Sean’s Comments (group member since Jan 30, 2019)

Sean’s comments from the Boxall's 1001 Books You Must Read Before You Die group.

I thought it was interesting watching all the different girl characters develop with all their different characteristics. I feel that Spark did a good job doing that. I had already picked out which ones I liked and which ones I didn't like. But beyond that, I didn't feel like the novel was going anyplace. I really just wanted to find out what happened to Nick. Those little out-of-sequence mentions was enough to keep me wondering.

Overall, I just felt like it was an okay book. I liked it more than I disliked it. It did get interesting once things started happening. But it seemed to take a long time. And in the end I was still left wondering about Nick. The why more than the what by that point.

Diane wrote: "Finished The Story of the Lost Child by Elena Ferrante. I am glad I decided to read the first three books in the series first, as this wouldn't work well as a stand-a..."

This is good info. I have been planning to start a thread about which serial LIST books can be read as stand alone and which should not. Adding a note to my personal list about this one so I know.

I just started the last of my high-school-revisit-trifecta with A Tale of Two Cities.

The Girls of Slender Means by Muriel Spark. More in a few days on the group read thread.

Group read time. Picked up The Girls of Slender Means by Muriel Spark.

Mercedes wrote: "I finished The Goldfinch

This novel had zero literary value for me. ZERO."

While I did enjoy the read, I was puzzled by it's inclusion on the list. Didn't seem to be enough somehow.

Rebecca by Daphne du Maurier. I liked this book. I can see why it's so popular.

Cphe wrote: "The Prime of Miss Jean Brodie"

Let us know how you like that one. I will be starting another of her LIST books in the next few days for the monthly read: The Girls of Slender Means

I read Slaughterhouse-Five by Kurt Vonnegut so long ago that I couldn't remember anything about it. I just remembered that I liked it. I still do.

I am forcing my neighborhood book club to read Rebecca by Daphne du Maurier.

Being my first Atwood, I enjoyed this very much. I also think it was the ambiguity that intrigued me. At the end I was trying to decide if I was disappointed that I still didn't know whether or not she knew what had happened and duped everybody, or if she was really just as in the dark as we had been. I decided that I was not disappointed. If the real case was left with a certain amount of uncertainty, shouldn't we have been left that way too?

Certainly it was no surprise that the hypnotism was viewed as a seance with the audience being who it was. I wonder what Jeremiahs actual intent was? Did he think he could truly get at the truth with hypnotism? Or did he think he may giver her a way to "say the truth"? Was he truly surprised at the outcome? He was a performer and had already been acting. These are a few questions I still have.

I also watched the mini series and loved it. They did a remarkable job staying true to the novel when it came to Grace's story. Much of Jordan's stuff was left out but that's expected in an adaption.

I also wanted to mention all the J's in this book. That little mystery of who the J would end up being kept me wondering until the end. Early on I even went back to find Kinnear's first name expecting it to be Joshua or something besides William. Oh well.

The second of three re-reads began yesterday. Slaughterhouse-Five by Kurt Vonnegut

Just finished the second run through The Scarlet Letter I am sure I got a lot more from it now that I am older and wiser and better read.

Booklovinglady wrote: "Sean wrote: "I do know about it. My copy of the book was advertising it. My wife started it but couldn't get into it. . ..."

Hmmm. More or less the same here with The Handmaid's Tale. I watched the first few episodes on television but I just couldn't get into it and gave up. ..."

Yes, She said she had the same issue with that show. But I need to read that book first anyway.

Benjamin wrote: "Finished reading Chess Story by Stefan Zweig. Intensely gripping."

Love Amok. I can't wait to get into another Zweig.

George wrote: "Sean wrote: "I just finished the monthly read, Alias Grace by Margaret Atwood. ...

Do you know about the (2017) Netflix miniseries? It's pretty good. I liked the book also."

I do know about it. My copy of the book was advertising it. My wife started it but couldn't get into it. So it's on my list for TV time when she's not around.

Finished off my short story trifecta with Amok and Other Stories by Stefan Zweig What a great story. I was in love with it from the first line.

Also finished A Room with a View by E.M. Forster. The first 3/4 was so ho hum. But it really redeemed itself and I ended up having to say I liked it.

Heading back to high school. It's been a long long time so I'm reading The Scarlet Letter again.

Another quickie today. The Garden Party and Other Stories by Katherine Mansfield.

Quick read.. El Llano en llamas by Juan Rulfo