ChrisP’s Comments (group member since May 19, 2025)

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

I'm sorry, I've been spinning my wheels.
Atlantis Gene is about 3/4 of the way done
Berry Pickers is about 1/2 of the way done

I thought I could you Atlantis Gene with Indonesia it takes place mostly there but it is split between there, Tibet, Antarctica. and India.

35% Indonesia
25% Tibet
20% Gibralter (Spain)
20% Antarctica

Can I use this for a country?

My book does not for Antarctica, but it will for Indonesia.

I have completed both train on cover and going to the market.

If I could get clarification when they went to the market in books 1-9 it was a huge production of them going to the market and buying things making deals, in this book they went to the market but didn't buy anything they talked about buying things in markets in past tense.

When I did a word search with the use of market and buying it really looked like they spend a lot of time there, I think it meets the criteria but just skims it. WDYT

I can have read for market done today, these books are chump change.

I finally finished Terror Train, sorry it took me so long.

Vicky wrote: "I have to clean up my library today - I'm tempted to go through all my books to see if I have any that start with one LOL"

I had fun hour downloading KU books until I punted.

Would are the rules on anthologies? I have this for train on cover.
Terror Train

Hunter the MC partner ate Kasha, a Russian dish. He never had it before or what was in it.

DQs for day 1,2

1. What expectations do you have for the book based on the blurb or other description of the book?
Low, I don't usually enjoy kidnapping books, especially if I figured it out in the blurb.
2. How reliable do you the think the 2 narrators are?
They seem reliable. Joe recalled major events, while Norma would be traumatized but still affected.
3. Chapter 1 opens with " The day Ruthie went missing the black flies seemed to be especially hungry...Indians made such good berry pickers...something sour in our blood kept the black flies away". How does this establish Joe's view of the relationship that exists between the whites and the Mi'kmaq?
White people’s discrimination bites like black flies, but he need to live with it.
4. How much is Norma dreaming vs remembering? What do you think the dreams foreshadow?
At the age of four, Norma's cognitive development prevents her from understanding the concept of a brother or grasping the reasons behind her abduction. Consequently, these experiences manifest as dreams in her perception..
5. How do you explain Lenore's paranoia about Norma being out alone? How do you account for the incongruity of her insistence that Norma likes to play with baby dolls when she sees Norma choosing other playthings?
Lenore knows how easy it is to abduct a child. Lenore avoids thinking about infants due to her personal loss and provides Norma with other toys. She is uncertain why Norma continues to show interest in playing with a baby doll.
6. Why did Joe act so clingy when he returned from his first "guide" with his dad?
Joe did not like watching his dad placate white people and was afraid he would need to do that so some part of him wanted to be a child again.
7. "But sometimes I think that sadness drilled down deep and some of it might just be there for good"
"now get lost and leave me to my book."
"There was love in that house but none of us really knew what to do with it."
In chapter four we learn more about Norma's parents and life in their house as she grew up. Does learning about Lenore's past make you more sympathetic to her? And how about their parenting style, I can't imagine ever telling my children or grandchildren "to get lost" because I wanted to read a book. (Ok, I'm sure all parents might have thought it at times, but saying it to a child is a definite no no in my book!)
Why wouldn't we be sympathetic to Norma from the beginning? I'm having a difficult time not pitying her. My mom and dad loved me very much, but my brother and I were a lot! When we were little. When my dad was at work, my mom would lock my brother and I out of the house. My older sister would come find out us at supper time and than we were put to bed with the sun still in the sky. That was when you had neighborhood friends to hang out with, one TV in the house that you had no say what was on. There was no point to being inside. A few years we were telling my dad all these stories and he was dumbfounded everywhere we went when we were children. I said "do you really think mom knew where went were little." he stared at me as my brother and sister laughed.

8. In juxtaposition to Frank, Lenore and Norma, we have alternating chapters about family life from Joe's POV. Thoughts and why does the author structure the novel this way?
It is a tale of a brother and sister that were separated because of a heinous act from desperate people.

9. Chapter 5 - the horrible incident with Frankie and Charlie. How did you feel reading about this injustice? Could anything been done to avert this tragedy? How does Amanda Peters' writing the scene add to the heartbreak?

Horrible, teenagers make bad choices that can lead to tragedies. Unless Charlie walks away to get help, the only thing that could have prevented his death was better access to medical care. This is a sad story why am I still reading this?
I've read many stories where I felt the characters' loss, but this one left me feeling nothing.


10. What you think of Aunty June and her role in the story? Why does she encourage Norma to interact with the Indian protesters only to pull her back when she is recognized as Ruthie?

Aunt June role in the story is to lead Norma into adult hood since her mother would keep her a child. Aunt June wanted Norma to get to know her heritage and to see how much better off she was to justify the kidnapping only to have it all come undone when Norma’s brother recognized her.

11. Joe seems to be a tragic figure as the story of his life is revealed. How he has responded to racism and trauma make you feel when reading this book? Are you enjoying the story or does it make for uncomfortable reading?

Joe has responded to the racism and trauma's in his life with righteous anger, but ultimately led to him missing out with a life with his daughter. Typically for me to like a tragedy, I need to like the MC's and I don't in this case. The uncomfortable reading is a tale of two stories; Joe and Norma whose lives were altered when she was kidnapped, his experiences of racisms led him down a difficult path, when his bad choices made it difficult to come back. Norma who was sheltered who never got a chance to live, forced to keep a child in her crying to get out.

Here is an idea for someone for survivor or Nepal. I really liked Into Thin Air: A Personal Account of the Mt. Everest Disaster

Alaina wrote: "ChrisP wrote: "I just finished Death's End and my hair hurts.

I feel comfortable saying it was in China enough as time went on. Mostly Chinese characters. [spoilers removed]

I re..."

Read it, I compared out book shelves I think you will like it. Ignore my spoiler, I was being glib. Each book is different. I spent 45 minutes last night talking to my friend about what we thought about this series, you don't do that do common books, He read it a year ago. Liu Cixin is amazing. Each book is its own work of art. If you can manage 2001: A Space Odyssey this will be easy.

I read a 605 page book and it came up Easy is that correct?

I just finished Death's End and my hair hurts.

I feel comfortable saying it was in China enough as time went on. Mostly Chinese characters. (view spoiler)[Although they lived in their own mini universe for a few pages or years. It was timey whimey. I think it spanned 600 years but it technically spanned infinity (hide spoiler)]

I really like series, it is a lot, but if you deep crazy shite with riddles and endless technology than you might like it.

Coordinated Universal Time (UTC) is used as the official world reference for time. Coordinated Universal Time replaced the use of Greenwich Mean Time (GMT) in 1972. Sometimes time zones are represented similar to UT

I complained to my teacher in late 80s the books were old. Now I find out that GMT isn't the measuring stick the world switched in 1972. What is next the rest of the world isn't using feet or miles:)

I've read this but if anyone else want to Murder on the Orient Express may work for books a train

There are a lot of books on the worst list because the person didn't want to read the book in school...lol

What are the rules on X? I have a Mr. X that has been in my TBR for over ten years and it is asking to be read, but it is by Peter Straub who takes forever to get the meat and can put me to sleep.

Alaina wrote: "ChrisP wrote: "I was going to read Death's End the 3rd book of the The Three-Body Problem, but I'm not sure if that takes place in China enough to count. Does anyone..."

Thanks,
I figure written by Chinese author, book one does take place in China, mostly all Chinese characters, I don't know at this point if China is technically a country in 400 years. There is a lot of time back and forth. I think this book is going to be nuts. The beginning foreshadowing doesn't bode well.

I was going to read Death's End the 3rd book of the The Three-Body Problem, but I'm not sure if that takes place in China enough to count. Does anyone of you know?

I only entered Cold As Hell challenge info on the tracking sheet because I won't know what is best for the group. It takes place in Canada, or published February or author born in Canada. I will let the leaders decide which is best.