Furthermore (Furthermore #1) by Tahereh Mafi - Restarting April 15th 2018

[Trisha]

The bestselling author of the Shatter Me series takes readers beyond the limits of their imagination in this captivating new middle grade adventure where color is currency, adventure is inevitable, and friendship is found in the most unexpected places.

There are only three things that matter to twelve-year-old Alice Alexis Queensmeadow: Mother, who wouldn't miss her; magic and color, which seem to elude her; and Father, who always loved her. The day Father disappears from Ferenwood he takes nothing but a ruler with him. But it's been almost three years since then, and Alice is determined to find him. She loves her father even more than she loves adventure, and she's about to embark on one to find the other.

But bringing Father home is no small matter. In order to find him she'll have to travel through the mythical, dangerous land of Furthermore, where down can be up, paper is alive, and left can be both right and very, very wrong. Her only companion is a boy named Oliver whose own magical ability is based in lies and deceit--and with a liar by her side in a land where nothing is as it seems, it will take all of Alice's wits (and every limb she's got) to find Father and return home to Ferenwood in one piece. On her quest to find Father, Alice must first find herself--and hold fast to the magic of love in the face of loss

[Trisha]

Char and I are reading this! Anyone is welcome to join us!

[Char]

Can't wait! So excited to read this :)

[Trisha]

me too! I love this author!!

[Karen]

Haven't read anything by this author before (sorry!) but have this ordered for school so I'll join.

[Trisha]

so sorry I'm late to start - it's been a crazy few days
I plan to start this one tomorrow!

[Char]

My thoughts so far Chapter 1-6 (view spoiler)[I love, love, love the writing style. I was a bit curious to see Mafi write something other than the Shatter Me series. It flows like a fairy tale which is just so pleasant. However I do have some issues; I do wish that there is more available information on this world, it is a bit confusing sometimes to picture in my head. I don't like that we are constantly told that information will come later on.
I do like Alice though, she's quite a character. I do wanna know what happened to her father. Did he actually leave them? If he left, I'm curious to know why. I also want to know what is the Surrender?? Also, Oliver and Alice's conversations are hilarious.
Anway, I like it so far. Can't wait to read more. (hide spoiler)]

[Karen]

Slow to get onto this, but I love the illustrations. Wish I had a physical copy as they look divine!

[Char]

Karen wrote: "Slow to get onto this, but I love the illustrations. Wish I had a physical copy as they look divine!"
I'm stuck too. :( Haven't read much since my last update. Plus it doesn't help that I am reading a very gripping, fast paced novel along with it...

[Karen]

11%-Alice seems a rather quick-tempered character, and not particularly self-aware.

[Trisha]

I have a physical copy of the book (so I don't know where %'s are)
and since there aren't chapter numbers, I'm going to post after each "section" - the part with drawings and whatnot on it.

And so it begins: (view spoiler)[ interesting beginning. they eat flowers and feel emotions deeply
I like the idea that in a world of color, Alice is mainly empty of color and pale (hide spoiler)]

More chapters this way(view spoiler)[ I like the description of her bangles and her dancing. I wonder what Oliver's problem is. (hide spoiler)]

it's interesting so far. I'll read more tomorrow

[Karen]

18%-the description is rich. Is this Mafi's usual style of writing?

[Char]

Trisha wrote: "I have a physical copy of the book (so I don't know where %'s are)
and since there aren't chapter numbers, I'm going to post after each "section" - the part with drawings and whatnot on it.

And so..."
Hah Alice reminds me a bit of Tahereh herself. I follow her on Instagram and she wears a lot of colorful pieces and a lot of bangles.

[Karen]

25%-inevitable that Oliver would be set something like this.

[Karen]

42%-it feels like Oliver is hiding something. The Wonderland-style world-building is quite creepy.

[Karen]

62%-quirky story. Can't imagine she'll get to rescue her father too easily.

[Trisha]

I'm so sorry guys
I'm not going to be able to continue this one

it's too dense and I'm not really getting in to it....

[Karen]

Interesting story for age 9-12year olds I guess. Lovely description within the worlds, though the story is rather straightforward.

[Dannii]

The cover for this is so, so beautiful and, despite never reading the Shatter Me series, I was so excited to pick this up.

[Dannii]

1/4: (view spoiler)[I was sold on page 1! The writing is so utterly beautiful, the magic system so unique and the world so captivating. (hide spoiler)]

[Dannii]

2/4: (view spoiler)[I am still loving the Fairytale-esque design of writing and how the narrator has become a character in their own right. Alice is also such a captivating character: I love rooting for the underdog! (hide spoiler)]

[Dannii]

3/4: (view spoiler)[This has such understated humour!

The link to magic and consumerism, as it is used as a bartering tool, likens this fantastical world to our own, somewhat. This could be a satirical view of our own fascination with material gain and physical assertions of wealth. It has nothing to do with how we are as a person, however. As is evidenced in Alice's lovable character. (hide spoiler)]

[Dannii]

4/4: (view spoiler)[I have been, quite naively, shocked by how beautiful and eloquent the writing is.


Parts of this are quite dark for a middle-grade novel but then so are the original fairy tales, I suppose. And this seems to channel much of their style and their general themes (hide spoiler)]

[Dannii]

My review: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

[Abi]

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Reading from the 12th of January 2018

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[Nicole's Book Diaries]

Okay so there's no actual chapters so I'll go by page.

Pg 4 (view spoiler)[ So I thought this was a retelling of the Red Queen from Alice in Wonderland but I guess not since the main character's name is Alice? It's good so far and it looks like it has the crazy, fun and complex world as Wonderland. So I guess it's Wonderland inspired? But I have to say, there is A LOT of deep metaphors and descriptive detail. (hide spoiler)]

Pg 83-95 (view spoiler)[ Yes. I understand. The surrendering is important. I think it's been emphasized enough. Of course, they're not really gonna reveal her specialty. I feel bad for Alice but after seeing what everyone can do, didn't she consider that they may not care about her dancing skills?That maybe they actually want traits that can ensure that you survive your adventure? (hide spoiler)]

Pg 140-160 (view spoiler)[ I'm very conflicted with Alice right now. Yes, she's probably like this because she's twelve and that's the maturity level of an actual twelve year old? But did she have to act like a spoiled brat? Up to now, that's been the demeanor of her personality and it is hard to read about someone that behaves like that. You'd think that after what she's been through, she would have learned some humility and understanding. Nope. She's actually very gullible and innocent. I feel so sorry for Oliver. He's trying his best to keep both of them safe but Alice's pride and immaturity keeps getting in the way. I understand that Oliver has not told her much about Furthermore and it is very hard to keep up without knowing anything. But can't she wait until they're safer? (hide spoiler)]

[Nicole's Book Diaries]

Pg 265-275 (view spoiler)[ Yes! Her arm got torn off! Ok no I’m not that mean but I’m glad she’s actually getting a consequence for her own stupidity. I would have been really mad if she suddenly was able to go through Furthermore and solve things by herself from the way she was acting. (hide spoiler)]

Finished! (view spoiler)[ Soooo what? That’s the end? What?! So they went through all that and it was that easy to return to Ferenwood and it was that easy to get her father out of prison? Okay so I admit I liked Alice’s development towards the end. She was less of a spoiled brat and she might have actually learned to be a bit humble but the ending was basically one chapter which included saving her father, getting him out of prison, and going back to ferenwood. It was way too rushed. I did like the scene where Alice and her mom reunite. That was sweet. (hide spoiler)]

[[deleted user]]

Nicole wrote: "Okay so there's no actual chapters so I'll go by page.

Pg 4 [spoilers removed]

Pg 83-95 [spoilers removed]

Pg 140-160 [spoilers removed]"

Pg. 4:(view spoiler)[Oh, I did not know about that! I imagined it would be inspired by Alice in Wonderland but that was it. Maybe now that you finished it you can see if there's anything about the Red Queen. (hide spoiler)]
Pg 83-95:(view spoiler)[I was so curious about the Surrendering,
after so much emphasis on that and I have to say, I am happy the way it turned out. Of course, we know there's more to Alice than we know right now, but it was nice not to have the "chosen one" trope again. And I agree with you, even if she dances beautifully, she knows how her people are, and that would not be enough. Especially not for her. I am so interested in learning her true talent. (hide spoiler)]

[[deleted user]]

I have finished Here We Go:
(view spoiler)[I thought it would be better to put all my thoughts together instead of trying to separate them but it was so obvious Simon was hiding something! When the narrator told us he had lied to Alice, I kinf od expected to learn the lie soon, and then later discover he has lied more than he admitted to.
Now I see what that lie was and I called it!
I am still curious about his Task. I get they're inredibly important,
but he acts so fishy and he cares too much!

I was theorizing with a friend about the book and what really happened to Father, because I am intrigued; I think there's more to it, but since we have just learnt about himm being in prison,
maybe not (still gonna share just in case):
I liked the story of Further and Feren, so maybe Alice and Father are descendants of one of the two. That is also reinforced by Alice looking like she has no magic, when we have been hinting that she does have something about her.
We also talked about why Father is not able to go back, but now we know why so I cannot say those ones.

Btw, hasn't it all been so nice and easy? They know everything they have to do and so far they haven't encountered that many obstacles. (hide spoiler)]

[[deleted user]]

@Nicole Wow, you're fast! I need my time with it, since I was also reading two other books. But I will still be leaving my thoughts here :)

[Nicole's Book Diaries]

@Anna Its ok take your time. I was on the plane with nothing to do lol. I’ll discuss it with you as you read.

[[deleted user]]

I downloaded an index so I could discuss chapters better
Chapter 34:
(view spoiler)[ Finally, Alice's gift! I knew it would be something related to colour, and that makes it clear why Oliver needed her. She can give colour to Father so he can escape prison!
I wonder when we'll meet Father, btw. I hope it's soon. I wouldn't like to meet Father and escape that easily, I want complications during the escape. (hide spoiler)]

[Sarah Elizabeth]

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Date Changed. Restarting April 15th 2018. Happy Reading ☺

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[Lane]

30%

(view spoiler)[ Aw Alice getting a 0. I really want to know what her real magical talent is though (hide spoiler)]

[Alaina]

omg I have this book on my kindle right now - can I join?

[Linaria]

Lane wrote: "30%

[spoilers removed]"

I felt so bad for her!!! I am liking Oliver though!

[Linaria]

Alaina wrote: "omg I have this book on my kindle right now - can I join?"
Of course!

[Linaria]

This is a bit of a weird read for me, since I read Whichwood first, so I already sort of know the ending. Though this is MG, so I kind of had a good idea of what the ending would have been anyways.

[Linaria]

60%

(view spoiler)[ I was thinking. What was the lie that Oliver told. I think I might have missed it. (hide spoiler)]

[Linaria]

(view spoiler)[ Alice's talent is quite interesting! I knew what it was from the second book, but it's interesting to see how it will play into saving her father (hide spoiler)]

[Lane]

60%

(view spoiler)[ A greyscale prison sentence seems weirdly terrifying, like in Halloweentown when they kept taking themselves back in time. Spooky. Can't believe Oliver didn't tell her though. And there's something about Time I don't trust. (hide spoiler)]

[Lane]

80%

(view spoiler)[ So her arm just got ripped off?! Though I'm happy her and Oliver are back together for this journey. I feel like her talent can definitely be a pretty effective weapon. Wish she had shown it when getting a task. And since her card is black, can't she give it any color she wants maybe? (hide spoiler)]

[Lane]

Finished

(view spoiler)[ Aw, I really didn't expect them to find her Father as the painter they needed. I kind of thought the search would be continued in the next book as we were cutting it pretty close there. (hide spoiler)]