Brie’s Comments (group member since Mar 04, 2015)

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

HOLIDAY CHALLENGE UPDATE

DECEMBER 13
Read a book with "Naughty" or "Nice" in the title (10 pts)

GOAL UPDATE

1. Read a book with the phrase "method to my madness" in the book -- Hamlet (Ema)

NEW GOAL
Read a book shelved (listed on the first page of the "top shelves" of the book) as trilogy - plurals and minor spelling variations are acceptable

Ema wrote: "Brie wrote: "SPREADSHEET UPDATE

Hey guys! We're going in to Week 6 of the challenge!!! I want to remind you all that our spreadsheet is connected directly to each one of our Tower Teams shelves. I..."

Thank you!!! And it was an honest mistake, nothing lost!

Tima wrote: "Really trying so hard to read 11/22/63 but it's a monster of a book"

It's SOOOOO good though. I get where you're coming from...I've been "currently reading" it since the summer hahaha

SPREADSHEET UPDATE

Hey guys! We're going in to Week 6 of the challenge!!! I want to remind you all that our spreadsheet is connected directly to each one of our Tower Teams shelves. In order for our completed books to be uploaded to the spreadsheet, we must add them to our shelf and mark them as read.

@Megan L: Please adjust your Songs of Submission - Sequence Two to ALL THREE OF THE BOOKS INCLUDED IN THAT SET separately. That way, we can use all three books toward separate goals.

@Farhad: Please add Six of Crows to your Tower Teams shelf and mark it as read.

@Ema: Please add Hamlet to your Tower Teams shelf so that I can use it for the "Method to my madness" goal.

Thanks guys!!!

Ema, please add Hamlet to your tower teams shelf. It cannot be added to the spreadsheet until you do. Thank you!

12/12-- Day 1 Discussion Questions Chapters 1-2

1. Do you like the book so far? Why did you decide to read it? Is this a genre you normally read?

I had signed up for this BOM because of Tower Teams, but I was so behind on a few books that I wasn't planning on participating anymore. Then, tonight on a whim, I started it...and oh WOW am I glad I did. I love it so far.

2. Lydia dies May 3rd, 1977 (first lines of the book so this isn't a spoiler) and Lydia's parents met in September 1957. What differences and similarities do you see in regards to race and gender relations between these two time frames in the book (or in history, if you looked it up)? What part does it play in the Lee family dynamics?

Aaaah this is a good question and one that I was thinking of throughout the second chapter especially. The Lee family definitely struggles with racism in the late 70's. The son noticed in the store with the woman who messed with her eyes. The daughter notices it more at home, what with Lydia looking more like their white mother and therefore being the favorite. James notices it at work, less so now than in the late 50's, but it is ever-present all the same. They, as a family, seem to place quite a bit of focus on it...though I think that's more in their minds and thoughts than in their actual behaviors.

3. What do you think of Lydia's mother, Marilyn's description of her first born daughter's first steps and the line "...Lydia, still small enough to cradle, had secrets" ? How is Lydia different than her siblings?

Lydia seemed more private. It looks to me like she sort of went along with whatever was asked of her, but had a secret life all to herself. She didn't stir the pot or cause trouble, but that doesn't mean the quiet one is the most well-behaved.

4. How does your high school experience compare with Lydia's? Why do you think Lydia doesn't have any "real" friends? What other things do you think Lydia is letting her parents believe are true to meet her parents' expectations?

I don't think Lydia has friends because I don't think she wants them. It's almost like she's just biding her time until she can get out of there. How was MY high school experience? I was...not as well behaved. I was definitely just as studious. I was a real a**hole to my parents and I still apologize to them to this day and try to make up for it.

4. Why do you think Lydia's siblings, Nath and Hannah, do not tell their parents about Lydia's friendship with Jack? Do you think Jack is involved in Lydia's disappearance and/or death?

I think (and hope) it would be too predictable if Jack had a heavy hand in her death. I'm sure he's probably involved in some way, or at least knows a lot more than her family does at this point, but I don't think/hope he killed her. I think her siblings are scared. They also know more than they're letting on, but I think they're only JUST realizing that -- it's like they each keep getting snippets of memories where they go, "OOOOOH! THAT'S what that was about!"

5. Who do you think Hannah saw/heard on Wednesday at 2AM?

I DON'T KNOW!!!!! That suuuuuuuper creeped me out! I didn't like that at all (maybe because I purposely avoid windows at night for that very reason)!!!

6. What do you think of Lydia's body being found at a lake when Lydia could not swim?

Maybe she went along to the lake with Jake because she wanted to fit in with him? Maybe it was all an accident, a simple mistake that went too far? Maybe she didn't go to the lake at all but was dumped there?

7. What do you think of the first lines of Chapter 2, "How did it begin? Like everything: with mothers and fathers... Because more than anything, her mother had wanted to stand out; because more than anything, her father wanted to blend in. Because those things had been impossible" ? Where are you on the personality spectrum of wanting to stand out versus wanting to blend in?

Oh we are getting PERSONAL! :) Ok...well...I'm an introvert. I CRAVE solitude. I am mostly in my head and because of that I can be seen as anti-social, rude, or judgmental -- it is none of those things -- it is because my heart starts to palpitate when I have to interact or carry on a conversation with someone. Yet somehow...IM IN SALES! I used to work in the entertainment industry! So...I'm both? What it comes down to is, I want to blend in...until I manage to speak...and then I want that one statement to cause me to stand out.

8. What do you think of Marilyn and James' courtship and marriage? What do you think happened in 1966 that made Marilyn disappear for a few days and do you think it is related to Lydia's disappearance and death?

I thought their courtship was sweet! It was magnetic and innocent, yet passionate. My heart broke for them at their wedding, but I loved that they got past her mother's disapproval. I don't know why Marilyn left. I wondered if maybe she had a breakdown? Postpartum depression, as mental health care, especially for new mothers, was not exactly like...existent? Affair? I didn't think it had anything to do with Lydia's disappearance but now that you planted that seed in my brain...

Discussion Questions Dec 10
Chapters 14-16

31. In Chapter 14, Shadow's old cell mate Low Key Lyesmith has made an appearance. Shadow realizes that he has had Low Key's name completely wrong - Loki Lie-Smith, the Norse God of Chaos. Were you surprised by his re-appearance?

No. One of the member's of this BOM brought up that theory after the first installment of chapters, so I was prepared for him to pop up again...though I'm a little surprised/confused as to why it's as the driver? Someone may have elaborated on that in other DQ answers but I've been avoiding spoilers like the plague...

32. Now that Wednesday is no longer of the physical world, why would you think that Shadow would want Wednesday's body?

He made a promise to him, an oath, and he wants to honor that/he NEEDS to honor that. Maybe, on some deep deep level he had known that Wednesday was his father all along?

33. What is the significance of the 3 women & the idea of Shadow hanging naked above the dead god's body?

I know, but I don't know. I can't put it into words, but I understand it. None of my answer makes sense...jeez...

34. What do you think of the scene where Shadow hallucinates about Laura & Horus makes his self know are really about in Chapter 15?

He's about to die so all is coming to light.

35. Chapter 16 gave us a couple of things to ponder, If given the choice between the path of lies & the path of truths - which would you choose & why?

I will always choose the path of truths, even though the truth can hurt more than a lie. I do not believe that ignorance is bliss. Truth is reality and you have to live in reality.

36. What is the meaning of "I want to rest now...No heaven, no hell, no anything. Just let it end."

He wants quiet. He doesn't want the struggle or the chaos or the choices anymore. It's exhausting, constantly choosing which path to take! He just wants nothingness.

HOLIDAY CHALLENGE UPDATE

DECEMBER 12
Read a book that has elves, reindeer, or a sleigh on the cover or in the title (10 pts)

Have fun on your trip!!!!

Book: Child of God
Author: Cormac McCarthy
Pages: 197
Date Read: 12/11/15
Goals: HOLIDAY CHALLENGE Read a book with 'kids' or 'children' in the title

HOLIDAY CHALLENGE UPDATE

The DECEMBER 8 goal "Read a book with 'Kids' or 'Children' in the title" has been completed by me with Child of God.

DECEMBER 11
Read a book that has characters going shopping, or shopping in the title (10 pts)

I need to finish my green cover book, AND catch up with American Gods, AAAAAND start Everything I Never Told You, so I don't know if I can tackle any more goals at the moment, though I doooooo have a "first published in December" holiday goal book that I've been jonesing to start...

Farhad, please add Six of Crows to your tower teams shelf

WOOOOOOO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

You're awesome Erin thank you!!!

Um...also...I just bought 16 books on Audible...damn holiday sales...

HOLIDAY CHALLENGE UPDATE

DECEMBER 10
Read a book that was first published in December (10 pts)

Erin will be writing the DQ's in my place (Team Moirai) tomorrow December 11 for Chapters 17 and 18. I had unexpected houseguests the past few days and am so far behind there's no hope of catching up in time.

THANKS ERIN!!!!

Farhad wrote: "Hey guys...I finished my exams, which means more time to read...Will finish 3 books today :)"

SWEEEEEEEEET!!!!!

Erin (Paperbackstash) wrote: "No problem. I post them tomorrow, right?"

Yep! tomorrow :)