Shannon’s Comments (group member since May 21, 2018)

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

Im only on chapter 2 of the breakfast of champions and idk if its just a super slow start but i feel like nothing has happened. Im so confused haha

308 pages
336 pages

Current Total: 1,146,214

It was one that you already mentioned. “The pricess bride” the other was “breakfast of champions”

The other i found was “The princess bride”

I searched opening lines of popular books and found 2

I messed that up as well but i fixed mine

I feel the the detour wont be that hard

Hey guys! Cant wait to start this challenge!! :)

I would love to join a team :) i can read about 2-4 books a week usually

Yes please!

Hi. I wont be home until sunday. Im so sorry. I have no access to books here :(

What letter do we still need or can we double up or something

Hi im gonna be at my apartment until next sunday. I dont have any books here but i can look for an online book

Hey guys. Sorry ive been a bit MIA. I had to finish up my class and the final paper for it took a lot of time. But im back now and ready to read :)

Ashlee wrote: "I just added my final 2 to the current spreadsheet"

Can you add 12th of Never to your "wheel v" list? Im not seeing it listed on there

DQ - Day 4

16. This section focuses on the next generation of the family, namely Noa and Mozasu. Personally, I thought it was interesting how the previous generation focused on the women (Sunja and Kyunghee) who were submissive in nature compared to their male counterparts. Whereas, the new generation, Noa and Mozasu, felt like the submissive characters compared to the female counterparts. What are some of the similarties and differences you noticed between the two generations? Why do you think the author decided to shift the gender roles of focus?

I found that Noa was more submissive in some ways than Mozasu. Mozasu didn't let anyone bully him or he would beat him up. But Noa also went to college and made the decision to take the money from Hansu.

17. Noa finally learns the truth about who his father is. Did you think it was normal for him to take his anger out on Sunja, rather than confronting Hansu? Do you feel Hansu would track down Noa and coerce him to go back to his studies? Or would Sunja finally get the courage to stop Hansu from meddling in her son's affairs?

I think it was fair for Noa to take some of his anger out on Sunja. I mean her daughter met his father and she decided to keep that secret from him. I think Hansu will try to coerce Noa back into school and definitely hope Sunja will stand up to Hansu.

18. Akiko is a free spirit and is not shy to speak her mind. In one scene, she references to George Eliot's take on Jewish people persecuted unfairly. This was one of my favorite scenes because of its reference to classic literature. There is a quite a lot of symbolism to her argument. What were some of the other passages from the story you stood out for you till now?

There were a few parts of the story that talked about the relationship between the Koreans and the Japanese that stood out to me. Never experiencing that type of prejudice hit me hard and I felt bad for the Sunja and her family

19. John is an interesting character introduced to the story. What are your thoughts of him? Do you think he would play a more active role in Yumi and Mozasu's life?

I think John is a nice character and I do think he will play a role in the rest of the book considering he just announced that Yumi and Mozasu were going to get married (even though Yumi wasn't quite agreeing)

20. The section ends in a bitter sweet manner for Noa, where he finds himself working in Pachinko, just like his un-educated brother. Why do you suppose the author took this route to bring Noa down and put him in the same level as Mozasu?

Maybe he did this to make it seem like life is rough (because it is and you're not guaranteed much in life). I think he's alluding to him finding a job in the future and making a lot of money (that is at least what I hope because he worked so hard)

DQ - Day 2

6. I might be too judgmental, but her pining for Hansu is constantly making me frown. She promised to care for and honor her husband, never to betray him. Yet she keeps marveling about her lost "love", how she misses him, how she wants to see him, how she has already been in the city with him in her mind, etc. Are such thought not a kind of betrayal? She is so rational and reasonable about what happened and knows full well how he lured her in and used her, but cannot stop the pining and reminiscing about it. Why do you think she can't let it go and focus on her future?

I think she's struggling because he was her first love. She was young when she met him and she really liked him. Sometimes it's hard to get over people. I do think that while she is reminiscing on the time she spent with Hansu, she doesn't do it verbally so I think it's not that harmful.

7. After all Isak said about his successful brother and all his dreams about the better life in the city, he arrived to some harsh revelations. I am starting to think they might have been better staying on the island. Isak's brother's revelations about his house, his neighbors, the judgement in the city, the discrimination at work and spying everywhere are very disappointing and brutal. Do you think it a natural disillusion of impossible dreams? Or Yoseb's hope that it might be better for his brother here, where he can watch over him?

I have to agree that Korea does sound a bit better than Japan with all the Japanese hatred towards them. It seems brutal and personally I don't know how they can think things and not end up saying them eventually. But while life might be hard in Japan, at least people don't know that Sunja's baby isn't hers, because they would have suffered in Korea if they stayed.

8. That scene in the church with the brother and sister. The pastor discussing what it actually means when a wealthy man wants to be a young girl's "friend". The duplicity of the pastor - being nice and not judgmental to the siblings, yet judging them harshly when they have left was not surprising but annoying still. The sweet talk to their face, but harsh berating behind their back would have been exactly what happened to Sunja and her family. Do you think this scene was included to reveal to Isak more truths about his wife's condition and impossible choices to help him understand her?

Maybe it was. I feel like Isak already understands that Sunja would've been berated though. That is the reason he decided to marry her. Maybe it was used to raise him up a bit more?

9. The pastor's reason for hiring Isak was revealed as well - to get money from his family and avoid paying him wages - and I must admit it didn't endear the pastor to me at all. And the pawnbroker and his greed, the loan sharks and their scare tactics. We get introduced to many characters that are not really likable and portray humanity at its worst. Do you think it is a decision by the author to reveal the true nature of people in all kinds of positions in general or is it included to especially note how people get in times of oppression and hard times? I am starting to think Isak coming to Japan was a huge mistake with every little revelation. Do you think it will work out? Or do you agree it was a mistake?

I think that the reason they included the people being "bad" people is to get across the point that times are really hard. During depressions people have little money which makes them go to lengths to survive, if honorable or not.

10. The debacle with the watch was very educational. We get to see a merchant's attitude towards women, husband's attitude towards a wife in stark contrast to how men are treated. Yoseb is enraged with his wife and sister-in-law, he can't forgive them or appreciate the help, yet he can forgive and accept when his brother asks him to. Do you think he would have gotten over it in time if his brother hadn't asked him? Or would he be always resentful towards women? The whole "head of the house" part further gets the point home that women will always be under the command of a man, even in regards to baby names. The prison scene also drives home how women are still supposed to be home and stay away from men's troubles, too weak to do something about it. And women who work are still frowned upon, even in their own family. Do you think it will change further in the story? Will oppression and war open their minds towards changing a woman's role in the family and world?

I think that Yoseb would've eventually gotten over the fact that they sold the watch without Isak's help. It just would've taken a while longer. I think that its sad how women were treated and I do hope that it changes in the book future (regarding jobs at least)

I just realized the book I was reading has five even numbers in the ISBN because I wasn't paying attention to the 0's in it. Ugh

Just a reminder to add your books to your wheel v shelf

The following books haven't been added yet:

@Lauren Tempest
@Faith The Last Wish
@Sadie War Storm

Day 3 DQs

11. In the beginning of this section, we find out that Noa not only looks like a middle class Japanese boy, he also wants to be one. What are you opinions on this and why do you think he wants this? What do you think would happen if he shared this with his parents?

12. Isak is back from jail finally after two years. I found this to be a bit of a surprise because I was expecting him to die in jail. I wasn't expecting him to be let out. What were your thoughts on him being let out of jail to die in his home. He was obviously let out to die at home, but did you find this mercy surprising? Did you expect this?

13. A run in with Hansu. I thought it was super creepy that Hansu has been keeping tabs on Sunja (even though one of the kids is his). What are your opinions on this? And then he drops the whole "we're about to get bombed" curveball. Do you like him more because he warned Sunja or do you still think he's being selfish and trying to keep his only son alive?

14. Wow. Hansu lying to Yoseb about his parents being dead. That is beyond harsh. Why do you think Hansu did this? He obviously wants his child, Noa, but do you think he is also planning on getting Sunja back?

15. Hansu later tells Kim that Yoseb is dying and to scoop up Kyunghee before she gets old. Talk about a jerk. What do you think of Hansu after this? What about Kim? Do you think Kim will eventually try?