Insiyah’s Comments (group member since Apr 12, 2022)

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

Richard, can you double check the page count for A Jew in Gaza? Thanks :)

My bad - I just read your earlier post.

Can you post the link here to your post on the GR librarians group? The captains have a few librarians, so I can request it there as well and hopefully get it sorted sooner.

Preeti, can you confirm the page count/link for The Friday Night Knitting Club? The page count is different from the link you've added to spreadsheet. Thanks :)

Volunteering for Sky Tower

To clarify, you are allowed to start a new book anytime after TT starts, and you must finish it after the countdown ends.

Insiyah's DQ Tracker:

Day 4
Day 5
Day 6

Insiyah's DQ Tracker:

Day 4
Day 5
Day 6

Day 6 - May 23
Part Four, Chapter 30 - Epilogue

23. I’m having a hard time being impartial with questions, as I feel like the last part of the book descended into mayhem and confusion without a solid roadmap, simply to forward action, some random, some meaningful. Is this book magical reality - where did the magic bits go? Is it historical fiction - or did an exotic setting just get used as a backdrop for a romance? What are your thoughts about the last part of the book compared to the first parts?
Agreed - mayhem, confusion, chaos, and very little actual sense happened there.

24. Do you think the characters stay true to themselves, or grow or change? Which characters do you find multifaceted vs 2-dimensional? Which characters are still too shrouded in mystery and secrets to know who they are?
All of them are opaque mysteries I cannot be bothered to explore.

25. Let’s talk about Elvira. Do you find it plausible that she, another naïve girl traveling solo, was able to get to Egypt from Argentina to find Inez at the perfect time? And after just being betrayed by her mother - HER MOTHER - do you think it likely that Inez would let her cousin meet an unknown man alone? How did you react to Elvira’s fate, and do you think it was consistent with the tone of the book?
It was consistent in tone in that it was one more bizarre thing that happened within the 400 or so pages of this book.

26. Any guesses as to where Inez’s father is, or thoughts on whether he’s still alive? Do you think he has the magical sheet Whit is searching for?
I genuinely can't be bothered to speculate.

27. How did you interpret the final cliffhanger dialog in the Epilogue? Has it been Porter or Whit - or both - Inez has been interacting with? Twins? Are you planning to read the next / final book?No I am not. I read the spoilers to sate my curiosity about plot, but don't plan on touching the next book.

DQs Day 6
Chapter 32–end

24. Lots of big reveals here in the last few chapters! We learn the truth about Jodi's relationship to Margaret, as well as some vital information about Hayden's family history. What did you think of those reveals? Did you have any theories that ended up being right, or did they surprise you?
I kinda thought it would be along the lines of The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo, where Hayden or Alice have been impacted as a result of the Ives' actions. Which, yes, Hayden has been, but Alice just became an excuse. I felt pretty sympathetic for how betrayed she felt.

25. Alice finally has the hard conversation with her mother about how out of place she feels in the family and how she feels like her mother doesn't like her as a person. How did you feel about the conversation? Did it feel realistic to you? Was there anything left unsaid you wish would've been addressed?
It felt realistic to me, particularly her mother's struggle to connect with Alice after the father died.

26. Emily Henry, the author, said that the song that best encapsulates this book is "the last great american dynasty" by Taylor Swift. I personally think there was a part that specifically felt like "marjorie" by Taylor Swift (when Alice talks about all the things she should have done when her dad was alive). If you had to pick one song that fits this book — either the book as a whole or a specific part — what song would you choose? Do you like when authors provide songs/playlists that go with their books?
I don't listen to those playlists anyways, but I think last great american dynasty fits perfectly.

27. "I welcome her to this great big beautiful life" — the epilogue finally reveals the significance of the title. What did you think of the ending and how the author wrapped up the story? Is there anything you wish had been done differently?
Nope, didn't like the ending, it felt too 'happy montage'. I did like the part where they actually start writing the biography.

DQs Day 5
Chapters 24 to 29

18.) Now that we know the death of Lourdes was greatly exaggerated, do we think Inez's father is actually dead? Do you think he sent the ring to Inez to hide it from Ricardo or from Lourdes?
No, I think he's in hiding. His mother is the only source regarding his death, and she doesn't seem particularly trustworthy.

19.) Any guesses as to why Whit doesn't want to go home and why his family might want him home so badly?
Duty, probably? It's implied that he's an aristocrat in Britain.

20.) Anyone actually surprised that Lourdes is the actual family traitor?
Nope. But I also had read the last few pages, so...

21.) Do you like the additions of Inez's drawings in the text?
They're interesting, and a distraction from the text which I appreciate.

22.) Thoughts on Cleopatra's real death . . . asp bite or poison?
Poison. She wouldn't have left her fate to a creature - I agree with that much.

DQs Day 5
Chapters 26 - 31/The Story

21. In the previous story…Margaret regretted the next set of interview questions with Alice…stating it was time to recall all her worst mistakes.
Was it a mistake to go to Cosmo’s concert instead of being at home during Gerald’s final hours? Was it something with Laura/Dr. David? Again, later she indicates she regrets every decision she made. What do you think? Why does she feel this way? What were the bad decisions?
I think, maybe because of the spotlight on her or maybe because she believed that her cheerful, outgoing self was 'wrong' or something similar, Margaret later regretted being as outgoing and as open to the press as she was. We've read about how horrible and invasive the press can be; she experiences the full brunt of that in the face of what should be intensely private grief, and worse in her mind, she dragged her sister along for the ride. Do I think she made bad decisions? No, not particularly, because she was very, very young.

22. Margaret keeps referring to trust. In chapter 27 she makes a reference to trusting people who wear bright colored clothing vs not. Why would someone like Margaret, with so much experience, call out the colors in clothing as a reason to trust someone? What are some of the things that make you trust one person vs another? Why?
Maybe she thinks that bright clothing = people who are more open? I don't know, I don't trust people based on the colour of the clothes they choose to wear. I try to look at things like behavior and personality.

23. In one of the last chapters in this section, we find out that Hayden knows details about Cecil, and Alice doesn’t; after deciding together, Alice point blank asks Margaret if she knows anyone else on the island.
Do you think Alice and Hayden have broken their trust/the NDA terms with Margaret by discussing Cecil together? Should they have handled this situation differently?
No, I don't think they broke the NDA. They're literally just discussing a person they both happen to know, and Hayden doesn't even reveal anything.

Lisa - (Aussie Girl) wrote: "Richard wrote: "Ok, now I can't complete any more books until the next 'month'"

Not too many days to go Richard, about 5 I think.

Maybe you could start them, but not finish them till after the n..."

Technically speaking, yes, that's allowed. If I were you though, I would consider the impact that will have on your next month's reading cap before reading anything specific. Unless you want to go ahead with the giant books...

Discussion Questions Day 4
Part Three - Chapters 18-23

14. Inez and Whit are either flirting or fighting. What do you think of their dynamic? Are you rooting for them to end up together?
What does she see in this guy?! I really don't want them to get together, Inez gets so irritating when Whit is there.

15. What do you make of Whit’s backstory ? Knowing that he is bound to Ricardo by a life debt, do you find it easier to trust him?
I still don't know what his job even is, so... not quite.

16. We get quite the shock when Inez’s mother shows up in her tent! Do you believe she is telling the truth about Ricardo or is this some kind of double cross?
Not answering because spoilers.

17. Finally, a discovery! We’re about 2/3 through the book. Any guesses where this is headed? What are you hoping happens to Inez at the end?
That she leaves this mess behind and goes on to explore the world. She's clearly no idiot and can live her life independently.

DAY 4 - CHAPTERS 21 - STORY 26

16. So the title, Great, Big, Beautiful Life... your thoughts on who this actually refers to? Do you think it has any significance to the plot at all or is it just a catchphrase along with the bright cover art to lure in the reader?
I think it refers to Margaret's story and life. She lives a Great Big Beautiful Life, at least for a while.

17. Half way through the book and I realized that the only interviews the reader is privy to with Margaret is through Alice's eyes. Why has Emily Henry written it this way? What is the deal with Hayden? Is there actually a contest at all? And is there more to him not wanting to take his relationship with Alice to 100% physical? Is there going to be a twist, anyone think they've worked it out?
Er, no answer because spoilers.

18. Wow, nearly makeup, storm sex occurs, another near miss! What do you think about all the extended foreplay without getting to the main event? Do you like how Emily Henry writes an intimate scene? Are they important or interrupting the flow of the storyline?
Let me answer this question like this - the romance has been my least favourite part of this book.

19. One of the themes of the book is family relationships, the good, the bad and the ugly. How does the parts about Alice and Hayden's family and especially the relationship with Alice and her mother contribute to the overall story?
I guess the contrast of the different relationships and how complex they all are; Margaret and her sister have everything materialistic they could want but lack emotional connections to their parents, while Alice's life seems to revolve around not giving her parents any trouble.

20. What are your favourite parts of the book? The Alice and Hayden relationship or the slow reveal of the Ives' story?
The Ives story, hands down.

I just finished What the River Knows (in a 3 hours flight, with time to spare). What did those of you who read it think about it?

Catsalive wrote: "Karen ⊰✿ wrote: "New tasks:
Read a book published before 1970"

Is this first published or edition read? If first pub. then I will read The Clock Strikes Twelve (1944)."

First published, so this book works

Amazingly enough, all our previous books were more than enough to cover the current cheese!

Elisabeth wrote: "Finished the ‘busy, bustling place’ book for India."

Great!

Karen ⊰✿ wrote: "It’s ok to hide them. If there is a way you can check the protections you have on and give me access that would be helpful as I can’t sort, hide or unhide 😊"

I genuinely don't understand why you're not able to do those things, because I have all permissions allowed for those things 🤷🏼‍♀️

Karen ⊰✿ wrote: "Elisabeth wrote: "The Bafut Beagles is listed in Itinerary 3 and 4, and there are two Swedens in 4."

Ignore the mini 1 tab on the planning sheet for now - I don't have permission to unhide the row..."

Done.

Do you want me to leave those rows open? I hadn't realised you couldn't unhide any of the hidden rows.