Has Anyone Started Reading Letters to the Lost?

[Kathy]

Simone,

I'm waiting until holiday travels to start reading, but good to know it is a slow start. Do you still like the book after finishing it?

Simone wrote: "I started reading Letters to the Lost last week. At first I thought, "I don't know if I'm going to like this" but now I can't put the book down!

Right now I'm on Chapter 21 - has any else started..."

[John]

I haven't started reading, but will start soon. I am excited about this book club.

[April]

I haven't started. As a matter of fact, I just finished The Sweetness at the Bottom of the Pie.

[Alyssabeth]

Just started reading this weekend. Not my cup of tea so far but only on chapter ten. Here's hoping!!

[Caits34]

I haven't started yet, this has been on my list to read for awhile, but I put it on hold at the library this morning, hopefully it will be ready this week!

[Alyssabeth]

Ok, at times I wanted to throw it at a while but I've just finished and am now bawling. Frustrating but worth it

[Alyssabeth]

Wall***

[Kathy]

Oh no, there will be crying involved? I'm still at the beginning.

Alyssabeth wrote: "Ok, at times I wanted to throw it at a wall but I've just finished and am now bawling. Frustrating but worth it"

[Alyssabeth]

Kathy: I'm secretly a sap, you probably won't cry

[Heather]

I will be receiving it as my Christmas Eve present so I plan to start it then.

[Diana]

I just finished the book. Looking forward to the discussion.

[Kathy]

Donovan and I finished the book within days of each other. We never discuss the book before we do the discussion online, but she did tell me enough to know that we completely disagree on how we feel about the book. It will be an interesting discussion!

[John]

Am now up to Chapter 14 and am loving this story. So interesting

[Christine]

I joined too late to get it read in time. Additionally I have to fess up to a library fine before they will let me have it so there is that too, LOL!

[Kathy]

Some questions for today's discussion at 12:30pm Central. We'll be discussing other aspects as well, but these are just some starting points.
(Please add your own!)

1) How did you feel about the dual time frame and the transitions between the two periods?

2) Do you feel Nancy was selfish or headstrong? Since she is the only character we didn't "see" in old age–do you think she retained the same characteristics or softened with age?

3) What do you think of the belief in not "deserving" to be happy? This is seen strongly with Stella after the explosion Daisy was in, but you see this expressed in almost all the characters at some point in their timeline.

4) There is a strong parallel between the relationships of Charles/Peter and Stella/Dan. How do you feel the technique works when the comparisons to Jesse/Will's relationship is layered on top of these?

5) This entire story wouldn't have unfolded without Jesse reading mail that was not addressed to her (illegal activity, btw). If you were in her position, would you have opened the letter from Dan?

[Diana]

Enjoyed the discussion, now it's over I'll comment. I did not like this book. There were moments that were ok but overall the book was too soapy, melodramatic and cliched for me. I'm not sorry that I read this bit probably wouldn't recommend it.

[Kathy]

Ha, looks like you and Donovan are in the same boat!

Diana wrote: "Enjoyed the discussion, now it's over I'll comment. I did not like this book. There were moments that were ok but overall the book was too soapy, melodramatic and cliched for me. I'm not sorry that..."

[411Junkie]

Truthfully, I haven't finished yet and I don't know if I will only because I don't know if I can handle how the story unfolds once Stella and Dan decide to take their relationship further. From what I read though, here are my thoughts on the discussion questions:

1) I thought the dual time frames added some depth to the story. Sometimes these are done poorly but the transitions in this story weren't distracting like others have been.

2) I saw Nancy more as selfish than headstrong, though both attributes could play on each other especially after she had her daughter. The reason I lean more towards selfishness was because you see bits of it through out the story. When Stella got married she was a bit resentful because now she'd have to share Stella with Charles. When Stella went out dancing with her, she didn't run after her friend to see how she was. She practically pushed Stella out the door only to let her fend for herself when Stella got in trouble.

5) If I was in Jesse position, I would have done the same thing and opened the letter. The house is deserted, there is evidence that no one has lived there in some years, and a posted letter says Important and Urgent. I probably would have tried a bit more to see if I could find an S. Thorne prior to opening it, but I eventually would have.