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

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

Would you all consider these mountains? or just hills?

Sasquatch is finally gone.

Saw we had 4 human monsters so spun the Greek for something different.

Sphinx
200 to 299
characters go on a journey
MC must solve a riddle
Mountain on cover
brown cover

I added numbers to the monsters because I was curious how many we were up too. Hopefully I didn't skip a number. We are fairly close to 80!

I didn’t get the no recording decision either. I’m guessing part of that was Ng likely want Margaret to get caught?

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/...

DQs Day 4 ~ (Starts…. ”As she gathered more…”)

16. When Bird and Margaret are reunited, Margaret tells him all about why she left and what led up to it. She paints a very different picture from how she had been portrayed by the media and people in general. Seems she wasn’t an activist by choice, but instead because of what other people did with her poems. What did you think about her journey and how did it make you feel for her, Ethan and Bird?
I think it was a realistic portrayal of what can happen when events spiral. People who seek being symbols of hope for their own glory often aren't and are usually exposed by their own hubris and ambition. I don't think it's what she wanted but when forced into that situation felt compelled to act and speak out for the families that were destroyed.

17. Sadie and Bird have a constant struggle with their missing parents but their ways of coping with and trying to understand the why of it is very different. Yet they have a very strong friendship. What do you think drives the different strategies for coping and draws them together as friends?
Like calls to like oh so often. No matter how much others want to understand some things just simply can't until you've walked your own version of the same path. Part of the differences I think come from Sadie was taken and she knows she was taken from both of her parents. Bird's mom simply walked out the front door one day and never came back. And of course his parents couldn't explain it to him in fear he wouldn't understand not to say anything.

18. After Bird and Margaret have played the bottle cap game and spread them out over the city. Margaret has a sudden change of heart and says she can’t do it because it nor anything is worth the risk. This causes an argument between the two with Bird saying some very strong things to his mother. What do you think brought about these role-reversing reactions in each of them? Do you think they were justified in these reactions?
I think she was afraid what happened was going to happen if she went through with it and Margaret didn't want to leave Bird after finally being together again. I understand both POVs but I'm not sure there was a right answer.

19. Margaret could have gone into hiding with Ethan and Bird, but instead she felt she had to tell the stories of the taken children. Why do you think it was so important to her to tell the stories especially after her argument with Bird? Do you think the stories had an impact on the people who heard them or caused any type of change to begin in their society as a whole?
I hope it caused something to change but likely not. Or at least not for awhile. Government change is usually slow to undo something they started.

20. What was your overall impression of the story and of the book’s ending? Did the ending feel somber, hopeful, or something else?
I agree with Jenny that a tidy HEA ending would of seemed disingenuous to the story. But I wouldn't of minded a flashforward. Or in reference to the previous question know if anything changed as a result of the stories about the stolen children being shared.

DQs Day 3: from "It started slowly at first..." to "...mirrored letters tattooed on her cheek."

11. We get a flashback into Margaret's life - what do you think about the contrast between her life growing up (parents wanting her to conform) and her approach to Bird's upbringing? (especially given she presents herself as being pretty apolitical)
I get both sides. Parents want their kids to be safe and also want them to be their true selves and not have to hide. Though in that world the latter is hard for everyone and triply so for those of Asian decent.

12. We see the start of the Crisis - is this what you expected?
Yes for the most part. I wouldn't of been surprised about an actual war either, but then if the US and China ever decide to go at it on a military scale? Earth has been a nice place to live, but I'm not sure the planet, let alone people, will survive that clash. Nuclear capabilities are effective threats, not so much for living in the aftermath.

13. There's a brief mention about the passing of PACT, with only a miniority of legislators and commentators objecting to the child removal clause, the rest believing in this being for extremes only. Do you think this is realistic of politics around legislation of this nature?
Depending on how deep it was buried in the bill, the speed with which they might of been trying to pass it, and parts of PACT legislators really wanted? Yes I can believe it.

14. I mentioned that Margaret presents herself as apolitical, until her poem is used by a complete stranger to make astrong political point. Do you believe that her poems were written with a small focus on her life and nature, as she represents to Bird, or is that her being disingenuous?
I don't have a reason necessarily to not believe her, but the answer probably is a little be of both. And at that particular moment in her life, she was mainly focused on her growing family. It's incredibly easy to ignore a lot of outside forces and exist in a bubble.

15. I think there's an interesting question or discussion to be had about the reading into artists works of things that they didn't intend. Do you think that we should be careful to take the meaning(s) intended by creators, or is the point of art (writing, music, etc etc) that people can and should take what they want, even if that was not intended?
I think art in all its various forms speaks to different people in different ways. And even differently to the same person at different points in their life.
As an artist I think once you release your art to the world you have to cede some of that control and as long as copyright isn't being infringed upon.
That being said, I would take issue with people arguing with the art's creator what their work means. You get to decide how a piece of art speaks to you but not to anyone else. And certainly not to the person that wrote/painted/sculpted/etc the piece in the first place.

Yes your understanding is correct for how it works.

There may be teams looking for new members or new people looking to start a team.

I will say though there is no time limit for this so you can take as long as you’d like to complete any of the tasks

DQs Day 2 "Today his father doesn't say anything…” to "There was no curfew yet.”

6.) The glimpse into what Bird’s father was like before PACT, with him teaching him about his mother’s name was revealing. Have you ever had to go against your own principles to protect another?
Do you feel anything more or different for Ethan now?
No I haven't but I think that is partially due to luck and privilege. I've never been forced to make that choice. I would though, to protect my son. I'd do anything to keep him safe. Maybe a little bit differently, we don't really know much about him. So this glimpse at who he is was illuminating.

7.) Did you like the story the Boy Who Drew Cats? Why do you think Margaret chose this story for Bird to remember?
I think it was an interesting folktale so I enjoyed it. I think she chose it to remind him of her and her actions were to protect him because that's what you do for family. Protect them even when they don't know it's happening until later.

8.) This bloody world. Wow. An underground network of people just trying to find out that their children are still alive and well?
Can you even imagine? What do you think of the librarian now? Could you do what she is doing, do you think?
The prospect is so terrifying it's hard to comprehend. But it's happened so many times in the past. I'm thinking of when the US government took so many children from Tribes and put them in schools to 'educate the native out of them'. I literally cannot comprehend why anyone would think that's okay. I think the librarian is very brave and I would like to think I'd do the same. I hope it ends well for her.

9.) Do you think you would have done what Bird is doing and try to find your mom? Do you like her so far?
What is Margaret building with her wires and pipe?
Probably but maybe not at like 12, that seems a bit young. And with his mixed ancestry, I'm surprised it worked with him on his own. If I was Ethan, I'd be pissed she contacted him when she did. She seems okay so far and who knows what's she's making. An art piece?

10.) How do you think this country got to this point? How could it happen today? I wonder if we will get a glimpse of what other countries are like. Is America like Gilead in The Handmaid’s Tale, or have other countries followed suit?
My guess is how it usually happens, a death by 1000 cuts that inch a government in one direction and then a big event happens. Some despot then steps into the breech to shove the country further in the direction it was already going. As to are other countries like this? I don't know enough about The Crisis to say. No one was talking about a mass exodus to say Canada, so maybe not just the US.

Black Water Sister by Zen Cho

A reluctant medium discovers the ties that bind can unleash a dangerous power in this compelling Malaysian-set contemporary fantasy.

Jessamyn Teoh is closeted, broke and moving back to Malaysia, a country she left when she was a toddler. So when Jess starts hearing voices, she chalks it up to stress. But there's only one voice in her head, and it claims to be the ghost of her estranged grandmother, Ah Ma. In life Ah Ma was a spirit medium, the avatar of a mysterious deity called the Black Water Sister. Now she's determined to settle a score against a gang boss who has offended the god--and she's decided Jess is going to help her do it.

Drawn into a world of gods, ghosts, and family secrets, Jess finds that making deals with capricious spirits is a dangerous business. As Jess fights for retribution for Ah Ma, she'll also need to regain control of her body and destiny. If she fails, the Black Water Sister may finish her off for good.

How to Sell a Haunted House by Grady Hendrix

Grady Hendrix takes on the haunted house in a thrilling new novel that explores the way your past—and your family—can haunt you like nothing else.

When Louise finds out her parents have died, she dreads going home. She doesn’t want to leave her daughter with her ex and fly to Charleston. She doesn’t want to deal with her family home, stuffed to the rafters with the remnants of her father’s academic career and her mother’s lifelong obsession with puppets and dolls. She doesn’t want to learn how to live without the two people who knew and loved her best in the world.

Most of all, she doesn’t want to deal with her brother, Mark, who never left their hometown, gets fired from one job after another, and resents her success. Unfortunately, she’ll need his help to get the house ready for sale because it’ll take more than some new paint on the walls and clearing out a lifetime of memories to get this place on the market.

But some houses don’t want to be sold, and their home has other plans for both of them…

DQs Day 1
Beginning to ends "know where she'd gone."

1.) Thoughts on the world building, what the influences/inspiration behind this story might of been?
It's a believable world which makes it completely terrifying. I'm assuming her inspirations came from the US political climate during the height of COVID. And how very scary of a place it became for people of Asian decent.

2.) How do you think you'd feel if your parent's work became a tagline for a rebellious movement that puts a price on their head and maybe even yours? Proud? Scared? Angry?
As young as Bird was when it happened, I think I'd be scared and confused. And maybe even angry at her for it especially since she's gone from his life. Kids don't need a martyr, they need their mom. The pride wouldn't come likely until I was old enough to understand the larger picture of it all.

3.) Why does every tyrannical political regime have a component of "turning in your neighbor" for being unpatriotic (or whatever) as part of its foundational behaviors? More importantly, why does it always seem to work?
I know this is driven by fear in a lot of cases or people trying to grasp for power in a very scary world. But it just bothers me on many levels. Not so much the government wants us all to be narcs, but that its incredibly effective. Every. Time.

4.) All those books, just gone from the public library. My book loving heart just broke. How did this scene make you feel? What's up with that librarian?
Honestly, it made me so very sad. If the library can topple your government, it's a really crappy government.

5.) What to you think the deal is with Bird's father? Why no longer a professor? Why do you think he split from Bird's mother?
I think he is so very afraid for Bird. Being of mixed decent, he's a breathe away from all sorts of things if things become more drastic or segregated. I don't know if they just did away with his field? Or if being the ex-husband (I'm assuming they are divorced? not sure this has been firmly stated though) of a main rebel rouser cost him his position. I'm assuming the former because he's employed with housing and not flat out fired.
I feel like the split may of been to protect Bird and keep him from being relocated into a foster family. There has been a lot discussed about this with Sadie. I'm wondering if it was a choice made by Bird's parents to keep him safe and with at least one of them.

DQs Day 1
Beginning to ends "know where she'd gone."

1.) Thoughts on the world building, what the influences/inspiration behind this story might of been?

2.) How do you think you'd feel if your parent's work became a tagline for a rebellious movement that puts a price on their head and maybe even yours? Proud? Scared? Angry?

3.) Why does every tyrannical political regime have a component of "turning in your neighbor" for being unpatriotic (or whatever) as part of its foundational behaviors? More importantly, why does it always seem to work?

4.) All those books, just gone from the public library. My book loving heart just broke. How did this scene make you feel? What's up with that librarian?

5.) What to you think the deal is with Bird's father? Why no longer a professor? Why do you think he split from Bird's mother?

Lexi wrote: "Probably my fault on the typo, but that brings up an idea I had. Can I make of overly specific wheel of literary monsters? No page count will be over 450 for people who like shorter books, but it i..."

Sure, I can put a warning in the post for the wheel. People aren't required to spin it so if they don't like the specific tasks, there are at least 4 others they have to chose from.

The other Sandy wrote: "I need to read a book with the requirement "storm important to plot." Does it have to be fiction? Can I read a nonfiction book about one specific storm, like [book:The Perfect Storm: A True Story o..."

Sure!

Sammy wrote: "I am just extremely entertained by the very final task on the human monsters SS being "Good vs Email imagery"...

Are we specifically going to be looking for books in which the bad guys wage a brut..."

Well. . . sure, that sounds like a really easy task for people. LOL

Jenny wrote: "That's OK! Mods read too, or so I am told."

I was in there once for awhile and completely forgot I was in the mod account and was confused as to why all these books I'd read were no longer appearing as read.

I was annoyed for like 15 minutes until I realized I wasn't in my own account. *face palm*

Moderators of NBRC wrote: "Also, Wolpertingers appeared in the latest Veronica Speedwell book I read. Well, a taxidermied one anyway."

Oops, I forget sometimes I'm in the mod account.

We had a very strong finish everyone!

This team has been a delight to be a part of and thank you to everyone for making being your captain so easy.

I hope everyone enjoyed themselves and that I'll see you on other challenges in future. Keep an eye out in a couple months for another team challenge here in NBRC :)

July because of the formulas, I changed it so no worries