the list was a good representation of the variety of things lost. There are the larger, more obvious things like transportation and medication, but you don't necessarily think about bands and radio and jobs that become obsolete. In a way, it's hard to believe that a flu pandemic could shut down electricity and therefore the world as we know it, but it also makes complete sense when you realize that all the people are gone who used to keep those things running. If 99% of the population is dead, there are no longer people to drill oil for fuel or people to farm crops for huge populations, etc. The world really does come to a standstill.

4. What are your thoughts on Kirsten and the travelling Symphony? Is it a good use of people's skills or should they be working on something more practical?

I definitely think it's a good idea for the traveling Symphony to continue doing what they have always done, for many reasons. For one, it helps keep a sense of continuity, of things seeming at least a little real and normal. For another, it preserves small pieces of history that might otherwise be lost. And finally, it's important because while we need manual laborers to survive, we need artists to live.

5. The prophet seemed very creepy. Why do you think so many people stayed in town? Was it just fear of setting out on their own or something worse?

Considering all the horrors that the people had been through previously, I think it's perfectly understandable for people to be scared and just stay where they are because they don't know where else to go. Either they didn't know what else to do, or they really believed that he had some kind of power over them. Fear can make people do strange things.

6. Predictions for the rest of the book?

Unfortunately, I think there will definitely be some deaths. In such an apocalyptic world, there are probably a lot of dangers that can't be avoided. But I think a good part of it will continue to be drama between characters, simply because that's human nature. This kind of drama is shown in Chapter 10, which I think simply illustrates that we will always find a way to continue on as we always have, no matter what crazy situations life throws at us. Our nature doesn't necessarily change simply because society as a whole does.

I don't know if this makes a difference, but I'm going to wait one day to start and then try to play catch-up. I'm studying for an exam I have tomorrow afternoon, but afterwards I'll try to get in two days of reading.

I just got the book! I've never done any kind of book club before, so this should be fun:)