The Luminaries - Vimal & PSmith

[Ahtims]

This buddy read was planned a couple of months ago. But then we were busy with other books. Now that I got a fresh paperback of this, am eager to start off. Dragging in Vimal, just to curb my tendencies of giving up on a book at the earliest.
I have already dozed off at pages 4 and 9, respectively. But I am liking the slow paced story so far...
This is about:
Blurb
It is 1866, and young Walter Moody has come to make his fortune upon the New Zealand goldfields. On the stormy night of his arrival, he stumbles across a tense gathering of twelve local men who have met in secret to discuss a series of unexplained events: A wealthy man has vanished, a prostitute has tried to end her life, and an enormous fortune has been discovered in the home of a luckless drunk. Moody is soon drawn into the mystery: a network of fates and fortunes that is as complex and exquisitely ornate as the night sky. Richly evoking a mid-nineteenth-century world of shipping, banking, and gold rush boom and bust, The Luminaries is a brilliantly constructed, fiendishly clever ghost story and a gripping page-turner.

[Ahtims]

We need more people if possible so that I will be vary of quitting. Please, those who have read and those who are planning to, join in, and help us accomplish the mission.

[Vimal]

I've started with and then had to quit this book twice before.. It is very slow-paced, and the convoluted prose can be sleep-inducing at times, but its literary merit is dragging me into it for the third time now,and this time I'm pleased to have company in Smitha.. Anybody who wants to share this lengthy journey is most welcome!

[Ahtims]

Reached Page 15

Have gotten acquainted with

Walter Moody - the 30 year old man who has come to Newzealand in search of fortune in gold. He has quarreled with someone before setting off to NZL

Thomas Balfour - one of the 12 silent men in the inn where Moody comes to. He is talkative and tries to find out more about Moody

Now I think I will get introduced to other 11.
Already, the Reverend has approached and am waiting to get to know him, the rest of the men and all their secrets.

[Vimal]

Since this is supposed to be an astrological thriller, I kinda read the character sketches with some zodiac pondering.. Moody's 4 page char sketch is super-elegant.. Any takes on his sign Smitha? I go with Scorpio

[Ahtims]

Vimal, difficult for me to tell as I don't know much about zodiac signs. I know a couple of attributes of each, and I may very well be wrong in my recollections. Scorpio to me is jealous, tenacious, moody. Moody is moody only in his name and seems to be tenacious. :D

[Ahtims]

Am on page 20. What is the mystery surrounding Moody.
The sentences indicating that there were 8 people when he boarded the ship, and 9 later on, without any childbirth, stowaway or drifting wreck being rescued intrigues me.
So also the observation -she had not seen what he had seen.

[Vimal]

Thats cool.. I thought so because he is inscrutable, poker-faced, scheming and does rigorous self-examination. Balfour is almost his polar opposite, guess he is Aries or something. Anyways western astrology is mostly about just sun signs and doesn't give the full picture. I'm really eager to see how Catton links it all.. Anyway that part should be far far away.. Into Balfour's story now

[Ahtims]

I am at page 26. Things start warming up.
"A secret deserves a secret, a tale deserves a tale."

[Vimal]

Ya,those parts are intriguing. Theres a lot of build-up about how scared and shocked Moody is after the journey. I guess it'll be revealed very gradually, layer by layer. Given Balfour's propensity to ferret out secrets, and Moody's propensity to keep them buried.

[Vimal]

PSmith wrote: "I am at page 26. Things start warming up.
"A secret deserves a secret, a tale deserves a tale.""

Persuasive. Initially it seemed irritating, but gradually Balfour shows how good he is in persuasion

[Ahtims]

Page 35. Very slow progress. But so far, am enjoying the read. I feel that this book will reveal the secrets layer by layer, and finally a wholesome image will appear.
I am not fully trusting Walter Moody. Let us see how he turns out to be.
And out of the 12 gentlemen in the room, 11 are yet to be properly introduced.

[Vimal]

Number 2 of 12 gets introduced, Aubert Gasgoine. The prose is convoluted in most places, but so apt for the context and beautifully woven.. "He had calibrated his expression precisely between grave bafflement and apology, as if to communicate that he was very sensible of the trouble he was causing, but he had no idea what that trouble might be, and as to how he should proceed, he was willing to take anyone's direction but his own."

[Vimal]

That little anecdote about Moody's family had my head spinning

[Ahtims]

Yes, mine too. Now I am intoduced to the superintendent and his lady love, the 2 brothers, one of whom is her husband, and the blackmail fiasco.
Unfortunately have a bad memory for names. Will discuss more in the evening

[Ahtims]

ha ha. You will be dragged in to read the book. -_-

[Shoa, @TheCupboardUnderTheStairs]

[Ahtims]

:D :D:D

[Ahtims]

Till Page 85
I am so confused about chapter names
Mercury in Sagittarius
Mars in Sagittarius etc.
How do they relate to characters?
Does each character have a specific sunsign?

So also, I got confused by the list in the beginning of the book, where the characters are divided into Stellar, Planetary and Terra firma
Terra firma - only the deceased hermit, Crosby WElls is there.
Other two categories I don;t know how the people are split into....

(view spoiler)[
Reached the part where I am introduced to the preacher,Cowell Devlin. How he comes as the chaplain of the prison, sees Anna wetherell being brought unconscious, also going to the hermit's place after his death in an official capacity etc.
The mystery is slowly thickening with Alistair being blackmailed, losing the deed papers of the barge Godspeed which was being sent in the ship Virtue, in which Cowell Devlin reaches Hikitita [I forget the place name]
(hide spoiler)]

So far, I can say with surety that I am finding this interesting. Keeping my fingers and toes crossed for a satisfactory completion.

[Ahtims]

Am loving this book. Am sure it's gonna be one of my favorites for the year 2015. And may even get into my 'to be re-read after retirement' list.
Currently at page 110. Agreed, the going is slow, but I don't mind.

[Vimal]

*wonders what to say that will make Abhay and Shoa pick the book and join the read immediately*

[Vimal]

PSmith wrote: "Am loving this book. Am sure it's gonna be one of my favorites for the year 2015. And may even get into my 'to be re-read after retirement' list.
Currently at page 110. Agreed, the going is slow, b..."

I'm glad that you implicitly realized what makes me attempt this tome for the third time.Highly indulgent prose with layers of mystery.

[Vimal]

@Smitha.. Here are some guesses about the relevance of the chapter names(from what I've read until Chapter 2).
(Anybody who stumbles on the thread shouldn't read this until completing chapter 2)
(view spoiler)[
1.Stellar means star-sun is a star-12 characters introduced as stellar-equal to 12 Sun signs
2.Planetary-8 planets discarding earth(earth has no influence in charts)-8 characters introduced as planetary
3.Chapter 1-Mercury in Sagittarius-The first chapter is all about the interaction between Moody and Balfour-which means Moody is Mercury and Balfour is Sagittarius-Moody comes to Balfour's place, so Mercury in Sagittarius
4.Chapter 2- Jupiter in Sagittarius - The second chapter is mostly about the interaction between Balfour and lauderback-so Balfour is Sagittarius and Lauderback is Jupiter-Lauderback comes to Balfour's place, so Jupiter in Sagittarius
5. Further evidence that Moody is mercury is given by his character sketch-mercurial person-Lauderback is a man of power, so Jupiter indeed(the most powerful astrologically and biggest planet astronomically)-Balfour is the common link between chapters 1 and 2, so he is Sagittarius(further corroborated by his character sketch)
(hide spoiler)]

Smitha, I'm sure you are way ahead now, page 140 or something. So you shouldn't laugh if my guesses fall flat :P

[Shoa, @TheCupboardUnderTheStairs]

Vimal wrote: "*wonders what to say that will make Abhay and Shoa pick the book and join the read immediately*"

I'm afraid the answer is 'nothing' :P
(at least not in the near future)

[Ahtims]

book available in flipkart for 151.
I am pissed off. Bought it from flipkart for 268 :-/

[Shoa, @TheCupboardUnderTheStairs]

PSmith wrote: "book available in flipkart for 151.
I am pissed off. Bought it from flipkart for 268 :-/"

:O
That's too much!
There was some 60% off on it on flipkart long long ago n I was almost going to buy it then but then I didn't!

[Ahtims]

Vimal wrote: "@Smitha.. Here are some guesses about the relevance of the chapter names(from what I've read until Chapter 2).
(Anybody who stumbles on the thread shouldn't read this until completing chapter 2)

1..."
Great reasoning.
I never could have thought of this. I guess I am too impatient to sit and think :P
Plus I don't know much about planetary positions etc.

[Ahtims]

Shoa wrote: "PSmith wrote: "book available in flipkart for 151.
I am pissed off. Bought it from flipkart for 268 :-/"

:O
That's too much!
There was some 60% off on it on flipkart long long ago n I was almost ..."

It originally costs 799, mine was the 60% reduced version. Now it is selling for 83% discount.

[Harsha]

Wait, what? 151! Wow

[Ahtims]

Harsha wrote: "Wait, what? 151! Wow"

Buy it, is my advice.

[Harsha]

PSmith wrote: "Harsha wrote: "Wait, what? 151! Wow"

Buy it, is my advice."
Yes, ordered it. :D

[Ahtims]

Great

[Ahtims]

And now join us ASAP -_-

[Harsha]

PSmith wrote: "And now join us ASAP -_-"
Well, my classes start on June 1, so can't be sure when I'll join. :P

[Ahtims]

Ye gals -excuses. excuses :P

[Ahtims]

Crawled upto page 175.
Interesting.
Maynot be everyone's cup of tea, but those who loved books like The Casual Vacancy, The Inheritance of Loss, The Goldfinch etc. will surely like this one too.

[Vimal]

Not reasoning anymore.Its getting beyond that point.Initially only the language was convoluted, now the story too.Half my mind is screaming for a break, and the other half is bloody engrossed.

[Vimal]

She has done truckloads of research into Maori customs, diggings, British treachery in land holdings etc.. And I'm just into page 121.Can't think whats gonna follow.

[Ahtims]

Am at 175. Lots of twists happening.

[Harsha]

PSmith wrote: "Crawled upto page 175.
Interesting.
Maynot be everyone's cup of tea, but those who loved books like The Casual Vacancy, The Inheritance of Loss, [book:The Goldfinch|173..."
I loved Inheritance of Loss. About Goldfinch I am in two minds, Casual Vacancy I haven't read yet....

[Ahtims]

Harsha wrote: "PSmith wrote: "Crawled upto page 175.
Interesting.
Maynot be everyone's cup of tea, but those who loved books like The Casual Vacancy, The Inheritance of Loss, [book:Th..."

Goldfinch I didn't like much. Rest I loved.

[Vimal]

Finally got introduced to all the characters..20 in total, with a detailed and intricate character sketch for each!

[Vimal]

The gunshot incident in Wetherell's house is really confusing.. Too many sub-mysteries amid the main one

[Ahtims]

I am at page 240. Yes, I agree. But confounding at times and I go back to first page for the character list

[Ahtims]

Have given up pondering over chapter names, but liking the nuggets in the chapter head, especially reviewing those after completing each chapter.

[Vimal]

Yes the nuggets are good.. I'm remembering the character names alright, but getting mixed up with who investigated what. Everybody is doing investigation and uncovering something or the same thing.

[Ahtims]

Yes, they are ... now am exploring China Town.

[Vimal]

I followed your trail to China town. For company I have a shuddering Frost and a rampant Mannering.

[Ahtims]

Yes, I see you in the far horizon. Now I have to speed up. Today I couldn't read much as I had lots of preparation to do. Plus a bit of illness in family. [for a change, I am the healthy one this time. Touch wood.]

[Vimal]

Oh that's bad.I'll send Jo Pritchard a word. He'll be able to come up with a concoction.