Rebecca ’s Comments (group member since Sep 03, 2016)

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

Judith wrote: "Lory wrote: "I finished Jade City! I updated the spreadsheet."

We are always in need of one in the 500 to 650 range. I might be doing some shifting. As one of Truitt's books works for 4 of the 5 d..."

Will we be able to use any books we have banked for the last mini? I can't remember if that's how it worked before

I’m excited about that, that’s one I have in my TBR pile

Finished and added it to the tracking sheet

I'm finishing up my book right now An Island Wedding. It has a rocky beach and it also has mountains on the cover, would this qualify as the rocks needed for Argus? There's also a couple of instances of olives in the text

Finally finished A Mile in My Flip-Flops. I updated it on the mini and tracking sheets. I think that finishes that Empusa.

Have a nice relaxing vacation Natasha! I hope you’re going somewhere fun

Thanks

Found a flip flop book-336 pgs will that work or should I find something longer?

Cool I’ll hold on it, didn’t realize you had one going

Found a sheep book- Bye-Bye, Black Sheep. I'll start it now

Yeah, it’s great! We’re really raking in the extra points. I’m going to still try to get The Witcher’s Heart in, just trying to get a copy of it

Sorry I can’t read Malibu Rising I just read it in April

Finished The Nantucket Hotel which has a lot of tasks in it

Just finished Safe Haven and now I have a shorty coming up-The Empress of Salt and Fortune it’s just over 100 pgs…I think

Whoop whoop!!! 👏🏻

Finished two books: Crime and Poetry and Where the Crawdads Sing>. I added them to the book bank page in hopes that we'll be able to use them. I'm almost finished with another book-Safe Haven. I should finish it either tonight or tomorrow morning

Thanks Judith, I knew you had probably seen that

Lexi wrote: "I would also like to say that great job everyone on BOM points. We are the top team right now for BOM points and that is really helping us out in overall rankings (currently 4th but close to 3rd)."

Awesome! I have to skip Malibu Rising unfortunately because I just read it but I'm going to definitely try for the others.

I think I made a booboo. I put The Master and Margerita on the book bank tab yesterday but I put it on there on the right side. I was in a hurry and didn't see the tab that said "left to right". I'm sure you brainiacs have already figured this out but just in case I wanted to let you know because I would hate for us to miss out on anything. I didn't want to change anything this morning and potentially mess it up any further. Sorry...

Day 3 - DQs

14. Saved by Cock-Crow -> 18. Unwelcome visitors

11) “Since antiquity, the rooster has been, and still is, a sacred animal in some cultures and deeply embedded within various religious belief systems and religious worship….
In the sixth century, Pope Gregory declared the rooster the emblem of Christianity and in 9TH century the figure of the rooster was ordered to be placed on every church steeple. Also in Central European folk tales, the devil is believed to flee at the first crowing of a rooster.” (Source : Wikipedia)

Maybe it is just me, but I think there is something deeply symbolic about the fact that in the seemingly atheistic society a man is saved from black magic/the devil by a bird that is strongly connected to Christianity and is part of people’s inherent belief/superstitions. Do you think this was intentional on the author ‘s part and if so what possible message was he trying to pass on?
I feel it was definitely intentional. I think maybe Stalin is a stand in for the devil. Since he pretty was a devil in real life.

12) Connected to the question above: were there any superstitions you were brought up with or were told about by your family/friends?
I can't think of any off the top of my head other than the normal everyday little things like "see a penny pick it up and all the day you'll have good luck."

13) While the plot mainly concentrates on the weird happenings in “modern” Moscow and only few chapters are devoted to Jerusalem, do you think any parallels can be drawn between the two cities or their people?
I don't think so other than people are people and cities have similarities amongst themselves.

14) One of the many memorable scenes was when people broke out in a “song and dance flashmob” despite their not wanting to (the evil workings of Korovyev, the “ex-choirmaster”, translator ad assistant of Woland). Have you ever participated in a flashmob or saw one performed in person? If not: have you ever been involved in a school play/choir/etc?
No and sort of-my class whole class was involved in a play.

15) We already agreed that it is quite difficult to make sense of this book. Have you ever read a book that had similar effect on you? (fascination/bewilderment/what-am-I-just-reading? :)
I'm of the what-am-I-just-reading take. I'm not quite getting it fully.