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May 2016 Group Read #2 - Annihilation by Jeff VanderMeer
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I started it last night, hoping it would win. It's one of the ones I bought but never get to. Somehow paper books keep losing out to kindle books.
I can't wait to follow along as people read this for the first time. So, so trippy.
I'll be starting this one at the weekend.
One chapter in. It seems to like foreshadowing, and jumping around in time.
WendyB wrote: "I'll be reading this. It's been on my TBR forever so it's about time I get to it."Hope you like it. It's creepy and atmospheric.
Just read the first chapter. It wasn't exactly boring, but it wasn't very engaging either. And there was something familiar about the setting, any ideas of some similar works? (view spoiler) Still, I'm curious about what's going on in the Area X.
Any ideas why the characters were always identified by their professions rather than their names? Stressing the lack of an emotional connection between them or something? It was weird. Of course, the whole book was weird. Good stuff though. I enjoyed it. May check out the sequel.
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I know this! I know this! :)
I just got started on the book and read why they use professions instead of names. It's to keep them focused on their purpose. Their names belonged to where they came from, not who they were inside Area X.
WendyB wrote: "11811 (Eleven) wrote: "Any ideas why the characters were always identified by their professions rather than their names? Stressing the lack of an emotional connection between them or something? It ..."Thanks, Wendy. Makes sense but i thought it also risked damaging an emotional connection with the reader. The characters were still fleshed out well enough but I can't say I cared about any of them one way or the other. Then again, with the Lovecraftian atmosphere, maybe I wasn't supposed to.
Weird book lol.
just read the first chapter. I thought it was interesting. The narrator seams detached because of whatever happened to them. Also Does anyone feel its more like an Experiment than an expedition ?
I read book 1 a few months ago and unfortunately don't remember many details. I would like to follow along sort of as a refresher before I move on to book 2.
Southern Reach Recruitment: Hear from an Area X veteranhttps://youtu.be/gIe01iiPn_M
Here's something I found after reading the book. I believe it was created by the author. It's intended to be a recruitment video from the Southern Reach Agency for volunteers to go to Area X. It gives a human face to the characters, and I felt like it added to the mystery of the book in a good way. In my opinion there are no real spoilers in the video, but watch at your own risk.
Heard a movie based on book is under the works too
11811 (Eleven) wrote: "Thanks, Wendy. Makes sense but i thought it also risked damaging an emotional connection with the reader. The characters were still fleshed out well enough but I can't say I cared about any of them one way or the other. Then again, with the Lovecraftian atmosphere, maybe I wasn't supposed to. Weird book lol. "
I don't get it either. No names, distant narration, but at the same time, the author gives some background information about the Biologist.(view spoiler)
Sreyas wrote: "Heard a movie based on book is under the works too"With Natalie Portman as The Biologist.. IMDb
I finished the book and found it ......well, frustratingThe ending seemed like (view spoiler)
Have any one read the sequels ? Are there any answers there at all?
It took me three starts before finally finishing this book. It helped me to remember that this is (view spoiler)
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WendyB wrote: "Haven't had much time to read in the last few days so I'm only on pg50. I'm liking the story so far even though I'm not sure what is happening."That's kind of how the book is...you're never quite sure...
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That's kind of how the book is...you..."
Now I'm even more intrigued.
I'm just past 100 and I don't know what's happening. But in a good way, as it was meant to be. Because the narrator doesn't know what's happening either. I'm enjoying it.
Mixofsunandcloud wrote: "I'm just past 100 and I don't know what's happening. But in a good way, as it was meant to be. Because the narrator doesn't know what's happening either. I'm enjoying it."I think that's a very important point about the narrator. I've wondered how reliable she is. Does everything come from her diary? And when was it written? I don't remember.
I don't think it's her journal because she even talks about stuff she is trying to hide from the others, and stuff from before the expedition. As to whether she's reliable, probably not really, but I don't think it's because she's trying to deceive.
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Just past 100 pgs. I couldn't begin to tell you what is going on. One of the strangest books I've ever enjoyed.
WendyB wrote: "Reading this book is like trying to describe a dream you just had the night before. Somehow the dream, no matter how strange, made sense when you were asleep and in the middle of it. But now, when ..."Hear, hear!
WendyB wrote: "Reading this book is like trying to describe a dream you just had the night before. Somehow the dream, no matter how strange, made sense when you were asleep and in the middle of it. But now, when ..."Best description I've ever heard.
WendyB wrote: "Reading this book is like trying to describe a dream you just had the night before. Somehow the dream, no matter how strange, made sense when you were asleep and in the middle of it. But now, when ..."I have to agree, I'm only just getting started, page 50 or so, and already it has the slightly elusive quality that slips away from you when you try to think about it too hard
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WendyB wrote: "I'm done. Gave it 5 stars for originality. It's a very strange book."Long strange trip...
Finished last night. I may have gone and bought the whole trilogy this morning (cheaper and more easily available than buying the remaining two). It sounds like Authority will help with a lot of the mysteries that weren't explained. But despite being from a trilogy, it had a proper ending, which was good.
Can't put my finger on exactly why, but I did not care for this book and did not have an interest in continuing the trilogy.
Finished at last, 4 stars and I've added my review. Not sure if its entirely spoiler free, but given the strangeness of the tale its as close as I can get.https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
I liked this one, very trippy. I have the other two in the trilogy and plan to continue soon! Maybe we should set up a buddy read for the next book...
Maxine wrote: "I liked this one, very trippy. I have the other two in the trilogy and plan to continue soon! Maybe we should set up a buddy read for the next book..."I have the second book, and I'd love to read it as a buddy read, but I've just started The Fireman and am still reading The Call of Cthulhu and Other Weird Stories.
VanillaSky wrote: "Maxine wrote: "I liked this one, very trippy. I have the other two in the trilogy and plan to continue soon! Maybe we should set up a buddy read for the next book..."I have the second book, and I..."
It looks like The Fireman is going to be the next group read and that one's a beast. My mom just dropped her copy off at my house, it is huge. That being said, I think I'm going to try to get to Authority soon, I've been trying to be better at finishing/continuing series.
I started Authority, but I've been distracted by something shiny. I haven't given up on it yet though.
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Mixofsunandcloud wrote: "I started Authority, but I've been distracted by something shiny. I haven't given up on it yet though."Ah, so many shinies , so little time :)
WendyB wrote: "As much as I liked Annihilation, that's how much I disliked Authority. I won't even try to read the third book. I just don't care what happens. Kinda sad though because I really liked the uncertain..."
Oh no! Well, I'll give it a try when I get a minute. Bummer that it sounds like that surreal aspect of the first book doesn't carry forward at all...
Well, that was a weird book, but not in a good way. Thankfully it was quite short so I struggled through and finished it.We were given their names, yet we were told way more than necessary about The Biologist's past.
I don't know what it was about Area X but it just wasn't interesting or scary. Maybe it was too vague, but in the wrong kind of way.
When I was reading The Ruins I really didn't want to know why stuff was happening, but this book was so dull that I really wanted to know why.
I've had a brief look at the synopsis for the other two books and they sound just as boring so I won't be continuing.
I'm running behind on some group reads so apologies for the lateness of the comment. I actually enjoyed this read. Yes it is slow-paced but I think it builds up the tension nicely. There are some interesting reveals later on in the story and I am still not sure if this is paranormal or sci-fi. I am definitely up for reading the other two books in the trilogy.
Gayle wrote: "I'm running behind on some group reads so apologies for the lateness of the comment. I actually enjoyed this read. Yes it is slow-paced but I think it builds up the tension nicely. There are some..."
No apologies necessary, Gayle. Sometimes, life interferes.
Charlene wrote: "Gayle wrote: "I'm running behind on some group reads so apologies for the lateness of the comment."Thank you :-) Looking to crack on with The Ritual next.
Charlene wrote: "Gayle wrote: "I'm running behind on some group reads so apologies for the lateness of the comment. I actually enjoyed this read. Yes it is slow-paced but I think it builds up the tension nicely. ..."
For me, this book was all about the slow build of tension. What was happening? Even the terror was slow...
Horror Aficionados
Books mentioned in this topic
The Fireman (other topics)The Call of Cthulhu and Other Weird Stories (other topics)
The Ruins (other topics)
Annihilation (other topics)
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