May '17 Reading Schedule - Mongrels

[CC]

5/1 - Start
5/14-Middle
5/28-30 - end

Alyssa will also be helping me out with leading discussions this reading! She's a werewolf expert!

[Alyssa]

Expert = someone who just really, really likes werewolves?

I'm only about 1/3 of the way through the book right now but I'm so into it! I like the sort of Americana vibe--for lack of a better word--as the boy and his family move around the US.

What do y'all think of the mythos the author has created?

[Chris]

I got through the book. I like the way that it's written, through the perspective of the boy and how in different chapters he refers to himself as something else.

[Suki]

I loved it! I will join the discussion towards the end of the month, because I don't want to accidentally spoiler anything.

[TheCultureVulture]

Only about 100 pages in but enjoying the book quite a bit. I like it's unique take on werewolf lore and the point of view the story is told from.

Is anyone else finding that they are having to reread pages or sections to completely get everything the author is trying to relay? For it not at all being a dense book I found it strange that I've had to do this a few times. Might just be I have other stuff on my mind.

[Alyssa]

I had to do that for a couple of the grandfathers stories, so I get it.

[Suki]

TheCultureVulture wrote: "Only about 100 pages in but enjoying the book quite a bit. I like it's unique take on werewolf lore and the point of view the story is told from.

Is anyone else finding that they are having to rer..."

I had to do that with the grandfather's stories, too. I took them at face value, until another character would make a comment, then I reread the grandfather's story in that light.

[Chris]

TheCultureVulture wrote: "Only about 100 pages in but enjoying the book quite a bit. I like it's unique take on werewolf lore and the point of view the story is told from.

Is anyone else finding that they are having to rer..."

And I found that the story was told out of order at times so I'd have to stop and think about where/when the characters were at.

[Alyssa]

Ok but can we talk about this Brittany girl y'all

[Alyssa]

I just finished this, and idk about you guys, but I really loved it a lot.

[Suki]

*SPOILERS AHEAD*

To be honest, I wasn't too sure about this book at the beginning. The werewolves' casual cruelty toward other animals was very hard to read (knowing Lawrence's name made his ending the hardest to take!).

As the story moved on, I found myself getting quite attached to our young narrator, and also feeling quite sympathetic towards Uncle Darren and Aunt Libby.

I had to go back and reread some of the grandfather's stories after another character made reference to them, and threw a new light onto them.

I really enjoyed the chapters where the young narrator refers to himself in the third person, under different occupations.

Overall, I really enjoyed the book, and I'm glad we read it.

[Chris]

Alyssa wrote: "Ok but can we talk about this Brittany girl y'all"

I know! I wonder what happened to her?

[Alyssa]

Has anybody else finished the book yet?? If so, what did y'all think of the ending?

[Brian]

I just finished it. I enjoyed it. I'm in a bit of a reading slump right now, so at times I had to push myself to pick it back up. But I also wasn't eager to put it back down again after I did pick it up. I'll probably check out some of the author's other works at some point. Of course, now I want a follow up, sequel, or an addendum detailing more of the werewolf lore.

[Alyssa]

Yeah, me too! I liked the take on werewolves he used. I've been into werewolves since I was a kid, and I've heard just about every iteration you can think of, so it's hard for me to be surprised or intrigued. And I was really into his writing style. I've got some of his other stuff on my to-read list now because of this!