Austenesque Lovers TBR Pile Reading Challenge 2016 discussion
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Group Read- November
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Sophia, I agree that the prequel was confusing when read first. It is needed for the story, but not sufficient as a true prequel. It would have needed more information to properly set up book one. It is equivalent to explaining what happened during the time Captain Wentworth was away from Anne in Persuasion. It tells us what Kai did after his escape. However, there are still secrets, revealed later, that are not explained in the prequel. Only so much information could be given.
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It's hard with these novellas to determine when best to read them. Some are marked as prequels because they fall chronologically before the opening pages of a book, but the reading order is best when they are read after the opening book b/c they make better sense that way. I'm always grateful to authors who either put that in a note on a purchase page or in their GR blurb or have a reading order list and not just a chronological list of their books.
I haven't read the prequel, but I'm fully convinced that you have to read the prequels afterwards, otherwise you'll be always disappointed! ;)I read the book last year, so I'm eagerly waiting for your comments. :)
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I read the book last year, so I'm eagerly waiting for..."
Yes, Georgiana! I agree about the prequels.
Oh good! Do you remember what you thought of the book when you first started reading it?
Sophia wrote: "Oh good! Do you remember what you thought of the book when you first started reading it? "I was a bit burdened by the climate of the book, as I always am when I read a dystopia.
I think Persuasion was a very good choice for a post-apocalyptic retelling.
I just re-read my review - I was just waiting that everybody in this reading group had read the book to post the link, but here it is:
http://ildiariodellelizzies.blogspot....
It's in Italian, but you can have it translated. ;)
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I have started it and at first I was thinking this book looks like a YA or a sci-fi book why would they pick this one but as I read it, I could see why and the persuasion similarities. I am intrigued.
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Intrigued is good.
Georgiana wrote: "Sophia wrote: "Oh good! Do you remember what you thought of the book when you first started reading it? "I was a bit burdened by the climate of the book, as I always am when I read a dystopia.
I ..."
Persuasion was a good choice. I think it is amazing that you can plop Jane's characters and stories into almost anything, and it still works. The themes are so very human that they can span genres and time. I plotted a Northanger Abbey scifi set in space one time during a migraine. My mind goes weird places when I have migraines. I told my husband about it, and he said it sounded kind of cool.
You know I am 3/4s of the way through and all I have to say is that is Kai has some nerve expecting Elliot to be able to protect or even have a say in what happens to any one on the farm.
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I was a bit burdened by the climate of the book, as I always am when I r..."
Now you have me soooo curious about your migraine induced NA sci-fi. ;)
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Yes, he was something else a few times with his bad 'tude. I did want to reach inside the pages and tap him none too gently on the back of the head. But, he had things wrong and didn't have all the facts so I guess it made sense (a little).
Yes Kai I was not my favorite person at times, but neither was Captain Wentworth for many of the same reasons. I always thought he treated Anne unfairly, and without any understanding of the situation she was in. The reasons Elliot has to stay in FDStS are more pronounced, and he does understand them, so it makes Kai a little more of a jerk.
Ahnya wrote: "Yes Kai I was not my favorite person at times, but neither was Captain Wentworth for many of the same reasons. I always thought he treated Anne unfairly, and without any understanding of the situat..."I fully agree on both Capt W and Kai. Kai made far far worse by the childhood connection. Sophia mentions tapping him...I'm thinking of a stronger remedy such as grabbing him by the shirt collar...
to paraphrase Col Brandon "may he endeavor to deserve her"!
I've always thought Captain Wentworth (and now Kai) had built a pretty strong barrier to hide a broken heart. When he met Anne (or Elliot) again, it took a while for him to let go of that mask of indifference that he had spent years holding on to. I think he was rude partly because rudeness was his self defense. I wouldn't have minded an apology from him, though.
I agree Amanda that it was to hide a broken heart, but I also believe that Cap. W/Kai thinks that Anne/Elliot is a snob. Even so, I don't think either are good enough excuses for him to treat her that way.
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Ha, I think Kai needed to tender a much better apology, too.
Kirk wrote: "Ahnya wrote: "Yes Kai I was not my favorite person at times, but neither was Captain Wentworth for many of the same reasons. I always thought he treated Anne unfairly, and without any understanding..."Oh I am with you he needed a good yank by shirt collar
Sophia wrote: "In Persuasion, he is faced with the fear that he held his grudge too long and she is moving on with William Elliot based on how much they are together in company. I don't think that aspect was brou..."Oh yes he needed to do a much better apology than he did
I did finish the book and I liked the ending. I liked how the author brought everything together and solved all the problems.
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I still have a few overall questions about the broader world of the story, but I was well satisfied with the ending for Kai and Elliot's part.
I love what this author did with her worldbuilding and early story set up. Agreed, Ahnya, the post-apoc society works well with Austen's story. Even the class differences resonate strongly as a connection and would happen naturally in both Persuasion and FDStS.
The cast of characters in the earlier chapters are introduced at a good pace so I wasn't feeling overwhelmed while adjusting to the world of the book and early plot set up.
It's neat how those letters of a younger Elliot and Kai set up for the chapter of each story with a theme (sometimes even ominously), but also introduce what it was like before. I needed those letters to see who these people are at their core b/c Kai is being a beast early on in the present-tense story.
I loved the air of mystery around the Innovation party of people and the way they sweep in change just by being there.
Oh, and I went back and read the prequel for this one, Among the Stars. It actually works better after this story b/c it covers some of the time Kai is away and the reader understands how those experiences and his thoughts shaped the man who came back to Elliot and the North estate.