LittleRedRidingHood’s Comments (group member since Oct 20, 2016)

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

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3/9 160 pages
3/12 173 pages
3/14 60 pages

Current total = 453,911

Helena wrote: "Emotional Vampires by Albert Bernstein!

Yes, thats it.

EM _ _ I _ N _ L /_ _ MPIRES by _ L _ ER _/_ /_ ERNS _ EIN

Correct letters: L, S, I, R, E, P, N, M
Wrong letters: C

E _ _ _ I _ N _ L /_ _ _ PIRES by _ L _ ER _/_ /_ ERNS _ EIN

Correct letters: L, S, I, R, E, P, N
Wrong letters: C

E _ _ _ I _ _ _ L /_ _ _ PIRES by _ L _ ER _/_ /_ ER _ S _ EI _

Correct letters: L, S, I, R, E, P
Wrong letters:

E _ _ _ I _ _ _ L /_ _ _ _ IRES by _ L _ ER _/_ /_ ER _ S _ EI _

Correct letters: L, S, I, R, E
Wrong letters:

_ _ _ _ I _ _ _ L /_ _ _ _ I _ _ S by _ L _ _ _ _/_ /_ _ _ _ S _ _ I _

Correct letters: L, S, I
Wrong letters:

_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ L /_ _ _ _ _ _ _ S by _ L _ _ _ _/_ /_ _ _ _ S _ _ _ _

Correct letters: L, S
Wrong letters:

_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ L /_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ by _ L _ _ _ _/_ /_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

Correct letters: L
Wrong letters:

Ok, here it goes.

_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ /_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ by _ _ _ _ _ _/_ /_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

Is it Proxy by Alex London?

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Karen wrote: "Christina and littleredridinghood Just to say I have enjoyed your comments and following your discussion. I have recently read this book so found your views and comments very interesting."

Thank you. So what did you think about the book?

Christina wrote: "I really liked this one, the tone and simplicity were just right for the story, and (I try not to do half stars since GR doesn't) I'm fine with this one landing at 4 stars.

Well, I think that was ..."

Well, couisin Charles exited the story as quickly as he entered it and I am quite glad of that. I was a bit surprised that Constance didn't blame or resent Merricat for killing their parents (and a brother). Besides Julian's sparing remarks about his brother we don't get to know what kind of people they were.

I liked the ending, the way sisters and the house became almost a legend. The offerings at the door were convenient, because I believe the sisters would rather starve then go again in the village. To be honest it was quite a nice touch.

This was my first Shirley Jackson's book and apparently I should've read other books first. Just my luck :-)

Thank you for joining me, it was nice to share thoughts and thank you for puting up with my broken english.

Overall I give this book a solid 3,5 stars. It's atmospheric, eerie and satirical, definitely interesting, but it left me with more questions than answers. It doesn't need to be all neatly tied with a nice ribbon but I do like to know what motivation drives character to do something.

I'm still in the dark why Merricat killed her family, why villagers went savage and why Constance was afraid to step outside. It was literally like Merricat and Constance switched places outside the house.

7-10 chapter

Well I didn't expect that. It got even weirder. And to be honest I don't know even what to think about it.

The tension between Charles and Merricat escalates quickly. I guess she burns his room, because in same cultures the fire is perceived as cleansing. She so desperately wants to get rid of him she literaly takes all the measures. By destroying his belongings she thinks he would dissapear.

It seems to me that in this book house is the center of everything. When Charles comes in he brings the change that all of three residents are fending off, almost as they like to live in the past. Hence insisting to dine in the dining room, which Constance and Merricat close after the arsen and never step in ever again. It's almost as house was desrupted with the murders and cleansed with fire. After that girls live happy, at least that how it seems.
As far as uncle goes, apperently he thought all along that Merricat died in orphanage during her sister's trial, thats why he never calls for her or she isn't let in his room. Although I don't know what he thought when he saw a third person sitting next to him. Was she a ghost to him?

And there are three things that are buffling to me. What reason did the villagers have to get in a frenzy and destroy the house? I understand that they didn't feel comfortable meeting family members of murdered family, but you don't go around and destroy other persons property. At some point I thought they will kill them.
What was that talking from the parents "bow you head to our beloved Mary Katherine"?
And I would expect that they talked about murders between at least two of them. After all they fabricated the story of that evening , Constance took the blame although she didn't done it and Merricat played along. It's very odd that this issue was never discussed.

4-6 chapter

The arrival of cousin Charles evidently disturbs the rutine and peace of the house. Merricat perceives him as a ghost or evil presence. Charles takes over her house and duties in the village as also her fathers belongings. That unsettles her and with that her desire to get rid of him only grows. She is convinced that he barged in their secluded little world because the magic was broken.

I feel that Charles definitely has agenda and is not just friendly relative visiting. I was a bit recultant on idea that he would want to marry his cousin, but after his evident interest for money and valuable belongings I'm starting to think that there is something on it. After all if you look better Constance is now heiress (as a first child). If Charles gets Merricat and Julian out of picture, he has a clear path to get what he wants.

On that note it seems that only Merricat sees his true collors. As she doesn't respond kindly on his presence in the house, he soon starts to threten her on every occasion he gets.

Constance is the person who changes the most with his arrival. She starts to regret for not puting her uncle in the hospital and for leting Merricat run wild. I'm surprised that this never crossed her mind before cousins arrival. It just shows how big influence he has on her mind.

This is getting more and more buffling. I'm affraid that mirrors won't be the only thing to suffer ill faith.