The Elementals

[Layton]

Yes, I agree Tressa. I think Mary-Love is just as great a character as Elinor is. They are both pretty sinister but I rooted for Elinor and thought Mary-Love was just terrible.

[Addy]

(view spoiler)[The houses confused me a bit as well. Im guessing there are 2 facing each other and the third, in the middle, is facing out with dunes in the back? Need an illustration...lol. (hide spoiler)]

[Layton]

(view spoiler)[ I was unsure about that too. I thought that the first house and the third house face opposite directions so that if you stood in front of all three you'd see the back of the third and the front of the first house. And I assumed that the middle house is the empty one and that it faced towards the third house and that if you stood in front of all three you'd see its left side. I'm not sure about this but that is how I interpreted it. (hide spoiler)]

[Char]

(view spoiler)[ I thought one (Luker's?) faced the Gulf, another faced the bay, and then the last one faced the the end of the spit (peninsula type thing?)I assumed the one that faced the end of the spit was the dune-y one? (hide spoiler)]
Last night I was curious, so I looked at a map. Here's the one I was checking out: http://www.almd.uscourts.gov/courtdir...

I was picturing them out on that little spit of land there at the bottom. I could be entirely incorrect, but that's the way I'm seeing it in my head, so I'm going with that. :)
Anyway, that's where I left off last night, which is about 30%, I think.

[Layton]

I would rather the abandoned house be at the end. So it's kind of off on its own.

[Char]

28% (Right after they start to settle in at Beldame.)

(view spoiler)[ Is anyone else finding the relationship between Luker (and what kind of name is that, anyway? It reminds me of the phrase "filthy lucre"), and his daughter, India? I mean at one point he got up naked and dressed in front of her, right? What is going on there? (hide spoiler)]

[Jon Recluse]

(view spoiler)[ Exactly. That is just so nasty. (hide spoiler)]

[Layton]

(view spoiler)[ I was thinking the exact same thing. They seem to be more friends than father and daughter. She is kind of strange so far as well (hide spoiler)]

[Char]

Okay, I just wanted to be sure everyone else was as uncomfortable with it as I was! :)

[Layton]

I really hate how short this book is :/

[Char]

I know! I'm actually slowing myself down a little bit.

[Layton]

I want to too, but it's so hard to do. The book is just so addicting. I'm 30% in right now. I really need to take a break from it to read something else, but when I start a McDowell book it gets hard to stop reading it. I mean I did finish each of the first three Blackwater books in a few hours each.

[Char]

Layton wrote: "I want to too, but it's so hard to do. The book is just so addicting. I'm 30% in right now. I really need to take a break from it to read something else, but when I start a McDowell book it gets ha..."

I can't wait to start reading those.

[Layton]

I really can't recommend them enough Charlene.

[Char]

I think I have a friend that can read them with me. :)

[Jon Recluse]

:)

[Char]

:)

[Layton]

Has anyone reached chapter 11 yet?

[Char]

Just got to Chapter 11 right now. 39%
Big Barbara is hilarious, I love her. :)

[Char]

Alright, I'm gonna read it and I'll be back shortly. :)

[Kasia]

Barbara is funny, her middle name isn't "scotch", is it? :P always sipping it.

[Layton]

I love how Big Barbara and India were having a conversation and India brought up her mother and Barbara freaked out and told her not to speak of that "sloozy". Then she turns around and tells her to talk about her. Lol

[Layton]

Oh and btw the first (view spoiler)[ creepy part (hide spoiler)] happens in Chapter 11.

[Char]

End of chapter 11. (view spoiler)[Well, that was creepy! I thought India's glimpse of someone closing the door was also creepy. And what about when Dauphin saw his dead mother? (hide spoiler)] *shudder*

[Addy]

Charlene, shouldn't you have said "I'm gone read it." Lol. I love southern talk!

[Layton]

Charlene wrote: "End of chapter 11. [spoilers removed] *shudder*"

Did she actually (view spoiler)[ see someone close the door? I though the part with the little smiling black girl was truly creepy. (hide spoiler)] And good point Addy, we've got to use our southern accents while doing this read. ;)

[Kasia]

Gosh, have to hurry up and read so that I can look at all the spoilers!

[Addy]

Me too! I'll catch up tomorrow. I can't seem to read spoilers on my phone. Hoping to fix that as well.

[Addy]

Made it to part II.

[Char]

The stupid GR app doesn't allow you to read spoilers. It pisses me off to no end.

[Char]

Addy wrote: "Charlene, shouldn't you have said "I'm gone read it." Lol. I love southern talk!"

LMAO Addy, I should have! :)

[Char]

Layton wrote: "Charlene wrote: "End of chapter 11. [spoilers removed] *shudder*"

Did she actually [spoilers removed] And good point Addy, we've got to use our southern accents while doing this read. ;)"

(view spoiler)[ You're right, I'm not sure if it said she saw someone closing it, or if it just closed on its own. Either way? Totally creepy! (hide spoiler)]

[Layton]

Charlene wrote: "Layton wrote: "Charlene wrote: "End of chapter 11. [spoilers removed] *shudder*"

Did she actually [spoilers removed] And good point Addy, we've got to use our southern accents while doing this rea..."

(view spoiler)[ For some reason I can't get that image of that little smiling girl out of my head! Also in chapter 11 Luker stripped naked in front of his daughter again. That is a very strange relationship. (hide spoiler)]

[Kirstin]

This book keeps getting better and better!

I love the writing and how in the middle of a 'normal' conversation/scene, McDowell will put in one sentence and totally give you chills. Amazing.

I'm at chapter 21 (view spoiler)[Odessa has become my favourite character! She just had an awesome bit of dialogue with India that scared the crap out of me! I love how strong she is and all of her protective magic/voodoo. The seed thing was so weird! What is the sand?? (hide spoiler)]

[Char]

Layton wrote: "Charlene wrote: "Layton wrote: "Charlene wrote: "End of chapter 11. [spoilers removed] *shudder*"

Did she actually [spoilers removed] And good point Addy, we've got to use our southern accents whi..."

Layton, I know!! That is so weird and it makes ME very uncomfortable! :)

[Addy]

(view spoiler)[Does anyone else think that the little black girl is Odessa's daughter and that something terrible happened to her? (hide spoiler)]

[Char]

The end of chapter 13. (view spoiler)[ All that sand came out of India's cuffs and shoes, even though she hadn't been outside? Love it! (hide spoiler)]

[Char]

Addy wrote: "[spoilers removed]"

Addy, yep. :)

[Jon Recluse]

I'm trying to catch up.

Love this story.

[Char]

Halfway through chapter 17 (referring to what Kirstin said above { haven't looked at her spoiler comments yet}, but what she said about things are going along and then with one sentence WHABAM!!!) (view spoiler)[ Like this one at 55%, halfway through chapter 17, "Talk?" cried the maid who was thin. That bird couldn't talk! It never said a word since the day your mama got him!".
I'm all like, what? But he said "all Savage mothers eat their young!!" Chilling! Love it! (hide spoiler)]

[Layton]

Addy wrote: "[spoilers removed]"
I thought the same thing Addy.

[Char]

Kirstin wrote: "This book keeps getting better and better!

I love the writing and how in the middle of a 'normal' conversation/scene, McDowell will put in one sentence and totally give you chills. Amazing.

I'm..."

Around 70%. Kirstin, (view spoiler)[ I'm not sure, but I have a feeling that sand is one of the "elementals. The definition says that an elemental is when spirits occupy earth, wind, fire or water. Which is super cool, if you ask me. :) (hide spoiler)]

[Char]

Anyway, I'm planning to finish this tonight and God help whomever gets in my way. :)

[Layton]

I'm going to try to finish tonight too. I'm about 65% through. (view spoiler)[ Did anyone else think that part with Leigh and the old room was really creepy? (hide spoiler)]

[Kasia]

Sorry I haven't been keeping up, ugh, too much work and too tired..but today I will try to find time

But yeah, I hear you Charlene.. I can't stand it when I'm 96% done with something and people want to have a conversation, no come back in 4% lol.

[Jon Recluse]

I'm gonna finish this today, too.

[Char]

Layton wrote: "I'm going to try to finish tonight too. I'm about 65% through. [spoilers removed]"

Layton, YES. :)

[Char]

Kasia wrote: "Sorry I haven't been keeping up, ugh, too much work and too tired..but today I will try to find time

But yeah, I hear you Charlene.. I can't stand it when I'm 96% done with something and people wa..."

LOL Exactly!! It's almost as if they sense when you're getting close to the end and wait until that moment where you're totally engrossed and then....blah blah blah. Go away!!! :)

[Kirstin]

Charlene wrote: "Kirstin wrote: "This book keeps getting better and better!

I love the writing and how in the middle of a 'normal' conversation/scene, McDowell will put in one sentence and totally give you chills..."



I agree and yes, that's very cool. Chapter 22-25 (view spoiler)[Nails and Marian Savage together again. Holy crap-Odessa and India going through the third house-terrifying! I hope Lawton McCray gets what's coming to him! (hide spoiler)] I'll finish this tonight as well.

[Char]

I look forward to hearing everyone's thoughts on the finale. *squeak* I'm excited! :)