Judith’s Comments (group member since Apr 15, 2015)

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

DQs Day 3: Chaps 14 - 19

10. There's some really graphic scenes in this section. Why do you think Chakraborty chose to be so detailed (esp what Falco did to them), when she could have been more circumspect?
Because things like that happened and happened often. The details of which are often glossed over, especially in the western world's glamourization of the Crusades in movies and what not.
Also, it shows the level of Falco's depravity before we actually meet him on page?

11. We met Raksh! Huzzah! What are you thoughts on final meeting him? Did that opinion change at all during the section?
He's hilarious. Not what I expected and in all the right ways. I love this cast of characters, hehe!

12. And Falco too! What do you think of him? Does the backstory of crusading fervour in his father leading to financial ruin add or detract from him as a villainous villain?
Well, I don't love this character, but we aren't supposed to. He's bat crap crazy, that's what I think. Umm, no, his backstory allows him to be bitter man with daddy issues, not a depraved cray-cray wizard.

13. Following from that - we see the first serious religious tensions in this section, in the hesitation to bury the Christian villages and then also in the Crusades history shared. But, rather than dwelling on that point in particular - do you feel that the world being evoked is real, bedded in history, or too glamourised? General thoughts on the setting welcomed!
I think she's doing a great job giving a sense of the complex history of this part of the world. The history there is very long, very bloody, and no one is left solely in the right. But it's not seeming forced either and I like how Amina is from time to time compelled to question her own actions and choices. Self reflection is a good thing.

DQ's- Day 2: Chapters 7 - 13

So far we have met a mojority of the key players. With Salima requesting that Amina find her grand daughter Dunya because her dead son Asif used to work for her,


5. We are getting hints of a nefarious demise of Asif with the possibility that Amina was involved. Any guesses (If you don't know) of what may have happened. Did anyone else confuse Asif as being Morjana father?
I wondered a bit at first but not after Amina started collecting the old gang and Asif came up a couple times. I agree with Cat though that something happened between Amina's last husband (djinn?) and what lead to Asif's demise.

6. So far it seems that instead of Amina being the great baddie that she once was, is really the one being taken advantage of. With Salima forcing her hand to find her grand-daughter. Do you think that even if found her grand daughter would go home willingly?
I mean I think Dunya's willingness to go home will correlate more to how her experience with the Frank has gone. Someone that cherished and sheltered may find the world is more complicated than she expected. But I can also see her not wanting to return and maybe in the long run team up with Amina's crew to travel and see the world.

3. Amina has gotten her old crew back together (Dalila, an expert poisoner; Tinbu, her first mate; and Majed, her navigator) Which reunion did you enjoy the most?
Dalila is my favorite by Majed was the most interesting. I love his wife and thought those interactions were great.

4. With magic playing afoot and Falco being able to do things unknown and Amina not being familiar do you think they eventually bring in or find someone to help them with that?
I'm guessing her last husband will pop back up somehow? He's being talked about/mentioned a lot for him not to me thinks.

I would say City of Brass is by far the weakest of the trilogy and the most YA leaning of the 3.

But those books are long so a meh of book one is a lot to overcome to continue

DQs Day 1
Beginning - Ch 6

1.) Do you have any expectations going in? Have you read The Daevabad Trilogy (starting with The City of Brass)?
I have read this trilogy and have expectations of interesting mystical beings popping up at some point. And some creative ways to weave in the cultural lore of this part of the world. Which I enjoy because it's different and cultural lore I am less familiar with as a white lady from the US.

2.) Right off the bat, the quote "that to be a woman is to have your story misremembered". What do you think about this statement?
I think it's one hundred precent true and most women have their story lost to time as most of the literature people of the past are predominately men who didn't think women were of interest from a historical record perspective.
I'm also assuming this is going to be a story of a badass lady :)

3.) Did complaining about the annoyances and expense of home maintenance make the legendary pirate seem more real and relatable even after fighting off a demon in the previous chapter?
LOL, yes. I was like preach sister. The never ending expense of home maintenance is annoying and no joke.

4.) There seems to be a fun bit of the mystical woven into this world. Do you think Marjana's father is human?
No, I don't. Not sure if he's a demon though as I'm not sure what other types of mystical creatures exist in this world.

5.) Are you liking how the book is structured? Like we are sitting at Amina's feet while she tells her tale with some fun extra thrown in between chapters.
I'm really enjoying the set up and all the characters so far. She's funny and old enough to not be willing to put up with any of the BS. She reminds me of one of my great aunts who I miss dearly (if my great aunt had been a notorious pirate).

DQs Day 1
Beginning - Ch 6

1.) Do you have any expectations going in? Have you read The Daevabad Trilogy (starting with The City of Brass)?

2.) Right off the bat, the quote "that to be a woman is to have your story misremembered". What do you think about this statement?

3.) Did complaining about the annoyances and expense of home maintenance make the legendary pirate seem more real and relatable even after fighting off a demon in the previous chapter?

4.) There seems to be a fun bit of the mystical woven into this world. Do you think Marjana's father is human?

5.) Are you liking how the book is structured? Like we are sitting at Amina's feet while she tells her tale with some fun extra thrown in between chapters.

I can grab a second day if needs be

Jenny wrote: "DQs Day 5 ~ Part 3 – End
Ooh. Damned good question. The first one that comes to mind is Mr. Wickham from Pride and Prejudice. "

I would read the heck out of this if it was done correctly and didn't even try to redeem his character!

Judith's BOM Tracking

Day 1: https://www.goodreads.com/topic/show/...
Day 2: https://www.goodreads.com/topic/show/...
Day 3: https://www.goodreads.com/topic/show/...
Day 4: https://www.goodreads.com/topic/show/...
Day 5: https://www.goodreads.com/topic/show/...

DQs Day 5 ~ Part 3 – End

18. What you surprised by Jim’s big reveal at the start of Part 3? What do you think of Huck’s reaction?
Yes and no. My answer to an earlier question about the paternity shows I'd dismissed the idea for the most part. But there was foreshadowing about it so not 100% unexpected.

19. There were a lot of quotes in the book that made me pause and think or that made me truly sad. But I loved this one - “I am the angel of death, come to offer sweet justice in the night. I am a sign. I am your future. I am James.” What did you think of this proclamation? Did you have any favorite quotes or sections?
I feel like it was James taking control of his own agency completely for the first time and probably then and there deciding he'd die before being a slave again.
So many good quotes throughout the book, I agree!!

20. How did you like the ending? Were you satisfied or did you want more? What do you think the future holds for James and his family?
I wanted more, I almost always do when books are this good. But it was a good ending I think. Honestly, what's ahead for them is struggle. But hopefully struggles as a free family.

21. I love finding the title inside the books that I read! Think of the title “James”. What do you believe is the significance of Jim renaming himself? Why do you think Everett chose this for the title of the novel?
A name is who you are, so it was Jim the slave proclaiming himself as James the free man. And the book I think is about his internal as well as the external journey of him going from slave to freed man.

22. Can you think of any other characters from the Classics that you would like to hear narrator their own story?
I think from some of the Austen classics, a book told from the perspective of the butler or head housekeeper would be great.

I don’t have any written, so have at!

DQs Day 4- Part 2

14.) Norman. What was it like to be Norman? Passing as white and working a minstrel show. Why do you think he left at this point? What do you think of him?
I think passing has to be a daily scary fear where you are constantly afraid of being discovered, especially if you have a child (what if their tone is dark enough to reveal your secret?). I think he left because James left, sometimes people need a nudge or to know they aren't going into the unknown by themselves to do the scary thing.

15.) What did you think of their plan to sell Jim?
I understand why that's their plan but unsurprised it went as badly as it did. So many potential issues.

16.) I feel like all I have to do in this section is throw out a name and ask you to discuss. So. Sammy. Discuss.
What a horrible life she had. I'm sad she didn't make it to a new and happier life but glad she ran and grabbed on to hope and demanded something better for herself.

17.) One thing that keeps popping up in my head when reading this is the amount of pain and suffering that Jim and others go through and then just keep going. Whipped, beaten, almost drowned, starved, and then almost killed by a riverboat. I have never gone through anything even as bad as one of Jim's better days. How do you think he keeps going?
Hope. It's a powerful force. And it's either that or give up on yourself and the potential for your children to have a better life than yourself.

DQs Day 3. Ch 21 - end of Part 1.

sorry, I overshot with the reading! too gripped!

10. To no-one's surprise Duke and the King pop back up, causing Bad Things to happen. What do you think about Huck's reaction to them at this point? (I'd ask if we will see Huck again, but given the broad beats of the source material, #spoiler: yes)
I think Huck is a smart and perceptive kid especially about people's true natures. Though not surprising of a kid who grew up in an abusive household, it's how you survive.

11. The interlude with Easter is interesting - making it clear that James is not alone in his code-shifting of language. What do you think about Easter, and what he represents in terms of Everett's exploration of the experiences of enslaved people?
I agree with Jenny's answer. And that the underground education system for slaves is more widespread and not just a James thing. When people see what they expect to see, they tend not to question it. Makes it easier to fool the white folks.

12. But more interesting is that Easter obviously thinks Huck is passing, and James seems oblivious to the concept, and also the insinuation that James and Huck are related (see also convo about widow's peaks earlier). What do you think about this point? Does a blood relationship between the two change your perception of their bond?
Well, it's not a crazy assumption of Easter's because it's a reasonable explanation for him to form with why Huck and James are on the run together without any other real information about their situation. It seems a bit odd for them to be related and I think James may of reacted stronger to his actual son being beaten on a regular basis? Though maybe not. It's doesn't really change my perception of their bond since I see them as having formed a 'found family' situation at this point.

13. The Minstrel Show. Ugh. I hadn't realised it had roots so far back. What are your thoughts on the various characters we meet in the show? And the "it's not slavery, but you owe me and can't leave" justification of Emmett? Did that reveal at the end of the section change how you had initially perceived him?
Ugh. Yeah, talk about a bait and switch with Emmett. People are horrible. Also it goes to show a lot of people are all for this that and the other unless it impacts them directly, then suddenly there's a problem.

Angie, if you want to write the last day of questions, that’s fine with me!

DQs Day 2
Ch 9 to 20

6.) Wow, that was an eventual 60 or so pages. Were you surprised at how far they made it before really running into issues with people/getting caught?
They've had quite the adventure so far. I was surprised at how far they were able to go before running into major issues with other people and Jim almost getting caught as a runaway.

7.) How much longer do you think Jim/James can keep up the pretense with Huck about his education level?
I don't think for much longer at least not after they get out of the current pickle they've landed in. Huck is already side-eyeing it all.

8.) The quote "I have come to understand the tidiness of lies, the lesson learned from the stories told by white people seeking to justify my circumstance." hit home with me. What do you think about this statement's relevance to current events?
Oof. this is hitting hard for me right now. Support who you want for why you want. But at least based it on the truth and own it.

9.) 'King' and 'Duke' are certainly interesting people to be stuck with. What did you think about how the events surrounding the revival played out? Do you think they'll all get away or just James and Huck?
I'm hoping in the chaos Huck and James can get away from these two and fast. Otherwise there is going to be a lot of problems, especially for James.

DQs Day 2
Ch 9 to 20

6.) Wow, that was an eventual 60 or so pages. Were you surprised at how far they made it before really running into issues with people/getting caught?

7.) How much longer do you think Jim/James can keep up the pretense with Huck about his education level?

8.) The quote "I have come to understand the tidiness of lies, the lesson learned from the stories told by white people seeking to justify my circumstance." hit home with me. What do you think about this statement's relevance to current events?

9.) 'King' and 'Duke' are certainly interesting people to be stuck with. What did you think about how the events surrounding the revival played out? Do you think they'll all get away or just James and Huck?

Cat wrote: "No preferences :)

You pick which day you want to give me!"

How about you take day 3, Jenny can do day 4 and I'll do day 5 unless more volunteers pop in

DQs Day 1 Chapters 1-8

1.) The obvious first question is of course, when did you last read The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn? Did you like it at the time?
(If you haven’t read it, are you inspired to read it now?)
Hmm, like Cat as an adult and not in school but donkey years ago

2.) How is your impression of Jim different so far from the one you had of him in Twain’s book? Or, what is your first impression of Jim?
How about Huck?Jim seems more of a real person than a character I feel like he was in the original book. Huck seems more thoughtful and a bit less of a scamp.

3.) Hard to ask if one can imagine being a slave, so I will ask instead, can you imagine having to hide your intelligence to keep your “job” or your life? I didn’t ask that well. For anyone listening to the audio version, do the different conversational styles sound very different?
(It is different in print for sure.)
Umm, I can imagine having to be very careful about what and how you say things to keep your job. This is very relevant and relatable for me and I cannot believe I'm saying it. But here we are.
I'm one of those people that hears things in their head as they read which helps I think understand the dialect.

4.) What do you think of Everett’s writing style, and his take on the story so far? Have you read anything else of his?
I'm enjoying the book and style so far. I haven't read anything else of his but will be more inclined to pick other books of his up in future for sure.

5.) Have you read any of the the philosophers that Jim dreams of? Voltaire, Rousseau, Locke, etc? What do you think of his conversations with them?
Did anyone else have to look up proleptic irony vs dramatic irony? Just me?
Yes, I read some of them in philosophy in college. I hated the class because it was taught by such a pretentious dink of a TA I was irrationally irritated the entire time. I did enjoy his existential conversations.

Cat, would you like day 3, 4, or 5?

A Girl Is a Body of Water by Jennifer Nansubuga Makumbi

In her twelfth year, Kirabo, a young Ugandan girl, confronts a piercing question that has haunted her childhood: who is my mother? Kirabo has been raised by women in the small village of Nattetta—her grandmother, her best friend, and her many aunts, but the absence of her mother follows her like a shadow. Complicating these feelings of abandonment, as Kirabo comes of age she feels the emergence of a mysterious second self, a headstrong and confusing force inside her at odds with her sweet and obedient nature.

Seeking answers, Kirabo begins spending afternoons with Nsuuta, a local witch, trading stories and learning not only about this force inside her, but about the woman who birthed her, who she learns is alive but not ready to meet. Nsuuta also explains that Kirabo has a streak of the “first woman”—an independent, original state that has been all but lost to women.

Kirabo’s journey to reconcile her rebellious origins, alongside her desire to reconnect with her mother and to honor her family’s expectations, is rich in the folklore of Uganda and an arresting exploration of what it means to be a modern girl in a world that seems determined to silence women. Makumbi’s unforgettable novel is a sweeping testament to the true and lasting connections between history, tradition, family, friends, and the promise of a different future.

How it fits: novel set in and author is Uganda(n)

My current nominate until it wins or I read it anyway (with a nice green cover, this may not survive UNO over in Perks):



Masters of Death by Olivie Blake

From Olivie Blake, the New York Times bestselling author of The Atlas Six comes Masters of Death, a story about vampires, ghosts, and death itself!

Viola Marek is a struggling real estate agent, and a vampire. But her biggest problem currently is that the house she needs to sell is haunted. The ghost haunting the house has been murdered, and until he can solve the mystery of how he died, he refuses to move on.

Fox D’Mora is a medium, and though is also most-definitely a shameless fraud, he isn’t entirely without his uses—seeing as he’s actually the godson of Death.

When Viola seeks out Fox to help her with her ghost-infested mansion, he becomes inextricably involved in a quest that neither he nor Vi expects (or wants). But with the help of an unruly poltergeist, a demonic personal trainer, a sharp-voiced angel, a love-stricken reaper, and a few high-functioning creatures, Vi and Fox soon discover the difference between a mysterious lost love and an annoying dead body isn’t nearly as distinct as they thought.