A Fine and Private Place - Who's Reading?/Discussion

[Odette]

Our February 2014 book is A Fine and Private Place by Peter S. Beagle.
Who's reading?

Here's the Wikipedia entry for the novel.

[Michelle]

i'll be picking this one up for sure!

[Melanti]

I'm definitely in. I've had a copy of this book for a couple of years so this is a good prod to read it.

[Jalilah]

Me too!

[Candace]

I just called my local used store- no luck- it's not pulling up for the library, but I'm thinking that must be some mistake! So, the skinny is that I really want to read this book but I may have to order and I'm ordering my March books*frown*. I've watched this group for months and I love it, I hope I can get a copy in time!

[Margaret]

If I can find a copy, I'm in.

[Jalilah]

Emily wrote: "I'm new to the group-- is there a list of the books for the year?"

Here is the link: http://endicottstudio.typepad.com/jom...
I believe we are going in the same order.

[Melanti]

I think Odette is going to bump old threads for books already read instead of re-reading them.

Which means that next month, the Bear Daughter thread will get bumped but the official book read will be Winter Tides.

[Melanti]

I started this yesterday, and might possibly (if the weather cooperates) finish it tonight sometime.

It mostly consists of conversation -- talking about what it means to be alive, what it means to be dead, etc. Very little, if any, action.

So, guys, save it for when you're in an introspective mood. If you read it when you're craving action, you're going to hate it!

On a related note, apparently this is Beagle's first book and published when he was just 19! I'm amazed that he had such a mature outlook on life at so young an age.

[Leann]

Melanti wrote: "I started this yesterday, and might possibly (if the weather cooperates) finish it tonight sometime.

It mostly consists of conversation -- talking about what it means to be alive, what it means to..."

n

I remember thinking this was a good story but I needed it to have more action. Then, months later I was still thinking about the characters and setting, so I bumped it up a star.

[Melanti]

Leann wrote: "I remember thinking this was a good story but I needed it to have more action. Then, months later I was still thinking about the characters and setting, so I bumped it up a star.
..."

It's certainly an odd book!

Strange to say, I didn't even notice the lack of action until a friend asked me for a plot summary when I was halfway done and I could only come up with a sentence or two.

I'm giving it 4 stars for now, but it's the sort of book I'll have to think about for awhile...

[Pamela]

Odette wrote: "Our February 2014 book is A Fine and Private Place by Peter S. Beagle.
Who's reading?"

Although I won't be re-reading this month, I do want to say that this is one of my favorite books. It's a wonderful and poignant story.

[Margaret]

I got a copy of this today, so I will be starting it as soon as I finish A Tale for the Time Being. Looking forward to it! The cover's quite strange:)

[Katy]

I don't know how I missed that we were reading this book for February. I will get a hold of copy and join in. Better late than never.

[Jalilah]

Jalilah wrote: "Me too!"

I know I said I wanted to join in... in fact this book has been on my to read list for ages. However I did not know that it's about ghosts! I don't mind a few ghosts in a story, but if all the characters are ghosts, hmmm........plus some of you mentioned it is slow, so now I really don't feel like reading it.
If not, I'll join in for the next book in March!

[Melanti]

About half the characters are ghosts, but they're not the spooky kind. They act pretty much like living people, just a bit forgetful.

[Margaret]

I finished this last night. At first, I had trouble getting into it, but gradually the slow pacing pulled me in and I'm really glad I finished it. I feel like this would be a good novel to read along with philosophical works of non-fiction, like The Myth of Sisyphus and Other Essays or essays by Sartre Jean Paul. I'm quite glad I read it. I've read The Last Unicorn before, and now I want to read more by Beagle.

[Michelle]

coming quite late to the party, but finished it last night.

Melanti, I agree completely that this is amazing for the first book of an author so young!! the prose in this book is incredibly poised - lovely metaphors abound in here, without being forced or twee. it's a very gentle, thoughtful musing on life, and really not so much on death for all that it's about ghosts.

I think enjoying this book has a whole lot to do with one's mood at the time. it is gentle and slow and introspective, and ultimately I appreciated it mostly technically, without a big connection to the characters or story. if you were in the perfect mood for this, though, I could easily see it being a 5 star read.