Nothing But Reading Challenges discussion
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The Diviners
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Bray, Libba - The Diviners BOM- Start Date June 2nd, 2013** Revisit informal buddy read starts July 15, 2018
@Lisa Kay#69 – Hmmm. I can’t decide about Mary White. I think she was a fake, but I don’t know if she was tricked by Naughty John or not.
yeah, I'm just not 100% sure she knows about the ritual.
#75 –Theta? Hmm. Now you make me want to re-read that part. LOL!
LOL. Not that she is against Memphis or anything like that. She just doesn't seem to be in control of her gift. For example, Evie has to concentrate on an object and Sam has to verbally say " you can't see me".
I'm going to re-read that part. LOL
False Idols----Brethren: Pg.434-49876. Well, after the way the last section ended I was surprised at who died. But does anyone have more clues as to what Theta’s power is?
Yes, I just knew Theta was in for it. The opening of this section described the door as being blackened and the handle melted.
I went back and I re-read “Little Betty Sue Bowers” and it seems that when Theta is in a state of panic her hands grow warmer, her body gets hot and eventually her mind goes blank. So, she has to control her fear in order to control her gift.
77. What about how Evie tells the reporter the truth in the police station and he doesn’t believe her after her wild goose chase? Should Uncle Will and/or Detective Malloy be mad at her for leaking information?
No, I think she was just tired and over it. At this point would they believe anything a smart mouthed seventeen year old girl has to say? Probably not!
78. So Mary White is still alive and living with her daughter. What do you think about her story? Do you think any of this would have happened if she didn’t keep the house?
Mary White seems to think Mr. Hobbes is in love with her and that he’ll come back for her. What would Mr. Hobbes know about love? No, none of this would be possible if she didn’t keep the house.
79. Cannibalism as ancient magic!!! Yuck, I can’t ever see myself eating parts of my enemies to gain victory over them. Did the poster of the circus trigger his epiphany about who John Hobbes was?
Cannibalism is ancient and sickening.
80. What do you think about what Evie sees when she holds the ring? Does the treatment of him as a child change how you think about Naughty John? Should she be using her power so frequently now that there is a connection between her and Naughty John? I am intrigued about what John Hobbes has left and taken at the museum.
I think the more she reads into these objects, the more she connects with the person. I’m not sure she should keep connecting with Naughty John. Hmm.. What was John Hobbes doing at the museum?
81. Eugenics is not what I expected to find at a state fair. At first I thought that might be part of the ‘cult’ and then I thought ‘Project Buffalo’ and how the group tried to find the people with special powers. Anyone else have comments on the fair?
At first, I wasn’t sure what to make of the whole eugenics thing at the state fair. As Ashley Marie stated this sort of thing took place at the fair. This portion made me sick to my stomach – treating humans like livestock
82. Which side is Blind Bill on? It seemed that he somehow knew that Isaiah would be going home by himself. Did he set up Memphis to be arrested for his own purposes? Would Isaiah be dead or just badly hurt if the Good Samaritan hadn’t intervened?
I really want to believe that Blind Bill is a good guy, I really do! I doubt he set up Memphis to be arrested. Early in the book, Dutch Schultz wanted to take over number running in Harlem. (That also explains why Papa Charles's club, The Hotsy Totsy, was raided). I believe that Isaiah might have died.
83. The cult has come back to the original site to keep vigil over their fallen leader where they believe he will come and set them free. This is contradictory with Mary White saying she needed to keep the house because he would be coming there. Where do you think he may go if he manages to come back? Or are they just there to make sure he still has a body waiting even if it has been decomposing for years?
I believe Mr. Hobbes needed Mary White to keep that house so he could be reborn. I’m not sure about the original site. Bottom line they are all brainwashed.
84. It is creepy that they are digging up the body just to get the pendant he is wearing. Now that they have the pendant, do you think Evie is going to ‘read’ it?
Grave digging for a pendant is very creepy. What other options do they have?? Yup! I’m sure Evie is going to read the pendant with Uncle Will’s guidance.
85. Now what do you think Jericho’s experiment is? The mechanical items seen in the injury are interesting to me. I still want to know what that blue liquid is.
yeah, we all want to know what’s in that blue liquid. Jericho is part man, part machine. Wowzers!
DQs for June 9: False Idols----Brethren: Pg.434-498, Submitted by Turtlecollector76. Well, after the way the last section ended I was surprised at who died. But does anyone have more clues as to what Theta’s power is?
I still think she is like the human torch. I am so glad to learn that Theta was not the one who died
77. What about how Evie tells the reporter the truth in the police station and he doesn’t believe her after her wild goose chase? Should Uncle Will and/or Detective Malloy be mad at her for leaking information?
Nah! I use the same technique sometimes. It is surprising to see that people don't believe things that are true. This happens often to me. I will be standing with some of my friends gossiping about stuff when the object of our gossip walks by and asks us what we are talking about. I always them the truth that I was standing their gossiping about them and they just laugh and say they don't believe me even if its true. Interesting way to ease a guilty conscience
78. So Mary White is still alive and living with her daughter. What do you think about her story? Do you think any of this would have happened if she didn’t keep the house?
I think so. But not sure at the moment
79. Cannibalism as ancient magic!!! Yuck, I can’t ever see myself eating parts of my enemies to gain victory over them. Did the poster of the circus trigger his epiphany about who John Hobbes was?
80. What do you think about what Evie sees when she holds the ring? Does the treatment of him as a child change how you think about Naughty John? Should she be using her power so frequently now that there is a connection between her and Naughty John? I am intrigued about what John Hobbes has left and taken at the museum.
I dont' think she should be using this power often seeing as what it done to blind Bill. After seeing John's memory I it hard to blame him when he was brought up to believe what he believes. To be witness of such unquestionable faith and sacrifice. No wonder he doesn't realize he is a mad man
81. Eugenics is not what I expected to find at a state fair. At first I thought that might be part of the ‘cult’ and then I thought ‘Project Buffalo’ and how the group tried to find the people with special powers. Anyone else have comments on the fair?
It seems that particular area is much more interested in the super natural. I am surprised that Brother Jacob doesn't recognize Evie. After all she did interrogate him.
82. Which side is Blind Bill on? It seemed that he somehow knew that Isaiah would be going home by himself. Did he set up Memphis to be arrested for his own purposes? Would Isaiah be dead or just badly hurt if the Good Samaritan hadn’t intervened?
He would have been really hurt. I thought Bill was going to be one of the good guys. Now not so sure
83. The cult has come back to the original site to keep vigil over their fallen leader where they believe he will come and set them free. This is contradictory with Mary White saying she needed to keep the house because he would be coming there. Where do you think he may go if he manages to come back? Or are they just there to make sure he still has a body waiting even if it has been decomposing for years?
I think they believe that he will return there because that was where he was born and his father died. Where his journey began. Mary White on the other hand doesn't seem to know much about his history. May be she is under his spell or something
84. It is creepy that they are digging up the body just to get the pendant he is wearing. Now that they have the pendant, do you think Evie is going to ‘read’ it?
I think she will. But you will never know. I have seen too many SUPERNATURAL episodes where bodies where dug up and cremated hence not that creeped out
85. Now what do you think Jericho’s experiment is? The mechanical items seen in the injury are interesting to me. I still want to know what that blue liquid is.
Bionic Man. I so thought he was like Captain America. Do any one else feel annoyed that Evie has suddenly developed a crush on Jericho when she had been working to bring him and Mabel together from the beginning. What made her change her mind?
@Ashley Marie#76 That's what I had been hoping too.
#78 Good idea about belief creating power and shaking that belief to take it away
#82 I didn't think about him taking other powers, I just thought he was trying to use Isaiah's power to get his own back
@Pamela#82 I want to believe he is a good person too, but it seems like he was killing Isaiah.
#83 Totally agree about the brainwashing.
@Parvathy#85 Yes, it did seem to be a quick switch of feelings on her part. However, it is a sign that she is starting to think before she acts since she is considering Mabel's feelings in this situation
DQs for June 9: False Idols----Brethren: Pg.434-498, Submitted by Turtlecollector76. Well, after the way the last section ended I was surprised at who died. But does anyone have more clues as to what Theta’s power is?
I suppose I didn't actually think Theta would be killed off. Libba Bray isn't George R. R. Martin. (LOL!) I don't think there are more clues re: Theta's powers.
77. What about how Evie tells the reporter the truth in the police station and he doesn’t believe her after her wild goose chase? Should Uncle Will and/or Detective Malloy be mad at her for leaking information?
I don't think they should be mad at her. After all, the museum needs funds, and the slew of tourists is helpful.
78. So Mary White is still alive and living with her daughter. What do you think about her story? Do you think any of this would have happened if she didn’t keep the house?
Her story is creepy and I can't understand why she fell for Hobbes. Even if she didn't keep the house, I think the spirit (or whomever) would still find a way to execute his evil plot.
79. Cannibalism as ancient magic!!! Yuck, I can’t ever see myself eating parts of my enemies to gain victory over them. Did the poster of the circus trigger his epiphany about who John Hobbes was?
I have heard of this, and yes. Gross. Who had the epiphany? I can't remember.
80. What do you think about what Evie sees when she holds the ring? Does the treatment of him as a child change how you think about Naughty John? Should she be using her power so frequently now that there is a connection between her and Naughty John? I am intrigued about what John Hobbes has left and taken at the museum.
So is this nature vs. nurture? I'm not sure if Hobbes would have been "normal" even if he had had parents that weren't crazed religious lunatics. I'm not a psychologist by any means, but I'm thinking sociopaths/psychopaths are born with something not quite right in their brains.
81. Eugenics is not what I expected to find at a state fair. At first I thought that might be part of the ‘cult’ and then I thought ‘Project Buffalo’ and how the group tried to find the people with special powers. Anyone else have comments on the fair?
I'm reading another book that talks about eugenics, so this was interesting. It seems very Nazi-ish to me. The fair seemed fun until the wackos started to harass Evie.
82. Which side is Blind Bill on? It seemed that he somehow knew that Isaiah would be going home by himself. Did he set up Memphis to be arrested for his own purposes? Would Isaiah be dead or just badly hurt if the Good Samaritan hadn’t intervened?
I think Blind Bill is on his own side. My interpretation was that he was trying to find the winning numbers via Isaiah's psychic powers. I'm not sure to what extent he's willing to go, however. Would he have killed the boy to get what he wants? I sure hope not.
83. The cult has come back to the original site to keep vigil over their fallen leader where they believe he will come and set them free. This is contradictory with Mary White saying she needed to keep the house because he would be coming there. Where do you think he may go if he manages to come back? Or are they just there to make sure he still has a body waiting even if it has been decomposing for years?
I thought he was already going back to the house.
84. It is creepy that they are digging up the body just to get the pendant he is wearing. Now that they have the pendant, do you think Evie is going to ‘read’ it?
Yes, I think she will.
85. Now what do you think Jericho’s experiment is? The mechanical items seen in the injury are interesting to me. I still want to know what that blue liquid is.
Me too. And, how human is he still? Is he a bionic man? This may help explain his social awkwardness. (Those of you with kids, this reminded me of when Zane discovered he was a robot on Ninjago.)
DQs for June 9: False Idols----Brethren: Pg.434-498, Submitted by Turtlecollector76. Well, after the way the last section ended I was surprised at who died. But does anyone have more clues as to what Theta’s power is?
77. What about how Evie tells the reporter the truth in the police station and he doesn’t believe her after her wild goose chase? Should Uncle Will and/or Detective Malloy be mad at her for leaking information?
78. So Mary White is still alive and living with her daughter. What do you think about her story? Do you think any of this would have happened if she didn’t keep the house?
She a very strange woman, She fell for Naughty John and bought everything he told and promised her.
79. Cannibalism as ancient magic!!! Yuck, I can’t ever see myself eating parts of my enemies to gain victory over them. Did the poster of the circus trigger his epiphany about who John Hobbes was?
80. What do you think about what Evie sees when she holds the ring? Does the treatment of him as a child change how you think about Naughty John? Should she be using her power so frequently now that there is a connection between her and Naughty John? I am intrigued about what John Hobbes has left and taken at the museum.
81. Eugenics is not what I expected to find at a state fair. At first I thought that might be part of the ‘cult’ and then I thought ‘Project Buffalo’ and how the group tried to find the people with special powers. Anyone else have comments on the fair?
I don't think eugenics have anything to do with project Buffalo, that seems more paranormal to me. Eugenics did bring Nazi Germany during WW II to mind, it sounds like they wanted to create/find the 'perfect human'.
82. Which side is Blind Bill on? It seemed that he somehow knew that Isaiah would be going home by himself. Did he set up Memphis to be arrested for his own purposes? Would Isaiah be dead or just badly hurt if the Good Samaritan hadn’t intervened?
Blind Bil is on the side of Blind Bill. He may have setup Memphis, I hadn't thought about that, I thought he saw an oppertunity when Isaiah walked by alone and he took it. Isaiah would have been dead if the good samaritan hadn't walked by. It looks like Blind Bill was after Isaiah's powers.
83. The cult has come back to the original site to keep vigil over their fallen leader where they believe he will come and set them free. This is contradictory with Mary White saying she needed to keep the house because he would be coming there. Where do you think he may go if he manages to come back? Or are they just there to make sure he still has a body waiting even if it has been decomposing for years?
He comes back to the house, not to the original site. He thinks it was gone in the fire and everyone already sacrifced themselves so there is no need to go back and as for the pendent it can only be used to stop him.
84. It is creepy that they are digging up the body just to get the pendant he is wearing. Now that they have the pendant, do you think Evie is going to ‘read’ it?
No she's not going to read it, she has already read the ring. I think they are going to use the pendant to get rid of Naughty John.
85. Now what do you think Jericho’s experiment is? The mechanical items seen in the injury are interesting to me. I still want to know what that blue liquid is.
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lol. I'm glad I wasn't the only one (I'm also in the latter part of my 30s!). I appreciated the concept of the book but it was just too much for me to want to read anymore in the series, although I have been told they are brilliant
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77. What about how Evie tells the reporter the truth in the police station and he doesn’t believe her after her wild goose chase? Should Uncle Will and/or Detective Malloy be mad at her for leaking information?
She really annoys me. I don't think they can be mad though, as who would believe her?!
78. So Mary White is still alive and living with her daughter. What do you think about her story? Do you think any of this would have happened if she didn’t keep the house?
She is pretty messed up. It is a hell of a thing to keep the house for all that time. It must be important
79. Cannibalism as ancient magic!!! Yuck, I can’t ever see myself eating parts of my enemies to gain victory over them. Did the poster of the circus trigger his epiphany about who John Hobbes was?
Yes that is realy gross. I just can't imagine it
80. What do you think about what Evie sees when she holds the ring? Does the treatment of him as a child change how you think about Naughty John? Should she be using her power so frequently now that there is a connection between her and Naughty John? I am intrigued about what John Hobbes has left and taken at the museum.
No, I think alot of people have shitty childhoods and don't turn out to be killers. It may have triggered something in him, but it isn't an excuse. I think it is a very bad thing that there is now a connection there and he knows who she is. The museum scene was creeeeeepy!
81. Eugenics is not what I expected to find at a state fair. At first I thought that might be part of the ‘cult’ and then I thought ‘Project Buffalo’ and how the group tried to find the people with special powers. Anyone else have comments on the fair?
Yeah I thought this was somethint to do with the people that "healed" jericho, and therefore tied in with project Buffalo. There is so much going on in this book!!!
82. Which side is Blind Bill on? It seemed that he somehow knew that Isaiah would be going home by himself. Did he set up Memphis to be arrested for his own purposes? Would Isaiah be dead or just badly hurt if the Good Samaritan hadn’t intervened?
I think he did set it up somehow although I don't think he meant to hurt isiah, just couldn't help himself. It seems that now his gift is gone, he has to drain it from other people that have it
83. The cult has come back to the original site to keep vigil over their fallen leader where they believe he will come and set them free. This is contradictory with Mary White saying she needed to keep the house because he would be coming there. Where do you think he may go if he manages to come back? Or are they just there to make sure he still has a body waiting even if it has been decomposing for years?
I think the cult are just a bunch of worshippers but don't really understand what is happening whereas Mary seems to know
84. It is creepy that they are digging up the body just to get the pendant he is wearing. Now that they have the pendant, do you think Evie is going to ‘read’ it?
I was surprised the pendant was still there! That's why I don't think the Brethren really know what is going on. If they knew how the Beast could be stopped surely they would've taken the pendant for safe keeping?
85. Now what do you think Jericho’s experiment is? The mechanical items seen in the injury are interesting to me. I still want to know what that blue liquid is.
Interesting! Kind of like the first attempt at artificial organs. I guess the liquid is to stop his body rejecting it, although I'm not sure why that would also help to heal him
Ashley Marie wrote: "Karen wrote: "@Sandy59. Yeah, really! I guess people never think it will happen to them
62. I haven't rad Perks of being a wallflower, although I heard good things about the movie. I may add it ..."
OK, now y'all have convinced me that I need to read
Sandy wrote: "Ashley Marie wrote: "Karen wrote: "@Sandy59. Yeah, really! I guess people never think it will happen to them
62. I haven't rad Perks of being a wallflower, although I heard good things about the..."
I really liked it, but it's by far the darkest YA I've ever read. Not for the faint of heart by any stretch.
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@Ashley Marie - Have you read Unwind? I think that was the most surprising YA book for me this year
I have, and I loved it. I was so impressed with how gracefully Schusterman handled such a hot button issue. I can't wait for the third book to come out!
Mod
Waaaaaaah I fell behind! If I didn't have a week off, I don't know if I would've been able to keep up with you guys at all. D:DQs for June 8: Knowles' End----The One Who Works with Both Hands: Pg.377-433, Submitted by Ashley Marie
1) It seems like Jacob Call is trying to cover for the real Naughty John to me. Do you agree? Why do you think he's taking the fall for the murders? Do you think he knows more about everything going on than he's letting on to Evie?
I don’t think he knows much of anything. Perhaps he’s trying to play the hero so he’ll be “favoured” or something.
2) Evie and Mabel are crazy to go into that house alone! I was yelling them not to go in - don't they watch horror films?!?!?! Surprisingly enough, they didn't listen to me. ;) Do you think this adventure will be worth it and Evie will get enough from Ida's journal to help with the case? Why did Ida hide it under the floorboard in the first place?
I think she knew she was in danger, so she decided to leave the diary behind in case something happened. John and Mary wouldn’t want anyone to know what they were doing, so they probably would’ve burned the diary or something had they found it.
3) Yikes! What *was* happening in the cellar? Do you think the bodies the police found 50 years ago really were medical cadavers, or were they victims of Mr. Hobbes? How is Mary White involved in this? Do you think she knows about Mr. Hobbes' offerings, or is she what she seems on the surface - a fake medium?
Nope, I think she knew most of what was going on…she gave me a really evil, creepy vibe.
4) Evie certainly gets back at anyone who crosses her! What do you think of the trick she played on T.S. Woodhouse?
Brilliant! I hope he enjoyed freezing out on the bridge, serves him right!
5) Uncle Will seems very comfortable and confident in his ability to help Evie manage her object reading, which seems like a weird skill to have. Thoughts?
Pretty darn sure he was involved with experiments with Diviners since he “worked for the government”. I think he might’ve had some experience with Rotke and managing a power she had or something.
6) So now we know for certain! John Hobbes is definitely Naughty John. Are you surprised? Do you think the ending will have a rational explanation for the supernatural happenings (like the ending of an episode of Scooby Doo), or do we really have a ghost killer?
Not really, it’s pretty much been implied for the whole story. I just didn’t know if he was a demon, spirit, ghost or what. With the powers of Divining already evident, I’d be pretty mad if there was no supernatural element to the story. He’s really a ghost killer.
7) Uncle Will immediately believes Evie that Naughty John is a vengeful ghost. Don't you think he'd be at least a little bit skeptical at first? Jericho seems to have the hardest time with what's happening. Why do you think that is?
He runs a museum for the occult. If he were a skeptic, he would never lecture on occult topics or have the museum in the first place.
8) Poor Theta! My heart just broke for her when we finally learned what she ran away from. So much abuse. What do you think her gift really is? How will her relationship with Memphis change her life with Henry?
I don’t have a clue. Theta got away from John, so maybe she can see through illusions or something? Most people get completely lost in his traps. I don't know if it'll change anything...because they're like family.
9) Oh, Gabe :(. What a terrible way to die! How do you think his death fits into the larger story? What do you think the meaning of his warning to Memphis was?
I think he was just trying to warn him of the danger that’s coming, and Memphis will have to fight it.
DQs for June 9: False Idols----Brethren: Pg.434-498, Submitted by Turtlecollector
76. Well, after the way the last section ended I was surprised at who died. But does anyone have more clues as to what Theta’s power is?
I didn’t expect Theta to die…there’s been lots of references saying that all the Diviners are going to be needed. So she can’t die off just yet! I have no idea…Some kind of weird mind power? Everyone has been completely caught and lost in Naughty John’s traps so far, but Theta was able to escape. Seeing through illusions? But then how did that help her get away from her ex-husband? I am stumped.
77. What about how Evie tells the reporter the truth in the police station and he doesn’t believe her after her wild goose chase? Should Uncle Will and/or Detective Malloy be mad at her for leaking information?
Nah, she said it because she knew he wouldn’t believe her. Telling a far-fetched story would sound more like covering up the truth, so Uncle Will really wouldn’t have a reason to be mad.
78. So Mary White is still alive and living with her daughter. What do you think about her story? Do you think any of this would have happened if she didn’t keep the house?
Not at all. The furnace in the basement was where everything started. If that was gone, I don’t think John would have been able to come back.
79. Cannibalism as ancient magic!!! Yuck, I can’t ever see myself eating parts of my enemies to gain victory over them. Did the poster of the circus trigger his epiphany about who John Hobbes was?
Who’s epiphany? I read parts of this throughout the day, so I don’t remember what this is talking about. Oops.
80. What do you think about what Evie sees when she holds the ring? Does the treatment of him as a child change how you think about Naughty John? Should she be using her power so frequently now that there is a connection between her and Naughty John? I am intrigued about what John Hobbes has left and taken at the museum.
If you’re a compassionate person, you can’t help feeling bad for someone being hurt. But, that doesn’t change the fact that Naughty John is evil, and I think Evie knows that. I thought the connection would have been cut once she snapped out of her trance…but the risk of connecting with someone briefly is why readings are so dangerous. I feel like he’ll try and frame someone to deter Evie and gang.
81. Eugenics is not what I expected to find at a state fair. At first I thought that might be part of the ‘cult’ and then I thought ‘Project Buffalo’ and how the group tried to find the people with special powers. Anyone else have comments on the fair?
With it being so close to the Old Brethren village, I think all the people there are probably under the influence of one of the preachers or something.
82. Which side is Blind Bill on? It seemed that he somehow knew that Isaiah would be going home by himself. Did he set up Memphis to be arrested for his own purposes? Would Isaiah be dead or just badly hurt if the Good Samaritan hadn’t intervened?
It was mentioned earlier that Blind Bill had powers before and then he lost them…I don’t think he’s on anyone’s side but his own. He wanted his powers back, so he took Isaiah’s, I think. >_>
83. The cult has come back to the original site to keep vigil over their fallen leader where they believe he will come and set them free. This is contradictory with Mary White saying she needed to keep the house because he would be coming there. Where do you think he may go if he manages to come back? Or are they just there to make sure he still has a body waiting even if it has been decomposing for years?
I feel like the cult has very little to do with the resurrection of the Beast, and they’re all just blindly following because of the signs of the offerings. He’ll definitely go to the house, because that’s where he’s always been going back to. He killed Ruta there, he found that piece of Evie’s coat there, he made Mary keep the house…I don’t think Old Brethren has much to do with Naughty John’s current activity.
84. It is creepy that they are digging up the body just to get the pendant he is wearing. Now that they have the pendant, do you think Evie is going to ‘read’ it?
OH HELL NO. She’d probably end up seeing Naughty John butchering someone or something. No thanks. Just use it to get rid of him, and BURN IT. T_T
85. Now what do you think Jericho’s experiment is? The mechanical items seen in the injury are interesting to me. I still want to know what that blue liquid is.
OH MY GOSH HE MUST BE A STEAMPUNK CYBORG. AAAAAAAAAAAWESOOOOOME. THAT’S EVEN COOLER THAN CAPTAIN AMERICAAAAA. OOOO:
The blue liquid must just help him function with mechanical parts, I guess.
Questions for Lamentation - Sitting on Top of the World (pp. 499 - End) Submitted by Sandy86. Mary White is revealed to have killed her husband, and we get her backstory with Hobbes. She is certain he is going make her the Lady Sun. Were you surprised when he didn't keep his word?
87. Jericho tells Evie his tale and of how the experiments mostly failed. I'm wondering to what extent he's in danger of "failing" at some point. Thoughts?
88. The story of how Jericho helped his friend commit suicide is heartbreaking. This is such a moral dilemma. At first I was horrified that he did this, but I can understand why. Would his friend had died anyway? Did this change anyone's opinion about Jericho?
89. Do you think Evie will allow the romance with Jericho to blossom, or will her feelings toward Mabel take precedence? How will Sam handle this? Do you believe he will try to win her for himself?
90.So, how did the shoe buckle get into the museum? Did Hobbes plant it?
91. Surprised when Evie decided to go to Knowles house to confront Hobbes? I would think after the last episode I would stay as far away as possible. And, how does a 17-year-old party girl figure out all this stuff when the police, reporters, and other seasoned investigators can't?
92. Very scary scene with Evie and Hobbes. I thought she was very brave (again, I'm thinking...she's only 17!) She gives up her brother's pendant (her most prized possession) to bind Hobbes. Thoughts on this scene? Have we seen the last of Hobbes?
93.Memphis' healing powers return. I didn't really understand what affect it had on Isaiah. When Blind Bill tries to get info from Isaiah's mind, it makes him gag. Did Memphis put some kind of protection on Isaiah?
94. What did you think of Evie publicly admitting her powers? I've said this before, I think it's a very bad idea for the wrong people to know about this
95. Do you think Evie experienced any character growth over the course of the novel?
96. Final thoughts on the book? Will you read the next in the series?
Thanks for posting, Sandy! I'm almost done, everyone. I'll catch up with you all later.
I really enjoyed this buddy read. Thanks, everyone!
Questions for Lamentation - Sitting on Top of the World (pp. 499 - End) Submitted by Sandy86. Mary White is revealed to have killed her husband, and we get her backstory with Hobbes. She is certain he is going make her the Lady Sun. Were you surprised when he didn't keep his word?
Not at all surprised - he doesn't seem to have any human connection to anyone, why would Mary White be any different? Also, being Lady Sun didn't seem all that great either. Lose your tongue or your heart to a murderer? At the end you're still murdered!
87. Jericho tells Evie his tale and of how the experiments mostly failed. I'm wondering to what extent he's in danger of "failing" at some point. Thoughts?
I think this will become a plot point later on in the series, but he won't fail. I think he'll have to learn to overcome his fears in order to save those he cares about at some point.
88. The story of how Jericho helped his friend commit suicide is heartbreaking. This is such a moral dilemma. At first I was horrified that he did this, but I can understand why. Would his friend had died anyway? Did this change anyone's opinion about Jericho?
My heart just broke for him (it seems like I wrote this same phrase for almost ALL of the main characters at some point - this story was really tragic in a lot of ways!). I can't imagine being put in that position, especially as a child! His friend was in such a horrible situation - in pain, no limbs, half mad - I can't imagine he wouldn't have figured out some other way to die eventually if Jericho hadn't helped him. Still, that's a heavy burden to ask someone else to carry.
89. Do you think Evie will allow the romance with Jericho to blossom, or will her feelings toward Mabel take precedence? How will Sam handle this? Do you believe he will try to win her for himself?
I think they'll eventually get to a point where Mabel won't care. She seems to be enamored with this Arthur Brown character (who seems a bit nefarious to me!), and will probably be over the moon about him soon. I still think Evie will put the breaks on with Jericho out of loyalty to Mabel. Sam will definitely try to win Evie over - he's not happy about Jericho at all!
90.So, how did the shoe buckle get into the museum? Did Hobbes plant it?
Yes, at the same time he stole Uncle Will's lighter.
91. Surprised when Evie decided to go to Knowles house to confront Hobbes? I would think after the last episode I would stay as far away as possible. And, how does a 17-year-old party girl figure out all this stuff when the police, reporters, and other seasoned investigators can't?
I thought the same thing about our little Nancy Drew, but I think a lot of that came from the police's unwillingness to accept the occult as an explanation. I thought it was really brave of Evie and Jericho to go to the house!
92. Very scary scene with Evie and Hobbes. I thought she was very brave (again, I'm thinking...she's only 17!) She gives up her brother's pendant (her most prized possession) to bind Hobbes. Thoughts on this scene? Have we seen the last of Hobbes?
I think we've seen the last of Hobbes, and the man in the top hat will be the villain in the next book. I really thought Evie was brave in that scene, no only to give up her brother's pendant, but also to not just freeze and shut down with terror (like I would have!). I'm curious to see what James' connection to everything is!
93.Memphis' healing powers return. I didn't really understand what affect it had on Isaiah. When Blind Bill tries to get info from Isaiah's mind, it makes him gag. Did Memphis put some kind of protection on Isaiah?
I wasn't sure about this either, but I think so. Maybe Blind Bill and Memphis have opposite powers - Bill takes away and Memphis gives back health/power? Maybe that's why it was toxic to Bill.
94. What did you think of Evie publicly admitting her powers? I've said this before, I think it's a very bad idea for the wrong people to know about this
I think this was a TERRIBLE idea, and a last ditch effort to stay in NYC. No good can come of this - I think Project Buffalo will be after her soon!
95. Do you think Evie experienced any character growth over the course of the novel?
I think so, but she's not all the way there yet. I think she's still very desperate to be loved (who wouldn't if they knew their mother wishes they were dead in place of their brother!), but at least she is a little less selfish now than she was at the start of the story.
96. Final thoughts on the book? Will you read the next in the series?
I LOVED it. One of my favorite books of 2013 so far. I can't wait until the next one comes out!
Questions for Lamentation - Sitting on Top of the World (pp. 499 - End) Submitted by Sandy86. Mary White is revealed to have killed her husband, and we get her backstory with Hobbes. She is certain he is going make her the Lady Sun. Were you surprised when he didn't keep his word?
Of course not. A person that evil would have no reason to keep his word. I was a bit surprised that she had killed her husband, I hadn't seen that coming. After learning that though, it made a little more sense as to why she was with John Hobbes. She was always after money and power and thought he would give it to her.
87. Jericho tells Evie his tale and of how the experiments mostly failed. I'm wondering to what extent he's in danger of "failing" at some point. Thoughts?
Does he have another gift somehow that helps him fight off the adverse effects of the experiment? I am also wondering how long he is going to last if everyone else has not survived intact. Why does the medicine only seem to be helping him?
88. The story of how Jericho helped his friend commit suicide is heartbreaking. This is such a moral dilemma. At first I was horrified that he did this, but I can understand why. Would his friend had died anyway? Did this change anyone's opinion about Jericho?
89. Do you think Evie will allow the romance with Jericho to blossom, or will her feelings toward Mabel take precedence? How will Sam handle this? Do you believe he will try to win her for himself?
At the end Evie takes advantage of Jericho's feelings to run away from the present, but I don't know if she will let it become an actual romance. Sam will not handle this well. He will stay around and try to win her for himself, but I think it will take her a long time to realize what he is doing.
90.So, how did the shoe buckle get into the museum? Did Hobbes plant it?
Hobbes put it there when he took the lighter in order to frame Uncle Will.
91. Surprised when Evie decided to go to Knowles house to confront Hobbes? I would think after the last episode I would stay as far away as possible. And, how does a 17-year-old party girl figure out all this stuff when the police, reporters, and other seasoned investigators can't?
I am not too surprised because her habit is to do things before thinking them over. She wants to take immediate action to help her uncle and stop what is going on, so she does. She figures it out because she is a 17-year-old girl and doesn't base her decisions on past experiences, which in the older people have made them skeptical that supernatural things exist. She also has the power of seeing things so she is more open to other meanings and not just rational explanations.
92. Very scary scene with Evie and Hobbes. I thought she was very brave (again, I'm thinking...she's only 17!) She gives up her brother's pendant (her most prized possession) to bind Hobbes. Thoughts on this scene? Have we seen the last of Hobbes?
I think she is brave and I was not expecting her to be able to give up her own pendant. I am not sure if we have seen the last of Hobbes. Bad guys always seem to come back somehow when there is a bit of an ambiguous ending. But now there is the guy in the top hat, and where did he come from?
93.Memphis' healing powers return. I didn't really understand what affect it had on Isaiah. When Blind Bill tries to get info from Isaiah's mind, it makes him gag. Did Memphis put some kind of protection on Isaiah?
I am not sure if his healing power just cures the body or if it adds something to the person. It seems that his power stays in the person if Blind Bill feels it when touching Isaiah. Memphis doesn't seem to have it completely under control yet since his mother is still giving him warnings.
94. What did you think of Evie publicly admitting her powers? I've said this before, I think it's a very bad idea for the wrong people to know about this
She was trying to get what she wanted and not thinking of consequences again. By publicly admitting it she was forcing her uncle to let her stay with him so at least he could try to control what she did with her powers. But that makes it public knowledge that the wrong people can get their hands on.
95. Do you think Evie experienced any character growth over the course of the novel?
She grew a little bit, but not as much as I was hoping by the end of the book.
96. Final thoughts on the book? Will you read the next in the series?
I enjoyed the book. It was not something I would normally read and the discussions questions helped keep my focus on it. It depends on my tower of TBR books if I will read the next one right when it comes out, but I probably will read it eventually. I do want to find out what happens with the top hat man.
Questions for Lamentation - Sitting on Top of the World (pp. 499 - End) Submitted by Sandy86. Mary White is revealed to have killed her husband, and we get her backstory with Hobbes. She is certain he is going make her the Lady Sun. Were you surprised when he didn't keep his word?
No I wasn't surprised. He used Mary White for the house. Like Mary used Miss Knowles.
87. Jericho tells Evie his tale and of how the experiments mostly failed. I'm wondering to what extent he's in danger of "failing" at some point. Thoughts?
He has made it so far, but I think when he runs out of blue stuff and gets injured he could fail.
88. The story of how Jericho helped his friend commit suicide is heartbreaking. This is such a moral dilemma. At first I was horrified that he did this, but I can understand why. Would his friend had died anyway? Did this change anyone's opinion about Jericho?
It made me think even better of him. I really liked Jericho from the start, the quiet calm way he approaches Evie and stands up for her against her uncle.
89. Do you think Evie will allow the romance with Jericho to blossom, or will her feelings toward Mabel take precedence? How will Sam handle this? Do you believe he will try to win her for himself?
I don't know, maybe she does have feelings for Jericho but doesn't know the extend of them. The last part of the scene on the roof felt like she was using him to make herself forget everything that happend.
90.So, how did the shoe buckle get into the museum? Did Hobbes plant it?
I think he did.
91. Surprised when Evie decided to go to Knowles house to confront Hobbes? I would think after the last episode I would stay as far away as possible. And, how does a 17-year-old party girl figure out all this stuff when the police, reporters, and other seasoned investigators can't?
Not at all surprised. It has Evie written all over it. She will do anything to help protect other people and I think people underestimate her and only see the impulsive party girl. She has a different way of looking at things.
92. Very scary scene with Evie and Hobbes. I thought she was very brave (again, I'm thinking...she's only 17!) She gives up her brother's pendant (her most prized possession) to bind Hobbes. Thoughts on this scene? Have we seen the last of Hobbes?
It was a very exciting scene, it had me sitting on the edge of my seat biting my nails. It was very smart of her thinking that she could use the pendent, she also made a huge sacrifice in giving it up as it was the last gift she received from her brother. And I think we have definitely seen the last of Hobbes, everything connected with him has burned.
93.Memphis' healing powers return. I didn't really understand what affect it had on Isaiah. When Blind Bill tries to get info from Isaiah's mind, it makes him gag. Did Memphis put some kind of protection on Isaiah?
I think the power Memphis has is the opposite of Blind Bills power and he couldn't take whatever Memphis has left within Isaiah.
94. What did you think of Evie publicly admitting her powers? I've said this before, I think it's a very bad idea for the wrong people to know about this
I'm still shaking my head in disbelief, how could she do that.
95. Do you think Evie experienced any character growth over the course of the novel?
A little, but when reading what is adressed in DQ#94 not very much.
96. Final thoughts on the book? Will you read the next in the series?
I really liked the book, I thought it was a bit slow in the beginning and there were a lot of characters, a bit to much, but near the end the pace picked up speed and it turned out to be a very exciting read. I gave the book 4 stars. I will read the next book when it comes out and will reread this one then to.
Questions for Lamentation - Sitting on Top of the World (pp. 499 - End)86. Mary White is revealed to have killed her husband, and we get her backstory with Hobbes. She is certain he is going make her the Lady Sun. Were you surprised when he didn't keep his word?
I knew he wasn’t going to be true to Mary White. No, not surprised at all.
87. Jericho tells Evie his tale and of how the experiments mostly failed. I'm wondering to what extent he's in danger of "failing" at some point. Thoughts?
Jericho’s story was very touching. I’m not sure about the danger of “failing” – I hope he makes it to the very end.
88. The story of how Jericho helped his friend commit suicide is heartbreaking. This is such a moral dilemma. At first I was horrified that he did this, but I can understand why. Would his friend had died anyway? Did this change anyone's opinion about Jericho?
I’m not sure his friend would have died. At that point, would his friend have “lived” a full life? No. This did not change my opinion about Jericho.
89. Do you think Evie will allow the romance with Jericho to blossom, or will her feelings toward Mabel take precedence? How will Sam handle this? Do you believe he will try to win her for himself?
I think Evie will allow herself to be with Jericho. I’m sure Mabel will keep in touch with the young man that saved her. I think this will bother Sam and he’ll try to win her over.
90.So, how did the shoe buckle get into the museum? Did Hobbes plant it?
Hobbes planted the shoe buckle and stole the lighter. Hobbes is gooooood!
91. Surprised when Evie decided to go to Knowles house to confront Hobbes? I would think after the last episode I would stay as far away as possible. And, how does a 17-year-old party girl figure out all this stuff when the police, reporters, and other seasoned investigators can't?
No, I expected Evie to go to the mansion and confront Hobbes. I’m not sure why the police, reports and investigators couldn’t figure it out. I guess it’s hard to accept the truth.
92. Very scary scene with Evie and Hobbes. I thought she was very brave (again, I'm thinking...she's only 17!) She gives up her brother's pendant (her most prized possession) to bind Hobbes. Thoughts on this scene? Have we seen the last of Hobbes?
The scene with Evie and Hobbes had me on the edge of my seat. I think this scene shows us just how much Evie has grown as a young adult. She was willing to use her gift without liquid courage and she gives up her pendant. Bravo Evie! I think we’ve seen the last of Hobbes.
93.Memphis' healing powers return. I didn't really understand what affect it had on Isaiah. When Blind Bill tries to get info from Isaiah's mind, it makes him gag. Did Memphis put some kind of protection on Isaiah?
I believe Memphis
94. What did you think of Evie publicly admitting her powers? I've said this before, I think it's a very bad idea for the wrong people to know about this.
I don’t think it was a bad idea. The entire community knew about Memphis and his healing powers. Why not be proud of who you are. Good for her.
95. Do you think Evie experienced any character growth over the course of the novel?
Oh yes! I think Evie still craves attention. Hey she’s a work in progress…
96. Final thoughts on the book? Will you read the next in the series?
I really enjoyed this book. I can't wait for the next book to come out!
POS-I-TUTE-LY!!!!!
Mod
Not really. She would've been a bit old. And it's not like he is a nice guy you can trust...lol I liked her back story though
87. Jericho tells Evie his tale and of how the experiments mostly failed. I'm wondering to what extent he's in danger of "failing" at some point. Thoughts?
Yes, I wondered about that too. And how the people that did it assume he is dead. I guess we need to read the next book to find out!
88. The story of how Jericho helped his friend commit suicide is heartbreaking. This is such a moral dilemma. At first I was horrified that he did this, but I can understand why. Would his friend had died anyway? Did this change anyone's opinion about Jericho?
After reading Me Before You I have slightly different views than I used to and so can understand it. Although I'm not sure I could help someone do it.
89. Do you think Evie will allow the romance with Jericho to blossom, or will her feelings toward Mabel take precedence? How will Sam handle this? Do you believe he will try to win her for himself? I hope she is just honest with Mabel and continues with Jericho. If the second book becomes a love triangle I think that would be a HUGE shame as the book has so much potential
90.So, how did the shoe buckle get into the museum? Did Hobbes plant it?
That was my assumption in order to get Unc out of the way
91. Surprised when Evie decided to go to Knowles house to confront Hobbes? I would think after the last episode I would stay as far away as possible. And, how does a 17-year-old party girl figure out all this stuff when the police, reporters, and other seasoned investigators can't?
I was too! But I guess what choice did they have if they wanted to do something? I also think she believes in the supernatural part of the story whereas the police etc. dont
92. Very scary scene with Evie and Hobbes. I thought she was very brave (again, I'm thinking...she's only 17!) She gives up her brother's pendant (her most prized possession) to bind Hobbes. Thoughts on this scene? Have we seen the last of Hobbes?
I liked this. I think it is the last of Hobbes, but it has opened something else (what did sister walker say - "they are coming"?
93.Memphis' healing powers return. I didn't really understand what affect it had on Isaiah. When Blind Bill tries to get info from Isaiah's mind, it makes him gag. Did Memphis put some kind of protection on Isaiah?
I think he did without realising. His power seems to have become stronger
94. What did you think of Evie publicly admitting her powers? I've said this before, I think it's a very bad idea for the wrong people to know about this
What an idiot. This part really annoyed me. Ever time she develops into a character I like she becomes selfish and silly again. Urgh.
95. Do you think Evie experienced any character growth over the course of the novel?
Oops, just answered this a little! I think she did, but still had work to do.
96. Final thoughts on the book? Will you read the next in the series?
I struggled with rating/reviewing it. So I ended up giving it 3 stars.
It took me two reads to get through this book. The first time I found it such a chore and gave up at about 40%. Two months later I managed to pick it up again and become more engaged. The book is very long, detailed, and has a whole cast of characters. The development of the characters and the description of the time period are excellent.
It has been written as a small part of a whole (I read there are four books in this series), so clearly there is alot of 'setting up' of storylines happening here. Which is why I find this hard to rate and review. I may read the second book when it is released (in 2014!!) and hopefully will remember enough of this one for it all to start to make sense.
I have a feeling this book is very clever, but until the rest are released I can't be sure.
just started this last night.Up to chapter 5.So far so good.I hd no idea it was going to be set in the 1920's, but the author does a good job placing us there,so to speak.I also did not realise how old ouija boards are, but have sen one when I was a teen.I had a bad feeling being the room with it, and refused to use it, regardless of the heckling from my friends,calling me a chicken!
I think I would have typed GOODBYE...I can tell that Naughty John is going to be around for a while now! Not the nicest character to walk around town with, is he?!
I think that Memphis has had some bad experiences with his healing powers..almost like in exchange for doing good healing, he has to have an exchange with bad healing..just a thought.hmm..
lol, I hadn't noticed the price of the stockings, when compared to today's valuation.good spotting. I do recall somethings during world war 1 being very hard to come by and cost an arm and leg, hence why American Soldiers were loved so much for giving out chocolate and stockings!
Questions for Lamentation - Sitting on Top of the World (pp. 499 - End) Submitted by Sandy86. Mary White is revealed to have killed her husband, and we get her back story with Hobbes. She is certain he is going make her the Lady Sun. Were you surprised when he didn't keep his word?
Not really. It sort of serves to show just how wicked Naughty John really is. Yes, he's committed unspeakable atrocities, but he doesn't even respect those who have been devoted to him and done as he asked. He's completely ruthless (can I even call it a "he"? I almost feel like it isn't appropriate anymore >_> )
87. Jericho tells Evie his tale and of how the experiments mostly failed. I'm wondering to what extent he's in danger of "failing" at some point. Thoughts?
It sounds like it doesn't take much to go over the edge. Earlier in the book, he was trying to "calm" himself with exercise. I think it's very easy to develop a resistance to the blue serum he uses. Perhaps that's one of the reasons for failure; the other patients became far too dependent on it. So, Jericho tries to avoid using it whenever possible.
88. The story of how Jericho helped his friend commit suicide is heartbreaking. This is such a moral dilemma. At first I was horrified that he did this, but I can understand why. Would his friend had died anyway? Did this change anyone's opinion about Jericho?
This book has a lot of themes that hit close to home in real life. Racism, abuse, assisted suicide...I believe his friend would have suffered a great deal, but I don't know if he would have died. He "failed" and ended up even losing his last original limb, but I don't know if his life would have been threatened with the machinery removed. I was definitely glad to finally have SOME sort of characterization for Jericho. It took FOREVER. Before that, we knew he was very tall. He was stoic. He didn't talk much. He had a mysterious past. Can anybody say Gary Stu? Jeez. But yes, my opinion has changed, knowing about his tragic past, abandonment, and inhuman qualities.
89. Do you think Evie will allow the romance with Jericho to blossom, or will her feelings toward Mabel take precedence? How will Sam handle this? Do you believe he will try to win her for himself?
Evie will try and ignore Jericho for a bit, and she'll be super worried about Mabel disowning her, but then Mabel will just end up dating politic guy. I can see Sam poking fun at Jericho constantly, while telling Evie she should date someone who knows how to have fun (of course, meaning himself).
90. So, how did the shoe buckle get into the museum? Did Hobbes plant it?
He definitely planted something, but I only remember a piece of paper or something? I'd have to go back and find where he enters the museum.
91. Surprised when Evie decided to go to Knowles house to confront Hobbes? I would think after the last episode I would stay as far away as possible. And, how does a 17-year-old party girl figure out all this stuff when the police, reporters, and other seasoned investigators can't?
She's showing a little bit of responsibility because she wants to help her Uncle I think. As for figuring stuff out, I'd be rolling my eyes if this were a run-of-the-mill mystery novel, but Evie succeeds because she understands that paranormal entities exist. The police aren't going to find anything if they're chasing after living people.
92. Very scary scene with Evie and Hobbes. I thought she was very brave (again, I'm thinking...she's only 17!) She gives up her brother's pendant (her most prized possession) to bind Hobbes. Thoughts on this scene? Have we seen the last of Hobbes?
You know the stupid blonde girl in every horror movie who ends up dead because she just runs up to a locked door and bangs on it? That'd be me. Dead as a doornail. I'm wondering what else there is behind that pendant...because it's been said multiple times that Hobbes had to be destroyed on his own terms. The pendant wasn't some holy relic, so by that logic, it shouldn't have worked. So, I don't think we've seen the last of him. Might have just delayed him (perhaps with help from James, because the dollar was given to Evie by him?)
93.Memphis' healing powers return. I didn't really understand what affect it had on Isaiah. When Blind Bill tries to get info from Isaiah's mind, it makes him gag. Did Memphis put some kind of protection on Isaiah?
I think it was protection of some kind, I don't know if it was Memphis though. I think it was his mother or someone/something else, because Blind Bill said it wasn't Memphis; it was too powerful.
94. What did you think of Evie publicly admitting her powers? I've said this before, I think it's a very bad idea for the wrong people to know about this
I agree. There must still be people researching Diviners somewhere...and then the incident with Isaiah...Evie really doesn't need anymore trouble after almost dying in a decrepit cellar. Poor girl.
95. Do you think Evie experienced any character growth over the course of the novel?
-sigh- I do, I really do. After she gave up her most prized possession to try and destroy Hobbes, I can hardly call her selfish brat. Sure, there was self-preservation involved, but she's so broken up about it, I think she almost would have rather died than part with it (if impending Armageddon wasn't also hanging in the balance). And I was happy that she finally articulated and showed her understanding of the importance of secrets. She could have read something of Jericho's, but she wanted him to trust her and share his secrets on his own.
96. Final thoughts on the book? Will you read the next in the series?
What I liked:
-The time period was fantastic, and I thought Bray did a really good job with her research to make world feel authentic.
-I found her prose very poetic (especially at the beginning and end of the book). It really raised the bar for writing quality to me.
-Most of the characters were well fleshed out and I really enjoyed them. I think Sam and Theta were probably the best characters, I found them both very unique, likeable and intriguing.
What I didn't like:
-The pacing. The book was fairly long, and I felt like I was slogging through parts of it, because the connections between Evie's story and the murders didn't come until much later.
-For about half the book, Evie. Being selfish was part of the flaws of her character, but man, I had trouble reading sometimes because I was so frustrated with her. I was also frustrated with Jericho being the stereotypical mysterious guy, but now that that's out of the way, I'll probably enjoy the next book more.
So yeah, I'll read the next one. I liked this book a lot, all things considered. Not a genre I'd usually read, but I was impressed.
86. Mary White is revealed to have killed her husband, and we get her backstory with Hobbes. She is certain he is going make her the Lady Sun. Were you surprised when he didn't keep his word? Not at all. That was pretty much given. I am confused though. Didn't Mary White remarry after John's death. Why didn't we get anything about that in her reminiscence?
87. Jericho tells Evie his tale and of how the experiments mostly failed. I'm wondering to what extent he's in danger of "failing" at some point. Thoughts?
That is a tale for another book. I have a bad feeling about that one too.
88. The story of how Jericho helped his friend commit suicide is heartbreaking. This is such a moral dilemma. At first I was horrified that he did this, but I can understand why. Would his friend had died anyway? Did this change anyone's opinion about Jericho?
I was surprised when I learned that he helped kill the man. Makes you wonder whether he wants the same if things go wrong for him. He is really a brave character. Too bad he wasn't of much help in the end.
89. Do you think Evie will allow the romance with Jericho to blossom, or will her feelings toward Mabel take precedence? How will Sam handle this? Do you believe he will try to win her for himself?
I think there is a new guy in the picture for Mabel. The conflict will mainly focus on Sam, Evie and Jericho. Evie might give up Jericho for a while and date Sam but then she will realize that she loves Jericho and they will end up together
90.So, how did the shoe buckle get into the museum? Did Hobbes plant it?
Yes, it was Hobbes. Must have done it after he decided Evie as the lady sun
91. Surprised when Evie decided to go to Knowles house to confront Hobbes? I would think after the last episode I would stay as far away as possible. And, how does a 17-year-old party girl figure out all this stuff when the police, reporters, and other seasoned investigators can't?
I also had the same thought. I thought Jericho would help he at the end. May be she is much more selfless than we belived.
92. Very scary scene with Evie and Hobbes. I thought she was very brave (again, I'm thinking...she's only 17!) She gives up her brother's pendant (her most prized possession) to bind Hobbes. Thoughts on this scene? Have we seen the last of Hobbes?
Yes, I think that is the last of him. Though I am more convinced that James is alive. The scenes where thrilling and I had a hard time not skipping pages to read whether anyone comes to Evie's aid. But her vanquishing the villain solo is much more entertaining.
93.Memphis' healing powers return. I didn't really understand what affect it had on Isaiah. When Blind Bill tries to get info from Isaiah's mind, it makes him gag. Did Memphis put some kind of protection on Isaiah?
Might have. Bill does say Memphis is more powerful than Isaiah. May be his powers include more than healing.
94. What did you think of Evie publicly admitting her powers? I've said this before, I think it's a very bad idea for the wrong people to know about this
I think the government or more precisely project buffalo is going to come for her.
95. Do you think Evie experienced any character growth over the course of the novel?
Yes, I think she changed. She becomes much more bolder and mature towards the end.
96. Final thoughts on the book? Will you read the next in the series?
Yes, I will read the next. I really enjoyed this one. Loved the characters, the story and the writing style. The atmosphere created was entertaining and creative. Loved how everything fell into place towards the end. Though towards the end the book felt dragging. I am giving this one 4 stars
Sorry I'm late posting these:@ Ashley Marie
#76 – Yes, I was expecting a showdown between Naughty John & Theta, too.
#78 – I agree; Mary White was ‘creepy.’
#79 – Ick. Cannibalism = gross.
#80 – Very true!
#81 – Yes, love Bray’s website.
#84 & #85 – LOL! Woverine, again?
#86 – LOL! Very true; you’d still be dead.
#88 – Yes, euthanasia is a heavy burden for some.
#89 – Yes, Arthur Brown has a hidden agenda. I agree with you about Sam.
#91 – I can’t believe Evie did more breaking and entering!
#92 – Yes, I thought she was brave, too.
#94 – I didn’t like Evie doing that, either.
#95 – I agree. Evie has more growing up to do. She doesn’t realize her Uncle Will is just trying to protect her.
#96 – I love it too. It is soooooooo well narrated.
@ Pamela#76 – Oh, yeah. I thought Theta was a goner, too. Makes sense that she has to control her fear in order for her gift to work.
#78 – Oh! Excellent point; what would he know about love?
#81 – Thanks for the pic!
#82 – I wanted Blind Bill to be a good guy, too.
#92 – Yes, very well-written scene. Forgot about her reliance on “liquid courage.” I hope we’ve seen the last of him, but Turtlecolletor has me worried now! Eep!
#96 - “POS-I-TUTE-LY!!!!!” - LMBO!
@ Parvathy#81 – Good point.
#85 – Yeah, Evie’s sudden crush on Jericho didn’t work for me.
#86 – She was still pining for Naughty John? No love in her heart?
#89 – Really?!?
#92 – Well… I don’t know. But I’m thinking we haven’t seen the last of Evie’s brother, James.
@ Sandy#76 – LMBO! True, she isn’t GRRM.
#79 – Epiphany: In “The Wild man of Borneo” chapter, after the interview with Mary White, Uncle Will sees a circus poster with this name emblazed across it. (Pages 446-447 in hardcover copy.)
#80 – I agree with you. The foundation was there.
#82 – I think you called it!
@ Imke#83 – Good call with the pendent.
#87 – Good point! What happens if the blue stuff runs out?
#88 & #89 – Yes, I like Jericho’s calm, too. I don’t know if he is a match for Evie, though.
@ Karen#76 – Good point about him going for Daisy when someone else was around.
#82 – Yes, he has an addiction to gambling. That is what motivates him.
#84 – Yes! I was surprised the pendant was there, too. I expected it to be found elsewhere.
#85 – Yeah, I can’t figure it out. If it is lubrication, works like gasoline, or – as you said – keeps his body from rejecting it.
#89 – I agree; I’m not interested in a love triangle.
#93 – I agree; I don’t think Memphis knew he was doing that part of the healing.
#96 – I definitely think doing this as a “buddy read” kicked it up a notch for me. That, and the audiobook was so well narrated.
@ Kayla#70/June8#4 – LOL! I take it you don’t like Woodhouse?
#73/June8#7 – Good point. Still, I don’t think Jericho is all the comfortable with it. We get the reason later.
#78 – **smacks forehead** I forgot about the furnace in the basement.
#79 – Epiphany: In “The Wild man of Borneo” chapter, after the interview with Mary White, Uncle Will sees a circus poster with this name emblazed across it. (Pages 446-447 in hardcover copy.)
#80 – Good call!
#85 – LOL! It is a bit ‘steampunk,’ isn’t it?
#86 – True. Naughty John ends up being neither distinguishably masculine nor feminine.
#87 – Hmm… good theory.
#88 – Had to look up “Gary Stu.” LOL! What is sauce for the goose…
#92 – Eep!
#93 – Huh. I hadn’t thought it might have been given by his mother.
Love your list of likes and dislikes.
@ Turtlecollector#86 – Yes, I was surprised Mary White had killed her husband, too.
#87 – All good questions!
#92 – Eep! I was sure we’d seen the last of him.
#93 – Yeah, I’m thinking it is some type of protection – but, I’m not sure Memphis even knew he did this part of it.
@ NorelleThe cost of silk stocking went up in WWI & WWII due to parachutes being made of silk, which was in limited supply.
OK --- I am way behind......got side-tracked by A Discovery of Witches...not so good at multiple books at the same time (in the same medium). I'm about 1/2 through so I will do some catch-up on the questions...knowing that I'm really talking to myself :-DSkipping some questions because either I don't remember any details or because I've read further and not sure what we know for this set of pages
22. Don’t you just know that door in the floor of the collections room of the MotCC is going to come into play again. I just don’t know if it will be used as escape or entrance – or for Naughty John or one of the others. Any predictions?
Definitely will be used for something --- I think maybe a hiding place.
23. Ah! So, Sam has abilities, too. I wasn’t expecting that. That’s a pretty good one, too; I wouldn’t mind having it. LOL! You? Any guesses on the significance of Project Buffalo?
I was also surprised by the fact that he had abilities. Now we know that he will be a significant character. I like the interactions with him and Evie.
24. Whatever was Evie going to tell Mabel before they fell asleep?
Oops -- don't remember this part.
25. Well, Evie made her pitch for Mabel to Jericho. Doesn’t look good. Plus, he blushed when Sam asked if Evie and he were husband and wife. Really not good. I see an unrequited love triangle coming a mile away. Comments.
Definitely no interest in Mabel -- I think he has a crush on Evie because she's so vibrant.
26. Eep. That crow is following Memphis. I did like his line about wanting to find THE girl; that was nice. Impression of Gabe and his chances with Okeh Records? Will we see more of him?
I would imagine we will OR he will become a victim. That seems to be the pattern here ;-)
28. What do you think of Sam’s ploy to get to talk with Dr. Fitzgerald? Do you think Uncle Will recognized his ability, that’s why he bought his story? And what about Sam did with Jericho’s wallet?
Same's a clever one -- I think that Uncle Will recognizes and respects this part of Sam and is willing to cut him some slack.
30. Uh oh, Evie’s doing her ‘party trick’ again. What about her lie to Theta? Would you do the same thing, if you had Evie’s ability?
I can't believe that she didn't learn her lesson --- I was screaming (on the inside), don't do it. Actually after what happened with Ruta, I was surprised that she would do it.
31. Now that crow is in Memphis’s dreams! Interpretation? So, is Isaiah some sort of translator/communicator between the two worlds (good and evil)?
No idea --- but I do find the nick-name Ice-Man a bit too modern (OK --- maybe more 80's flash back to Top Gun)
32. Well, I do NOT like Paddy. Poor Tommy. There was so much I didn’t understand in the “A Rind of Moonlight” chapter. (Man-oh-man! I hope it doesn’t give me nightmares.) Why did Naughty John choose Tommy as a victim? Just opportunity? Or the kid’s name? Tommy’s perfect hands? That he was willing to gamble? I didn’t get the “obedience” offering. Your thoughts?
Lesson here --- don't get too attached to a new character that just pops up in a chapter of their own :-D
33. Were you surprised that Uncle Will talked to Evie about her drinking? Think he knew she was doing her ‘party trick,’ too?
Good for him to confront her --- she needed that.
35. Impressions of T.S. Woodhouse? How Evie handled him? Or he handled her? I guess I’m naïve; I didn’t think she’d cave. What will be the repercussions?
I found the whole interchange pretty comical. I think that Evie has good intentions but she is also naive. Because she is a pretty face, she does get away with a lot though.
36. So Henry has gifts of his own…dreamwalking. I like it. Did you think he had special abilities when he appeared in Evie’s dream? Who do you think Louis might be? A brother? Lover? Friend?I think that Louis is either a lover or a first crush.
38. Why doesn’t Memphis tell Sister Walker about his healing abilities? And, knowing that Isaiah has gifts, why didn’t Sister Walker be more careful with the chair??
Yes -- the chair was sort of funny. I do find it strange that Memphis allows Sister Walker to "train" Isiah but doesn't talk about his abilities with her.
39. The Pillar Of Fire Church…now there are some lovely people! (Did anyone else think of the anti-vampire cult on True Blood?) Did you think at this point that one of them could be behind the murders, especially when Evie saw the pendant on Brother Jacob Call. Brother Call calls it protection from the Beast, which is interesting because I had been thinking it was a sinister symbol.
Yes --- totally True Blood :-D I definitely thought that they were linked somehow to the present murders --- just not sure how. Maybe they went underground.
40. What are your impressions of Jericho? I had been expecting him to be a dashing hero (not sure why I thought that). He’s quiet, studious, very smart, and not socially adept. He was clearly uncomfortable posing as Evie’s husband. Do you think he may become more “heroic” as the novel progresses?
Yes, I think he will be one of the main players -- let's hope he gets more fun :-D I think (or should say hope) that maybe a bit of Sam will rub off on him.
41. Thoughts on the Brethren cult? Their story is interesting, but I can’t imagine why anyone would think it’s a good idea to raise the anti-Christ. Who took the missing page that tells how to destroy the Beast?
Lots of mysteries to this book :-D
42. The killings appear to be “offerings” of the Harlot Adorned and the Idle son (offerings 5 & 6). Did “offerings” 1 – 4 take place in the past?
They either took place in the past (with the Pillar of Fire church perhaps) or they took place outside of New York.
43. So now we have a mysterious relationship between Jericho and Marlowe (whom I thought of as Tony Stark). What did Marlowe do for (to?) Jericho? What are the meds for? Something to do with his hand? Why does Jericho call him “Sir”?
I totally thought of Tony Stark as well.
44. Uncle Will’s mystery deepens. We know he used to work for the government (doing what?), and “he was never quite the same after what happened with Rotke.”(kindle p. 218) Any speculations?
No idea --- but now that I'm reading The Passage -- I'm thinking it can't be good :-D
45. Why is Jericho so cold to Mabel? Does he have something against her parents’ politics?
Maybe...they are rabble rousers and he's an under the radar type of guy!
46. We learn about the time Memphis lost his powers. What a sad story. Who was the man in his vision who asked him to choose life or death? Thoughts on this scene?
This was a very sad scene. That was a terrible position that his father put him in.
48. What do you think of the world-building in this book? I think the author’s doing a great job giving us information gradually.
There are a lot of characters to keep straight so sometimes I think that I'm missing some connections.
June 6 DQs: The Hotsy Totsy--Naughty JohnPg.246-309; Submitted by Lisa Kay
49. Maybe I’ve watched too many old movies, but I thought “The Hotsy Totsy” chapter was very well done. I could picture the setting, the characters, the raid. You?
I thought so too --- as I said before, she writes very cinematically :-D
51. Looks like Theta and Memphis are attracted to one another. I didn’t see that coming, either. Do you think they match up well? They certainly have something to talk about – the exact same dream! Any thoughts on what it means?
I was a bit surprised by this --- but they are both artistic. Having the same creepy dream is....well, creepy.
52. Well, Naughty John’s victims are certainly diverse. Why did he take Eugene Meriwether’s feet? Is this really just a “build a body” thing, or is it related to specific offerings?
I seem to remember a movie a while back where a guy (I want to say the actor Julian Sand) is stitching a woman together --- that is what this is reminding me of.
53. Were you surprised that Uncle Will decided to send Evie back to Ohio after one infraction – even given it was as severe as it was. On the heels of that came Mabel calling her selfish. Think these things will help Evie grow up and think before she acts impulsively?
I hope so as I'm sort of tired of how immature she is.
54. So…Uncle Will had no idea of Evie’s powers. Comments on the glove reveal scene? Who was the woman Evie saw? What was her relationship to Uncle Will?
I really liked that scene --- I think it was Uncle Will's girlfriend --- and maybe Rotke (or whatever that name was) took the girlfriend away.
55. We get a little more on Jericho’s past: infantile paralysis, time in an iron lung, and the eventual desertion by his family, his ability to forgive, and his lack of belief in miracles. Comments? BOOKQUOTE: How about his cryptic comment, “They tried something new. I was lucky; it worked.” Whatever was it that really worked?
This is somehow linked to the pills he got from Marlowe. I thought it was sad that his family deserted him but life was hard back then (and still is when dealing with sick children)
56. Oh, poor Evie. What a terrible thing to discover about how you mother feels about you. Explains her acting out. And we discover that her ability came after James’ death. Comments. However, just when I think she’s growing up, she lies about Reporter Woodhouse’s article and poses for the shutterbug.
Yes, I did feel sorry for her in the moment.
57. Could you have done what Evie did with Eugene Meriwether’s ring? What are the headaches about? Will Uncle Will know?
Nope I don't think I could. Maybe using the powers gives you headaches or maybe she's drinking too much :-D
im really late with this1. Did you know this book was going to be set in the 1920’s? I haven’t read a lot of books recently that are set in this area, have you? Especially YA. Do you get a sense of era? Flappers, Prohibition, radio, the death of Rudolph Valentino and the heiress having mannerisms of Clara Bow (both silent film sex symbols of the 1920’s), Edison’s “modern marvel,” jazz music, speakeasies, and vaudeville theater?
I had no idea it was going to be set in the 1920, I can’t recall any book that I have ever read anything set in that area, I do get the sense of it, the lingo though stumped me, I was clueless half the time at what the heck the people were saying.
2. Have you ever play with an Ouija board? I had no idea it was that old. I’m thinking it was a B.A.D. I.D.E.A. to not spell out G.O.O.D. B.Y.E. Right?
I have when I was a kid, but it was the board you buy for 10 bucks at toys r us, and nothing ever came out of it.
3. What did you think was the significant of the wind, the old mansion, and the furnace in the cellar?
When I read it, I wasn’t too sure, I was thinking change, (wind) old mansion maybe the place where something spooky happens, not sure about the furnace? A place to put bodies??
4. 4. What was your impression of Evie O’Neill? What about after you learned of her “gift” and why she left town? Her attitude toward her mother and father’s grief over James? The lies she told the train conductor? Her need for attention? Regardless of her lack of knowledge about world current events, does she have the smarts to make it in New York City?
She seems very flighty. A little on the who cares, selfish self centered side. She doesn’t think before she speaks. Sheltered spoiled girl, niave even. She’s starving for attention, which is obvious when shes drinking and shes all “I know I shouldn’t do this..buuut”
5. What bit of poetry did Memphis Campbell write on that piece of paper? Do you think his dreams about an eye with a lightning bolt underneath are prophetic? And what of the crow following him? Eep!
I think he’s writing poetry about his mother, his sadness, beautiful poetry that would go against the stereotype of him. Im not sure about the eye with lightning bolt, I thought maybe it meant something to do with the special gifts he has. The crow, I think is symbolic of a bad omen, something bad following him, a spirit?
6. What did you think of Sam Lloyd? Is he a harmless charmer? Legit? Or something more sinister? Have we seen the last of him?
I think he’s down on his luck. Harmless charmer, I think he’s just doing what he can to survive
7. What did you think of Uncle Will, curator of the Museum of American Folklore, Superstition, and the Occult? Did anything in particular standout? What the cabbie said? Jericho Jones? The items in the display case? Liberty Anne? ? The reveal of who – or what – “The Diviners” are? The clippings?
I thought uncle will was kinda like the absentminded professor. Exteremely smart, yet probably more focused on the academics and studies, than in the real world. Jericho Jones seems like the big giant on princess bride.
8. I have to admit, I thought Mabel Rose was going to be a fictitious person, did you? Do you like her? Pretty naïve compared to Evie, right? Can she be trusted with Evie’s secret? What about Evie’s plan for Mabel’s crush on Jericho Jones?
I haven’t figured out how mabel rose and evie are friends. Mabel rose seems like the quiet booknerd type. While evie is all about the party. I actually think shes not as naïve as evie, she’s just more reserved. Evies plan sucks, she doesnt really seem to have a plan, or any sort of matchmaking abilities.
9. Impressions of Theta Knight, Ziegfeld girl? She comes across as much older than 17, at least on the audio. And her nickname for Evie?
I didn’t really realize she was 17, I must have missed that part, I thought she was older too. Her nickname for evie makes zero sense to me.
10. The Misses Procter, Miss Lillian and Miss Adelaide, gave a creepy telling of the Bennington’s history, though Evie and Mabel shrug it off. You just know this is going to come into play in the plot, right? What about Miss Addie’s pronouncement? “You’re one of them, aren’t you, dear?” Spooky, true?
I read the entire book before writing these answers down, I should have done it as I was reading, but even so. These characters did nothing for me, nothing but confuse me, as in who the heck are these people??
11. Do you think there is more to Jericho Jones’ story about how he came to work for Evie’s uncle? Will he and Evie’s uncle go along with Evie’s idea about advertising?
There definitely is more to the story. I think that will and Jericho are so stuck in the books, and doing things the way they always have, that evie and her ideas are going to cause chaos in their world of order and academics.
DQ for City of Dreams----A Place in the World Pg.060-117
12. “And upon her forehead was a name written in Mystery: Babylon the Great, the Harlot” - Wow! City of Dreams – what a chapter!! Did you suspect that John Hobbes was up to no good? What or who do you think he is ?
He's a bad man! bad bad man
13. Do you think that Hobbes was looking for “loose girls” (like Jack the Ripper) ? He refers to this being the 5th offering as commanded by the Lord God, so this is obviously a ritual. What is he trying to do?
i think at this point of the book, its more of a wait and see, too early to really tell where the ritual is going with this
14. Any guesses as to who Naughty John is??? BTW, I don’t recommend googling the term because I didn’t find anything and you can only guess what type of sites came up :-D?
john hobbes? the bad monster part of john hobbes?
15. Memphis has the gift of healing, or at least had. Any ideas why he won’t heal the chorus girl?
something obviously bad happened to him and his healing before, something backfired.
16. What is the significance of Evie’s re-occurring dream about her brother. What is he trying to show her? Does this have anything to do with her gift of divining?
i think this is another one of those wait and see things. will her brother actually be alive? trying to communicate with her somehow?
17. Evie wants to buy stockings with the $10 winnings from the bet with Theta (on if Mabel will cut her hair). I looked up the value of $10 --- it would be about $120 in today’s terms. That’s some pretty expensive stockings. Did anyone else notice that?
i think i missed that part, i did think it was a steep bet, cause i thought the value of a dollar was a lot less back then.
18. Do you think Sam will bring back the money? Have your impressions changed?
nope, he wont, i think he'll do something to sucker out of it.
19. Did you think that Uncle Will should have let Evie come along? I was actually impressed that she was able to stay mostly composed --- until she had the flash of Ruta’s death. Jericho was there to comfort her – do you think he knows about her gift?
i think uncle will is a bit daft. head in the clouds,i dont know much about the 1920's, but it seems to me that crimes and stuff like that wouldnt be as strict as today, because of the not having DNA and all that.
20. “The whore of Babylon” phrase is in the book of Revelations and is often a way to refer to false religions. How do we think this plays into the story? What about the pentacle?
i really have no idea about the whore of babylon. when i read this i was thinking the actual whore thing. someone who sins and stuff.
21. Isaiah, Memphis’ brother, also has a gift. Were you surprised by that? What do was in the files that Sister Walker pulled out after her session with Isaiah?
i think it'll come out that the mother did too, it passed along. family traits.
June 4 DQs: The Hearts of Men-- And Death Shall Flee Pg.118-190, by Lisa Kay
22. Don’t you just know that door in the floor of the collections room of the MotCC is going to come into play again. I just don’t know if it will be used as escape or entrance – or for Naughty John or one of the others. Any predictions?
im thinking it'll have some significance in the future, when all the diviners get together. a meeting place or a place where they join hands and combine abilities or whatever
23. Ah! So, Sam has abilities, too. I wasn’t expecting that. That’s a pretty good one, too; I wouldn’t mind having it. LOL! You? Any guesses on the significance of Project Buffalo?
i have a feeling it will have something to do with the diviners. a archnemesis?
24. Whatever was Evie going to tell Mabel before they fell asleep?
not sure, maybe her secret?
25. Well, Evie made her pitch for Mabel to Jericho. Doesn’t look good. Plus, he blushed when Sam asked if Evie and he were husband and wife. Really not good. I see an unrequited love triangle coming a mile away. Comments.
im not feeling the love triangle. jericho is too stickup the butty. the flow between her and sam flow better. jericho is awkward.
26. Eep. That crow is following Memphis. I did like his line about wanting to find THE girl; that was nice. Impression of Gabe and his chances with Okeh Records? Will we see more of him?
i zoned out on a lot of this. im not sure where the significance of all the extra characters, and stuff were from.
27. I was surprised we got Theta’s POV. The only thing that stood out to me was that Henry was reading Negro poetry, Daisy can’t dance, and Theta didn’t forget a favor. Did anything else stand out to you?
no, i zoned out, some parts of the book were just kinda like too many extra scenes
28. What do you think of Sam’s ploy to get to talk with Dr. Fitzgerald? Do you think Uncle Will recognized his ability, that’s why he bought his story? And what about Sam did with Jericho’s wallet?
i think that by hiring sam, it shows me that uncle will has some sort of idea of who and what sam is.
29. BOOK QUOTE (The Eternal Recurrence): Solomon’s Comet. An event of heavenly significance. Comments?
something supernatrual will obviously be happening on that date!
30. Uh oh, Evie’s doing her ‘party trick’ again. What about her lie to Theta? Would you do the same thing, if you had Evie’s ability?
no, no, and no. too many chances of being looked at wierdly, labeled, or burned at the stake.
31. Now that crow is in Memphis’s dreams! Interpretation? So, is Isaiah some sort of translator/communicator between the two worlds (good and evil)?
im not really sure what all this signifies yet.
32. Well, I do NOT like Paddy. Poor Tommy. There was so much I didn’t understand in the “A Rind of Moonlight” chapter. (Man-oh-man! I hope it doesn’t give me nightmares.) Why did Naughty John choose Tommy as a victim? Just opportunity? Or the kid’s name? Tommy’s perfect hands? That he was willing to gamble? I didn’t get the “obedience” offering. Your thoughts?
what i dont get, is how he choses his victims? how did he know tommy had perfect hands? what do hands have to do with obedience? i get that tommy was obideint by obeying his command to go and try and get the stick.
33. Were you surprised that Uncle Will talked to Evie about her drinking? Think he knew she was doing her ‘party trick,’ too?
34. What do you think of the drawing of the pentacle-and-snake emblem Evie found? Liberty Anne’s prophecies and her explanation of the Diviners? The man in the stovepipe hat who comes with the storm? What stood out for you in Evie’s nightmare?
35. Impressions of T.S. Woodhouse? How Evie handled him? Or he handled her? I guess I’m naïve; I didn’t think she’d cave. What will be the repercussions?
JoLene wrote: "...she writes very cinematically :-D"Great term for it, JoLene.
Kim wrote: "I thought uncle will was kinda like the absentminded professor."Yes, only - for some reason - I think he's better dressed. LOL!
Kim wrote: "no, no, and no. too many chances of being looked at wierdly, labeled, or burned at the stake.
LMBO! Good call.
June 4 DQs: The Hearts of Men-- And Death Shall Flee Pg.118-190, by Lisa Kay
22. Don’t you just know that door in the floor of the collections room of the MotCC is going to come into play again. I just don’t know if it will be used as escape or entrance – or for Naughty John or one of the others. Any predictions?
maybe when the diviners get together, it'll be a room for divinations and holding hands and combining magical powers and all that to combat that big bad evil.
23. Ah! So, Sam has abilities, too. I wasn’t expecting that. That’s a pretty good one, too; I wouldn’t mind having it. LOL! You? Any guesses on the significance of Project Buffalo?
project buffalo will probably end up being diviners arch nemesis?
24. Whatever was Evie going to tell Mabel before they fell asleep?
about her secret im guessing?
25. Well, Evie made her pitch for Mabel to Jericho. Doesn’t look good. Plus, he blushed when Sam asked if Evie and he were husband and wife. Really not good. I see an unrequited love triangle coming a mile away. Comments.
im not feeling the love triangle. her and sam have more of a flow going, vs her and jericho, hes very stick up the butty.
26. Eep. That crow is following Memphis. I did like his line about wanting to find THE girl; that was nice. Impression of Gabe and his chances with Okeh Records? Will we see more of him?
i kinda zoned on this section, i couldnt figure out why all these extra scenes and characters were being introduced.
27. I was surprised we got Theta’s POV. The only thing that stood out to me was that Henry was reading Negro poetry, Daisy can’t dance, and Theta didn’t forget a favor. Did anything else stand out to you?
same as answer to #26. the only reason i can see on theta POV is for the reader to get to know her inner person, not her outter persona.
28. What do you think of Sam’s ploy to get to talk with Dr. Fitzgerald? Do you think Uncle Will recognized his ability, that’s why he bought his story? And what about Sam did with Jericho’s wallet?
i think because uncle will hired sam, he had an idea of who and what he was.
29. BOOK QUOTE (The Eternal Recurrence): Solomon’s Comet. An event of heavenly significance. Comments?
something supernatural will be happening on that night.
30. Uh oh, Evie’s doing her ‘party trick’ again. What about her lie to Theta? Would you do the same thing, if you had Evie’s ability?
nope, nope nope. too many chances of being labeled a freak, looking at wierdly, or backfiring.
31. Now that crow is in Memphis’s dreams! Interpretation? So, is Isaiah some sort of translator/communicator between the two worlds (good and evil)?
zoned all that, not sure what to think of the crow. or isaiash ability
32. Well, I do NOT like Paddy. Poor Tommy. There was so much I didn’t understand in the “A Rind of Moonlight” chapter. (Man-oh-man! I hope it doesn’t give me nightmares.) Why did Naughty John choose Tommy as a victim? Just opportunity? Or the kid’s name? Tommy’s perfect hands? That he was willing to gamble? I didn’t get the “obedience” offering. Your thoughts?
i cant get this either. how did he know tommy would have perfect hands? the obedience, i get, cause he ordered tommy to go get the stick, and tommy didnt give up. but i dont get how he chose tommy, did he get the other boys to to drop off tommy? dunno. some times the author explains too much detail, other times leaves us hanging
33. Were you surprised that Uncle Will talked to Evie about her drinking? Think he knew she was doing her ‘party trick,’ too?
i was surprised that he talked to her. with his speech about how she can do what he wants blahblah when she first got there, then all the sudden its no!
34. What do you think of the drawing of the pentacle-and-snake emblem Evie found? Liberty Anne’s prophecies and her explanation of the Diviners? The man in the stovepipe hat who comes with the storm? What stood out for you in Evie’s nightmare?
i think its a symbol of evil or something. not sure about liberty anne. i think the dream symbolizes something scary is coming
35. Impressions of T.S. Woodhouse? How Evie handled him? Or he handled her? I guess I’m naïve; I didn’t think she’d cave. What will be the repercussions?
he seems slimey. shes an idiot for trusting him.
crap, i think i answered a set of questions twice. *face palm*
Mod
DQ: Funny How Things Work Out --- The House on the Hill (p. 191-245)36. So Henry has gifts of his own…dreamwalking. I like it. Did you think he had special abilities when he appeared in Evie’s dream? Who do you think Louis might be? A brother? Lover? Friend?
i think by this point, it didn't surprise me. seems like all the diviners are somehow starting to attract each other. something fated to bring them together. all the main characters and their loved ones are going to end up being connected somehow.
37. We learn more about the Diviners from Sister Walker. Did you think it was odd that she provided a rational explanation for Isaiah’s nighttime trances? I would have thought her first suspicion would be some kind of paranormal activity at work.
im still not sure where sister walker comes from, what she has to do with the price of tea in china. i was just confused.
38. Why doesn’t Memphis tell Sister Walker about his healing abilities? And, knowing that Isaiah has gifts, why didn’t Sister Walker be more careful with the chair??
i think memphis was burned by his past with his abilities, he wouldn't go advertising it to anyone.
39. The Pillar Of Fire Church…now there are some lovely people! (Did anyone else think of the anti-vampire cult on True Blood?) Did you think at this point that one of them could be behind the murders, especially when Evie saw the pendant on Brother Jacob Call. Brother Call calls it protection from the Beast, which is interesting because I had been thinking it was a sinister symbol.
I bet brother call called it protection from the Beast as a way of deflecting. if he came out and said "..yeah im part of a group that worships the fact that we're gunna make antichrist and end the world" i think he'd be looked at wierd.
40. What are your impressions of Jericho? I had been expecting him to be a dashing hero (not sure why I thought that). He’s quiet, studious, very smart, and not socially adept. He was clearly uncomfortable posing as Evie’s husband. Do you think he may become more “heroic” as the novel progresses?
jericho is a big stick in the mud. i just cant find myself liking him as a chacracter at all. he seems like he has zero personality.
41. Thoughts on the Brethren cult? Their story is interesting, but I can’t imagine why anyone would think it’s a good idea to raise the anti-Christ. Who took the missing page that tells how to destroy the Beast?
they are such quacks. nuts. i cant figure out why anyone would want the world to end. i think the head honcho took the page
42. The killings appear to be “offerings” of the Harlot Adorned and the Idle son (offerings 5 & 6). Did “offerings” 1 – 4 take place in the past?
the offerings did take place in the past
43. So now we have a mysterious relationship between Jericho and Marlowe (whom I thought of as Tony Stark). What did Marlowe do for (to?) Jericho? What are the meds for? Something to do with his hand? Why does Jericho call him “Sir”?
i dunno, yet another thing that confused me. cause i couldnt figure out what marlow had to do with anything either.
44. Uncle Will’s mystery deepens. We know he used to work for the government (doing what?), and “he was never quite the same after what happened with Rotke.”(kindle p. 218) Any speculations?
i must have missed that, i have no idea?
45. Why is Jericho so cold to Mabel? Does he have something against her parents’ politics?
i think he's just a stick in the mud with zero social grace
46. We learn about the time Memphis lost his powers. What a sad story. Who was the man in his vision who asked him to choose life or death? Thoughts on this scene?
sad story about his mom, not sure about the vision, something big to come
47. We get the backstory on the Knowles house (of course I thought of Beyonce). Very creepy tale. Who is Mr. Hobbes? Was this his first foray into evildoing, or has he been around much longer? Is he Naughty John?
mr hobbes is a bad evil man. he is naughty john of course.
48. What do you think of the world-building in this book? I think the author’s doing a great job giving us information gradually.
i think sometimes she over gives. to the point of confusing the heck out of me, or makes me bored with it, or the author didn't give me enough information to leave me satisfied, all the answers will come 5 books down the line probably
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Nothing But Reading Challenges
Books mentioned in this topic
The Museum of Dr. Moses: Tales of Mystery and Suspense (other topics)Beauty Queens (other topics)
Lair of Dreams (other topics)
A Discovery of Witches (other topics)
Me Before You (other topics)
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Authors mentioned in this topic
Libba Bray (other topics)Libba Bray (other topics)
76. Well, after the way the last section ended I was surprised at who died. But does anyone have more clues as to what Theta’s power is?
I was honestly expecting a showdown between Naughty John and Theta's mysterious power! I thought she would be the victim and she would escape with her powers, then would be able to give everyone else the info they needed to track Naughty John down.
Once we knew it was Daisy though, it honestly made sense to me. When she and Theta had that tiff, Daisy went to Flo and whined until he made her the star of the Ba'al bit. I think that's why Naughty John picked her.
77. What about how Evie tells the reporter the truth in the police station and he doesn’t believe her after her wild goose chase? Should Uncle Will and/or Detective Malloy be mad at her for leaking information?
I thought that telling him the truth was the smartest thing she could have done. It's so far-fetched, even though it's true that he'll never print the biggest scoop of his life! I think they should be mad at her, but normal mad-at-a-seventeen-year-old mad, not furious. The leaks didn't negatively impact anything it seems.
78. So Mary White is still alive and living with her daughter. What do you think about her story? Do you think any of this would have happened if she didn’t keep the house?
Creepy old lady again! I thought her story was so weird and creepy - who would want to marry someone like Naughty John, killing all the servants all the time! Ugh, gross. I think it would have been avoided if she'd sold the house and it had been renovated or demolished. Uncle Will keeps emphasizing how the unshaking belief of the brethren gives them power - if the house would have been destroyed somehow than I think it would have shaken those beliefs.
79. Cannibalism as ancient magic!!! Yuck, I can’t ever see myself eating parts of my enemies to gain victory over them. Did the poster of the circus trigger his epiphany about who John Hobbes was?
I think it did. Sometimes I'll do that, too - remember something important because I'm triggered by something that seems totally unrelated. I think everyone has that experience sometimes. And I totally agree about the cannibalism part - so gross and weird!
80. What do you think about what Evie sees when she holds the ring? Does the treatment of him as a child change how you think about Naughty John? Should she be using her power so frequently now that there is a connection between her and Naughty John? I am intrigued about what John Hobbes has left and taken at the museum.
It makes sense that he was abused as a child - no normal person would be able to turn someone into that twisted of a killer, there had to be something to trigger it! It doesn't change my feelings about him, though. While it's sad that he was abused, there are a lot of people who grow up out of even worse situations and manage to not kill and eat people. I'm also really worried about this connection between him and Evie. I think between that and the items he took (I'm also really curious about this!), something bad is going to happen to our friends at the museum!
81. Eugenics is not what I expected to find at a state fair. At first I thought that might be part of the ‘cult’ and then I thought ‘Project Buffalo’ and how the group tried to find the people with special powers. Anyone else have comments on the fair?
I thought it might be a cover for Project Buffalo too, at first, because it seemed so out of place at a state fair, but I did a little research and apparently not! Bray says in her afterward that the Eugenics movement was at things like the fair, and has an entire bibliography on her website to show her research. I'm glad times have changed enough that we all can't even believe that racist hooey was in a public place!
82. Which side is Blind Bill on? It seemed that he somehow knew that Isaiah would be going home by himself. Did he set up Memphis to be arrested for his own purposes? Would Isaiah be dead or just badly hurt if the Good Samaritan hadn’t intervened?
I am so confused by this! Is Bill's power to take other powers (like Jubilee?!?)? Is he good? Is he bad? I don't even know! I really hope we find out in this book because I really hope he's good.
83. The cult has come back to the original site to keep vigil over their fallen leader where they believe he will come and set them free. This is contradictory with Mary White saying she needed to keep the house because he would be coming there. Where do you think he may go if he manages to come back? Or are they just there to make sure he still has a body waiting even if it has been decomposing for years?
I honestly don't know. Maybe he's supposed to rise bodily as a zombie and then go live in his basement? Maybe the house is for his spirit, but he needs his grave to become corporeal? Not sure!
84. It is creepy that they are digging up the body just to get the pendant he is wearing. Now that they have the pendant, do you think Evie is going to ‘read’ it?
I think she will, and Naughty Bill will connect to her again. I was surprised at how calm Evie was with the grave robbing. I'd have screamed if I saw a corpse with its mouth sewn shut!
85. Now what do you think Jericho’s experiment is? The mechanical items seen in the injury are interesting to me. I still want to know what that blue liquid is.
I was right! He's a bionic/Wolverine experiment! I'm so excited! *Does a little dance* I don't even know why I'm so happy that he really is a government experimental super-soldier person, but I am! It makes him so much more interesting to me.