Sunshine--March Group Read--Part 1 Discussion

[Jason]

Hey All,

As we discuss the book, we need to remember to restrict our discussion to the Section we are on, or to previous sections (those you had to read to get to the current one); that way people can read at different speeds and still participate.

I was thinking of posting several questions-as I haven't lead a group before I am not sure if it is better to post a grab bag and let the conversation develop of to post one and try to push the conversation forward from there. As we respond to the questions, we should indicate which question we are discussing.

For Part One: Each question is going to be about a different part of an urban fantasy book: Charachter Development, World Idea, Writing Style, and Plot. For Part Two of the book I will try just posting one question and then seeing where it goes from there.

Question one: Charachter Development: In Part One of Sunshine we are introduced to Rae/Sunshine, the main charachter. What do you think she looks like? Is her reaction to being locked in a room with a vampire believable to you? How do you see their relationship developing througout the book?

Question Two: World Idea: The VooDoo Wars seem like a major part of the back story, what do you think of there being a war between the Others and humans only 10 years ago in the book? How much of an impact will this recent war have on the remainder of the book?

Question Three: Writing Style: Robin performed what is usually considered a no-no in writing, she spends a long time telling us back story around the VooDoo War. Did this telling rather than showing take you out of the story at all? Could she have done this through dialogue without it seeming forced?

Question Four: Do you believe Sunshine was allowed to escape with Constantine? Or was it a real escape, and what role do you think Constantine will play later?

If others think they have good discussion questions for Part 2 feel free to friend me, and email me.

Hope this is helpful.

[Jason]

Question one:

I am not sure if I missed a description of her-I don't think I did. Which is what prompted this question---I am glad she didn't use the gimic of having the charachter dress in front of a mirror.

I imagine her as a wavy/curly haired brunette. Average build, not thin but not heavy either (I mean she is a baker right?). I imagined brown eyes, and a slender neck line and chin. I am guessing she dresses in a pretty Bohemian style when away from work.

I at first struggled with her reaction to being locked in a room with Constantine. But understanding that she has magic in her blood, and was exposed to these differences very young helps reconcile it. I guess that is why it was important to have the backstory about the VooDoo Wars; I still struggled a little with her acceptance of imminent death. Having never been in that situation I defer to the author, but it left a funny after taste in my mouth (kind of like Splenda).

I think Constantine will be like the mafia, you know, kind of a "Just when you think you are out, they reel you back in" sort of way. I think her life will get back to "normal" and then he will show up with some doomsday scenario. (I am only in the high 90's so I haven't read far ahead.

What do you all think?

[Isa]

Hi folks, I'm new to this group. My name is Isa.

question 1- I imagine Sunshine as looking very similar to what you describe, Jason. I go back and forth on whether or not she is really attractive. I imagine her at least moderately so. And her clothes? Simple, comfy, but now without character. Maybe with lots of bright colors that don't necessarily match. I am not thrown off by Sunshine's reaction to being trapped in the room. part because of my answer for #2 and part because she spaent time with a monster who could have killed her but chose not too. I don't want to say "Stockhold Syndrome" because it doesn't totally fit, but does that maybe in a small way apply here?

question 2- the voodo wars seem intriguing to me in that, if they were only done 10 years ago, our main character was very young during them. It makes her somewhat unkowable to me. I mean, I can elarn a lot about her, but she grew up in a time and situation so very far removed from my own, that a part of her thought processing may not seem obvious to me. This sort of relates to question 1 for me. I can buy into Sunshines reaction because I think there are things about her that have been shaped by things I don't totally get.

question 3- i wasn't put off by the VooDoo Wars description. In fact I had been hoping for one.

4- i think it was a real excape. I imagine Constatine will remain a main character in the book. probably for the good.

[Elena]

I am not new to the group but this is the first book discussion I am participating here as well as anywhere.

1. The only thought I had while reading regarding Sunshine apperance was that she was an average looking gal. Not pretty, not ugly. Dressed always very casual.
The reaction to being locked with the vampire was believable to me. I think they will become very close in the future.
2. I think the war will have a big impact in the remainder of the book. There is probable a lot about it that will come up later.
3. I wasn't put off by the writing style.
4. I didn't think Sunshine was allowed to escape, but now you got me thinking....
I have no idea how Constatine is going to make it back to the story, but I am sure he will although I can't think what his role will be.

[Jason]

Good discussion so far. The second part of the book will have questions posted later.

1. I agree on her appearance, but I kind of think she is pretty in that normal girl sort of way, know what I mean? Kind of like beauty in the common?

2. I am not so sure about the war playing any more of a role than it has. I think it will continue to fill in backstory. I am curious to see what the rest of the book yields on why the vampire knew her father from the war.

3. I am a writer so I pay attention to the way other writers accomplish tricky bits of writing. It is hard to drop in major back story without resorting to a monologue from a charachter, a discussion between two charachters who are saying things the other knows (or should know), or having a narrator tell the story. I thought she did well with it and was curious how other people would react.

4. I am not sure she was allowed to escape, I don't believe they wanted Constantine to escape. It tells alot about Bo that he would keep a dangerous enemy chained up. I await Constantine's return, to find out who's side he is on.

[Jennifer]

1. I imagine that Sunshine is pretty in an average, girl-next-door sort of way. There was some mention of her hair being brunette. I think it's on the longer side, not super long, but past her shoulders.

2. I don't think the VooDoo Wars will start back up or anything, but I do think that old grudges/past experiences from the wars will shape future events in the book.

3. I thought the way she added in the back story was fine. She didn't perform an info dump all at once, but added in bits and pieces as you needed them. If you were stuck in a hairy situation, it would be natural to reflect on what you knew about the past that might help you out.

4. I don't think they were allowed to escape. I just think Bo's gang had no clue about who their captive (Sunshine) was, and what she'd be capable of.

[Nancy]

I'm new here (hi!) and jumping in a little late. It's been interesting reading everyone's responses to Part 1. I'm past Part 1 as I write this, but I thought I'd jump right in.

1. My image of Sunshine agrees with most of what I've read here. She's attractive but not drop-dead anything, and she dresses casually and wears bright colors, which seem to go along with her name. I loved the part where she got trapped in that ballroom with Constantine. It was a terrifying situation that was well handled. My favorite line in the book so far is what Constantine first says to her: "Remind me that you are a rational creature." What a great way to show that he's different from other vampires. I liked him immediately, even though I still found him scary. From that line alone, it was clear that they were going to have a relationship beyond predator and prey. Sunshine's internal "yesssss" when she thinks of helping him suggests that these two will be allies.

2 and 3. I actually think the backstory could have been edited down quite a bit. The Voodoo Wars provide context for the world McKinley is building, as do the descriptions of the coffeehouse. But I'm not sure the author trusts her readers enough to "get it."

Sunshine's voice and personality give the author a lot of leeway to go off on tangents, and there are times when I wish she'd rein this in a bit. Sunshine's tendency to prattle is part of what charms/fascinates Constantine, I think, but for me as a reader it sometimes feels overdone.

I feel the same way about the details about life in the coffee house. Too much information and not quite enough sense of why that information's important, other than to establish the status quo that gets interrupted by the inciting incident of Sunshine's capture by the vampires. When she starts telling Constantine about life in the coffee house, I thought, "Wait. I've already heard all this." There, I'll admit, it had some poignancy because she thought she'd never go back there. I do like Sunshine and enjoy her voice, but I think if I knew her I might tune her out occasionally. :)

4. I trust Constantine's statement that Bo is going to be furious--and interested--when he learns of their escape. The fact that he said this made me like him even more, because he's warning Sunshine that if they both escape, it will mean trouble for her--IOW, he's offering to stay behind for her sake. So I thought the escape was real. I also like the way it reveals powers that Sunshine didn't know (or want to know) she had.

--Nancy

[Jason]

Good comments Nancy.

I agree on your review of McKinley's writing style. Although, I am less turned off by the bakery descriptions because I use to live in that world. I find it enjoyable to read someone who also obviously worked in a family restaraunt or in a kitchen at some point.

[Nancy]

Hi Jason,

Yeah, I can see how that'd be fun. And I do like hearing some of those details: behind-the-scenes glimpses are always interesting. It's just that occasionally I'd feel as tired as Sunshine at the end of her shift. :-)

[Margaret]

So far i absolutely adore this book it's different,I envision Rae as being tall with long dark hair, nice looking but not beautiful. i wish that the author would do a prequel about the voodoo wars.


I think that Rae and Constantine have built a mutual respect not quite friendship. it's more like a survival thing pooling their resources to survive a mutual enemy. I cannot wait to see if her father was Constantine friend or foe.this is going to make for a lot of drama at some point in the book. i also wonder why Bo and Constantine are enemies.

well om off to turn a few more pages, maybe I can catch up with the rest of you guys.

[Nia]

Oh, finally (after 6 weeks) I got my copy of the book...

I like it so far. The "chained to a wall with a vampire next to her"-Situation reminds me of Nancy Bakers "Kiss of the Vampire/The Night inside", which I enjoyed very much. I've been looking for something similar for years.

1. If not for the cover illustration, I would have though she was blonde. An average pretty blonde girl.

I think their relatinship will be the romantic kind of relationship in the end, isn't it always like this? ;)

2. I still don't know what I think of the Voodoo Wars. That it was only 10 years ago, made me think that it should have had a greater impact on the present than it is shown in this part. I found it strange that, in a dangerous world like this, she really dares to drive out to the lakes alone.

3. I admit, I struggled a bit at the beginning. Because it was so much text and no dialogue. That there were some words, that were new to me (since english is not my native language) didn't make it easier. I agree with Nancy, that the descriptions could have been shortened a bit. When Rae says "I'm not much of a talker" I had to laugh, because as narrator of the story she doesn't give me that impression.
But since the author gives us bits of the main story in between the discription, it was ok for me.

4. I think it was a real escape. But I can't say I like how magic is used here. That she can create a key that fits both shackles and that her magic allows them to escape in broad daylight. It's like magic is the panacea for every problem. I hope she won't overuse that element in the future.