YA LGBT Books discussion
This topic is about
Elpída
Buddy Reads
>
Elpida by C. Kennedy
date
newest »
newest »
message 51:
by
Robin
(new)
Jun 07, 2017 01:58PM
As a writer myself, I really appreciate the style of Elpida (and Cody Kennedy's writing in general). It's clean, it's clear, and it stays out of the way. He understands that although the writing is critical, it's really all about the story. And what a story!
reply
|
flag
Thank you for the high compliment, Robin.Robin wrote: "As a writer myself, I really appreciate the style of Elpida (and Cody Kennedy's writing in general). It's clean, it's clear, and it stays out of the way. He understands that although the writing is..."
Robin wrote: "As a writer myself, I really appreciate the style of Elpida (and Cody Kennedy's writing in general). It's clean, it's clear, and it stays out of the way. He understands that although the writing is..."YES! Cody writes as though the reader is in the story - I am not referring to certain recognizable names Melos and Thimi :D
Rather, from the very first page this story is engaging - no distractions. <3 Love the writing, love the story, must read again!
OMG I just want to wrap Thimi up in a purple blanket and keep him. Serious heartbreak going on :(
I'm finding it to be an easy read in the sense that I had no problem getting into the book. It doesn't have that awkwardness that most books have where you consider putting it down.
I love the way Christy talks. I always smile when he talks on the phone or says "what do you mean to say" :)
Deeze wrote: "I love the way Christy talks. I always smile when he talks on the phone or says "what do you mean to say" :)"And "it's like this" :)
Wait until you get to "I am boss" too funny!
Teresa wrote: "Wait until you get to "I am boss" too funny!"Yes! :D I love that part!
I'm sorry it took me a week to get here! Stupid finals! Anyway, I'm excited to be able to chat with people about Elpida. Or the entire series. For me it's the whole ride. I can't talk only about one book because they whole series is so connected. I'm afraid to give away spoilers. 😞 I really felt for Christy in this book. So much going on and Thimi's arrival was just so much to put on his shoulders. As for Thimi, it hurts a bit to read his character. Though what happened to him was NOT at all the same I went through, but how he turned out, and the way he is now was me a few years ago. While I've come a long way, I still see me when I read Thimi. Let's talk characters, events, and about trauma and what it does to a kid.Sorry if it takes me awhile to answer cause it's the last week of school. Finals!!!
Timmy wrote: "I'm sorry it took me a week to get here! Stupid finals! Anyway, I'm excited to be able to chat with people about Elpida. Or the entire series. For me it's the whole ride. I can't talk only about on..."Yay! Finals are almost done. :) Although I have only known you for a few years, Timmy, you have accomplished so much <3 <3 <3
If you had to pick your favorite character, who would that be?
I really like Christy - for his courage and his honesty and Jake too as the best friend.
You know Timmy, I was so focused on Thimi that I completely overlooked the stress and strain it puts on Christy This book just took on a whole new level of feelings.
Deeze wrote: "You know Timmy, I was so focused on Thimi that I completely overlooked the stress and strain it puts on Christy This book just took on a whole new level of feelings."My heart just breaks for Christy because he's trying to heal himself and yet he feels he has to be strong for Thimi's sake and he doesn't want Michael to know that inside he is falling apart. So he seems so all alone to me and suffering in such pain and anguish.
Christy has so much going on in this book. So many different issues to face, yet he puts his all into helping Thimi. He is definitely my idea of a hero.
I have a question. Do we know if Yosef was abused as a child? Or was he for some reason left unmolested. And if he was what changed for him to become an abuser where Christy was always the abused
Deeze wrote: "I have a question. Do we know if Yosef was abused as a child? Or was he for some reason left unmolested. And if he was what changed for him to become an abuser where Christy was always the abused"That's a great question. Especially since we know his father was involved as well!
Sara wrote: "Timmy wrote: "I'm sorry it took me a week to get here! Stupid finals! Anyway, I'm excited to be able to chat with people about Elpida. Or the entire series. For me it's the whole ride. I can't talk..."My fave in this book is Christy. He shows his strength in this book.
Deeze wrote: "I have a question. Do we know if Yosef was abused as a child? Or was he for some reason left unmolested. And if he was what changed for him to become an abuser where Christy was always the abused"I think only Koti can answer that,but I read once that many abused people become abusers.
Timmy wrote: "Deeze wrote: "I have a question. Do we know if Yosef was abused as a child? Or was he for some reason left unmolested. And if he was what changed for him to become an abuser where Christy was alway..."Yes I read that to. I guess my question is more if he was abused what/when did it change. I'm assuming (bad I know) that Christy being small and delicate stayed a victim to them, but if Yosef grew to be more what they consider manly I can see them no longer wanting him but using him to abuse others. Sorry I in no way feel for Yosef but I guess I'm curious if he was turned into a monster or if he was just one of the few born that way.
Is it bad that I want to shake Micheal. In so many ways Micheal is above and beyond his years but this one time he acts like a kid throwing a temper tantrum. I know he is hurting but I can't help being frustrated with him. On a side note can I just say Cody has a way of telling a story that also gives me so much inside information. Describing Christys feelings is an eye opener. While I can never fully know how Christy and others feel, I can understand a little more of just how much deeper the feelings go.
Deeze wrote: "Is it bad that I want to shake Micheal. In so many ways Micheal is above and beyond his years but this one time he acts like a kid throwing a temper tantrum. I know he is hurting but I can't help b..."I know how you feel and I felt the same way off and on, but then I had to remind myself that this is all new territory for Michael as well. In this case, I felt that Christy was just hanging on by a thread and didn't want to admit his vulnerability to anyone... that he was having difficulty taking care of both Thimi and himself. There may have also been a fear that if he couldn't take care of Thimi himself that Thimi might be sent back to Greece. Though the threat was never made, I think that Christy may have felt this way because of the resistance he got from Rob in the beginning. But the bottom line is that vulnerability is a scary thing for us to show other people, regardless of who you are or your circumstances. So the result was a breakdown in communication between Michael and Christy. Michael didn't want to push too much and Christy didn't want to talk about it, so his efforts to just get through the day (survival mode) were seen by Michael as him being shut out, which led his imagination to wander in the wrong direction. So it's really a very human circumstance. Most all of our problems in interpersonal relationships are brought on by a lack of communication. And this is a "learned" lesson. Unfortunately we don't come with it autoprogrammed in. So all in all, I think it portrays both Michael and Christy in a very human light and shows that even the best of us can falter from time to time.
Mel wrote: "Deeze wrote: "Is it bad that I want to shake Micheal. In so many ways Micheal is above and beyond his years but this one time he acts like a kid throwing a temper tantrum. I know he is hurting but ..."Yeah Mel, I tried to keep reminding myself of that but. I was screaming in side for Micheal to just TALK to Christy lol.
Deeze wrote: "Mel wrote: "Deeze wrote: "Is it bad that I want to shake Micheal. In so many ways Micheal is above and beyond his years but this one time he acts like a kid throwing a temper tantrum. I know he is ..."I felt bad for Michael. (Of course I felt bad for Christy as well.) I think the stress of everything and Christy not communicating just got to be too much for him. He had a low moment. We've come to expect so much from him because he has been able to handle everything without much issue. Remember, he is only a teenager.
I do feel bad for Christy also. He's still learning how to function and taking care of Thimi brought back a lot of what he felt in the beginning. It's not a surprise he couldn't communicate.
I liked that they had this bit of conflict. It's real and quite authentic to who they are and what they've been through. :)
You are spot on Jase but I was still itching to shake some sense into him LOL. I think to be honest I tended to forget just how young Micheal is.
I love this series! Here's my review. If there are any typos, it's because I'm a little teary-eyed.
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
I feel so behind! I've not had as much time as I'd hoped, so I'm not very far through. So you don't see a lot of comments from me—sorry! I'm trying to avoid spoilers in everyone's comments, but everything you're all saying is SO TEMPTING! Sigh.
Robin wrote: "I feel so behind! I've not had as much time as I'd hoped, so I'm not very far through. So you don't see a lot of comments from me—sorry! I'm trying to avoid spoilers in everyone's comments, but eve..."My reading time has not been what it was either. I look forward to seeing what everyone else has to say.
Jody wrote: "Michael was jealous all along, and he'd had "thoughts" pertaining to that, that he'd never let out before (remember what he said to Jake). What happened at the end was his jealousy boiling over."Yeah you make a great point Jody. I'm starting to feel bad for wanting to shake Micheal :P
It's only because you love him that you want to shake him, Deeze! LOL! :D
Jase wrote: "It's only because you love him that you want to shake him, Deeze! LOL! :D"True I do love him. I think I got so used to him acting so smart that I forgot he was still so young :P
This series of books is truly amazing. We have gotten to know these characters quite well now, but what we tend to forget is that they are still very young. There is still so much they need to learn. And no, we can't shake them, Deeze! LOLOLOLOLMichael is stoic, and truly thinks he isn't jealous. But he is, oh boy, he is! And he's finally growing up.
I loved these books so much. Can we please have more words, author? I kinda need Thimi's story now. And a bit of Zero's back story.
Pretty please?
Jody wrote: "The way it all ended, doesn't preclude more books in the series!"I agree with Anna. It needs to be a trilogy in five books. :)
"Jody wrote: "The way it all ended, doesn't preclude more books in the series!"Mel wrote: I agree with Anna. It needs to be a trilogy in five books. :)"
All the really good series out there have been trilogies in five parts. It's a thing.
#HitchHikersGuideToTheGalaxy
I have waited a long while to post here mainly because this series has left me a little gobsmacked in all the good ways. Yes, I was frustrated by the backslide in Christy and Michael's relationship when Thimi finally arrived in the U.S. and I was so dismayed by the pressures both of them faced that caused their breakdown--albeit briefly. However, it was, in my opinion the most authentic "teenage" dynamic to their relationship and in many ways went a long way in reassuring me that the two young men were going to make it relationally through what will be a most admittedly bumpy future together. If we were to strip away the abuse factor for just a minute and think about this--how many teenagers have had just such a situation arise--not exactly like this but let's face it there is so much drama when it comes to teen love and the idea of cheating. It just was so very normal in so many ways--I mean substitute catching your boyfriend kissing someone else and being caught--instead of the bathing situation--how often has something like that been misconstrued in YA novels?
That is the genius of this author--he takes a horrific tale of abuse and fashions it in such a way that even those teens who have never experienced such things can see a piece of themselves in the story.
Just fantastic!
AnnaLund wrote: ""Jody wrote: "The way it all ended, doesn't preclude more books in the series!"Mel wrote: I agree with Anna. It needs to be a trilogy in five books. :)"
All the really good series out there have ..."
Oh that would be perfect! Five books! More about Thimi, more about Zero <3 <3 <3 <3 <3 :D
Sammy Goode wrote: "I have waited a long while to post here mainly because this series has left me a little gobsmacked in all the good ways. Yes, I was frustrated by the backslide in Christy and Michael's relationship..."I agree Sammy, this is written so well that there is something for every reader to take from this series-hope, love, friendship <3
I think anyone who reads these books will fall in love with the characters. Cody writes in such a way that endears them to the reader. The strength and resiliency is remarkable. My heart broke for Christy and Thimi both, but what Cody does in his writing is give a magnitude of hope. Christy is phenomenally strong, thriving and happy and we can only hope that Thimi will be as well. I'm hoping the author shares with us Thimi's journey to a happy life (nudge, nudge, hint, hint. No pressure here. lol)
So, for those who are done with the book. Did you have a favorite part?
Sandy wrote: "So, for those who are done with the book. Did you have a favorite part?"Hmmmmm for me it would be the bit between the first page and the last :P
Deeze wrote: "Sandy wrote: "So, for those who are done with the book. Did you have a favorite part?"Hmmmmm for me it would be the bit between the first page and the last :P"
Good answer, Deeze. I concur!
My favorite part of this last book has been all the times we got to see what's going on inside Christy's head. Because we are a bit like Michael, most of us, so we can relate very well do his reactions and doings. Christy, however, is in a different mind-space. I have learnt so much from his train wreck thoughts and the short chapters where we get to see the world filtered by his experiences are enlightening. Christy's POV has given me more insight into why an abused person reacts in a certain way, and, especially, has given me the tools to realize what I could be doing wrong, so I can change the way I act. So I can help instead of hurt.
Massive kudos to the author for that.
AnnaLund wrote: "My favorite part of this last book has been all the times we got to see what's going on inside Christy's head. Because we are a bit like Michael, most of us, so we can relate very well do his react..."YES! THIS! It was such a learning experience to read his point of view. <3
I don't know if I could say I have a favorite part. There were little moments that stood out for me like the gummy bear kebab or the discussion on carousels. I think these seemingly innocent little moments had a big impact because they are things we take for granted but seem so wondrous to those who have never experienced them.
Hey guys, sounds like you're having a great discussion of Elpida. I just wanted to note that Cody's older book - Slaying Isidore's Dragons - is still up for another month as a Book of the Month read, if you want to discuss another of his stories. We also have a new Buddy Read starting for Robin Reardon's Waiting for Walker - for which Cody wrote the forward and which features an intersex character - in this same folder. https://www.goodreads.com/topic/show/...
If you're enjoying this discussion, you might have fun with those too.
All really great answers to my question!
Kaje wrote: "Hey guys, sounds like you're having a great discussion of Elpida. I just wanted to note that Cody's older book - Slaying Isidore's Dragons - is still up for another month as a Boo..."
Thanks, Kaje!
YA LGBT Books
Books mentioned in this topic
Slaying Isidore's Dragons (other topics)Slaying Isidore's Dragons (other topics)
Waiting for Walker (other topics)
Elpída (other topics)
Elpída (other topics)
