August 2014 Group Read: Bird Box by Josh Malerman

[Kimberly]

OddModicum Rachel wrote: "Kimberly wrote: "Okay, I'm finished! 4 stars, but I haven't posted a review yet. (I have to go back and see how to post spoilers!)"

I had same problem. Just click the (some html is ok) button ab..."
I try to maintain spoiler-free reviews---I meant so that I could comment on this thread..... I know it was

[Kimberly]

Oh, it half deleted my explanation! (Well, at least I know how to "start" the spoiler now!!) LOL!

[K4tie]

I've literally never had a book give me trouble in my sleep, until now. Mind blown! :)

[OddModicum Rachel]

Kimberly wrote: "Oh, it half deleted my explanation! (Well, at least I know how to "start" the spoiler now!!) LOL!"

went to pm you, but its not an option... Never again will I trust GoodReads not to kill something long that I've just written out. lol Happened 2x, back to back, and I almost murdered my poor keyboard I was so frazzled. From now on, I write in word processor, then paste here. Trust me... its safer. ;) Sorry you lost your review!

And I can't wait to really get into Bird Box. I've been reading page here, page there while I have to do other stuff... but I'm looking forward to having it trouble my sleep! lol

[Katy]

Marc-Antoine wrote: "I'm at page 174, and am loving the way this story is keeping me on edge the whole way. So far this is a nice quiet horror, and I keep waiting for something to happen. It's an awesome feeling, but..."

Yeah. This is one (view spoiler)[ where you don't see the monsters. I would be fine if he left it that way, but the way it ended, I think he's planning sequels. <\spoiler> (hide spoiler)]

[Debra]

I've been a member of this group for a while, but other commitments have kept me from piping up and joining in on group reads. My schedule has lightened up considerably, so here I am.

I was immediately pulled in to this story and it's pretty creepy. I, too, can't wrap my mind around what people are seeing that is so devastating. I didn't want to put this book down, but had to go to sleep. Now I'm up in the middle of the night with insomnia and will probably continue reading more after this post. This book is definitely a page-turner for me.

Sequels? Oh no! I hate waiting for sequels to be published. I could see this as a pretty creepy movie, but it would have to be done just right or it'd be a mess. Some things just don't translate well to screen.

Pondering (view spoiler)[how can anyone stay healthy living off canned food, and what do they do when they run out of it? How did Malorie survive alone and with two children to care for? How to do you direct a rowboat down a river blindfolded? And, of course, what is everyone seeing? What happened to the dog? (I always worry about animals.) (hide spoiler)]

[Kimberly]

Page-turner it certainly was. I ended up finishing in a single day! The dread and uncertainty begin building up immediately! Need to use spoilers!!!!!! UGGG!

Are you all finished yet? ;)

[(shan) Littlebookcove]

it's just ughhh I wanna know what makes them go insane Olympia said that the thing was absolutely beautiful before she went coookooo I'm on my phone. so could the mods edit if I just said a spoiler!

[Latasha]

I just finished! I really liked this book. It's intense and made me a little panicky. It really bothered me she just called the children boy & girl. I would read then talk to my husband about what I had read. What would we do in a suit action like that? It's scary when you really think about it!

[Kirstin]

Finished late last night. Super suspenseful! I loved the ending. (view spoiler)[I'm a sucker for a happy ending and I was just glad that I could finally breath again! I also really liked that the children were named.

The writing was impressive and I would most definitely read a sequel.

I had a picture, in my mind, of what the creatures looked like, but when Olympia says "you're beautiful" I was at a loss. Now I have no idea what they could look like. It didn't bother me that we don't find out.

My favourite part was when Malorie and the children were on the river and the birds were going crazy. So scary! (hide spoiler)]

[Katy]

Debra wrote: "I've been a member of this group for a while, but other commitments have kept me from piping up and joining in on group reads. My schedule has lightened up considerably, so here I am.

I was immed..."

This one was intense.

I'm not a fan of waiting for sequels.

I think each book in a series should stand on its own, and not end on a cliff hanger. This one could stand on its own, but I can see the prospect of a sequel.

[Latasha]

I agree with you Kirstin! I think the book would be better without a sequel. I'm ok with leaving it a mystery. I'm tired of books become a huge 10+ books series.

[Kasia]

Great comments, I think there's something commendable at leaving it as one, single story. It's better to want more than actually have more books than you are interested in reading when it comes to one story. More often than not I hear "first book was the best, the rest were okay or not as good" about many series.

[Debra]

Latasha wrote: "I just finished! I really liked this book. It's intense and made me a little panicky. It really bothered me she just called the children boy & girl. I would read then talk to my husband about what ..."

That bothered me too, Latasha. She couldn't even name her children? Very strange. I understand the need for her to be VERY strict with them, but sometimes it seemed like she went too far. But... perhaps not, considering the circumstances.

[Kasia]

She did name the children. What is the confusion?

[Katy]

Kasia wrote: "She did name the children. What is the confusion?"

She named them right at the end.

Up until then they were Boy and Girl.

[Deborah]

Kasia wrote: "She did name the children. What is the confusion?"

Kasia, I think the point the others are making is that (view spoiler)[she didn't give them names until the very end of the book. I think she gave them the generic names "Boy" and "Girl" as a way of emotionally distancing herself from them in case one or both of them died (or she had to kill them because they had "seen" and were going mad). Psychologists have demonstrated time and again that it is easier to hurt someone whom you have already dehumanized in your own mind. (hide spoiler)]

In response to Kirstin's comment, (view spoiler)[Olympia's finding the creature both beautiful and terrifying/madness-inducing evoked for me Stephen King's story "The Raft," in which the murderous creature first "hypnotizes" its victims by showing them beautiful colors. (hide spoiler)]

[Kirstin]

Deborah wrote: "Kasia wrote: "She did name the children. What is the confusion?"

Kasia, I think the point the others are making is that [spoilers removed]

In response to Kirstin's comment, [spoilers removed]"


I agree with both points. I think you could argue 'Boy' and 'Girl' are names though. Also, I found that the fact she had them call her 'Mommy' wasn't in step with her keeping her distance.

On the look of the creatures (view spoiler)[once Olympia said they were beautiful, the idea I had in my mind wasn't viable anymore, and I couldn't really envision another one. (hide spoiler)]

[Kasia]

Katy wrote: "Kasia wrote: "She did name the children. What is the confusion?"

She named them right at the end.

Up until then they were Boy and Girl."

She might have named them before we read the ending, but we learn the names because they actually mean a lot to the story. But when people say "she didn't even name them" , well that's completely false.

[Kasia]

Kirstin wrote: "On the look of the creatures (view spoiler) "

(view spoiler)[ Same here, I thought, what evil angels or something? (view spoiler)[ (hide spoiler)] (hide spoiler)]

[Kirstin]

Kasia wrote: "Katy wrote: "Kasia wrote: "She did name the children. What is the confusion?"

She named them right at the end.

Up until then they were Boy and Girl."

She might have named them before we read the..."


I thought that too, Kasia (view spoiler)[That she had named them at birth, but why keep their names from them? That was, obviously, just for us as readers. And it worked! It added a lot to the overall feel of the story. (hide spoiler)]

[Kasia]

You said it even better hahah (view spoiler)[ I agree that it was to keep us in the dark and if she had a kid named Olympia from beginning it would make me wonder about the adult Olympia's future or possible demise even more. And with all the horrible things happening to them, their names being Boy/Girl didn't bother me, I was busy sweating bullets for their well being (view spoiler)[ (hide spoiler)] (hide spoiler)]

[Latasha]

lol well I said that so I wouldn't have to throw up a spoiler! sorry for the confusion. I think Deborah said it best, though.

[Wayne's]

It seemed like a reasonable short story extended to novel length for no real reason.

[Marc-Antoine]

I'm done and completely loved everything about this book! 5 stars from me!

[Kasia]

After reading this I'm actually craving more dystopian fiction which I never really enjoyed before.

[11811 (Eleven)]

August 3. 144 comments. I should get started on this one soon.

[Kasia]

11811 (Eleven) wrote: "August 3. 144 comments. I should get started on this one soon."


And they are even on topic! :D

This got 124 votes, I wish they would all chime in, more fun.

[11811 (Eleven)]

Kasia wrote: "11811 (Eleven) wrote: "August 3. 144 comments. I should get started on this one soon."


And they are even on topic! :D

This got 124 votes, I wish they would all chime in, more fun."

Yeah you'd think that if the book you voted for won then you would be inclined to actually read it.

[Kasia]

The discussion in the thread leading up to this winning was all about this, I've been guilty of this before but not lately..it's really so much more fun to read this in a mass setting, I love being at work seeing notifications about this pop up on my phone, it made me hunger to read it even more.

I hope next month's is back to school theme, I all ready have a read in mind.

[11811 (Eleven)]

Kasia wrote: "I hope next month's is back to school theme, I all ready have a read in mind..."

Good theme. I can't believe we haven't done that yet for a group read. Rage. Oops. Topic drift.

[Kasia]

11811 (Eleven) wrote: "Kasia wrote: "I hope next month's is back to school theme, I all ready have a read in mind..."

Good theme. I can't believe we haven't done that yet for a group read. Rage. Oops. ..."

#1521 on my TBR... thanks for the reminder about it!

[Jon Recluse]

I will take the topic suggestion under consideration

[Kasia]

:) yess

[Jon Recluse]

I guess I'm done considering....

[Amanda]

About half way through, enjoying it but not loving it like a lot of people on here, which makes me feel a bit bad :-(.

[11811 (Eleven)]

Jon Recluse wrote: "I guess I'm done considering...."

Sweet.

[Kasia]

That was fast!

[Latasha]

It's ok, amanda. I just completed 2 buddy reads & didn't like those books. We all have different taste & that's ok!

[Marc-Antoine]

I'm going to challenge myself to read every HA group read moving forward... As long as I haven't read yet...

[Wayne's]

Kasia wrote: "After reading this I'm actually craving more dystopian fiction which I never really enjoyed before."

The Circle is really good.

[Kasia]

Marc-Antoine wrote: "I'm going to challenge myself to read every HA group read moving forward... As long as I haven't read yet..."

Same here Marc :)

[Kasia]

Wayne wrote: "Kasia wrote: "After reading this I'm actually craving more dystopian fiction which I never really enjoyed before."

The Circle is really good."

Thank you, added it to my list!

[Kimberly]

I felt that not knowing the "face" of what they were up against was integral to the horror and isolation of the situation. When you suddenly take away a sense that most of us have come to rely upon to such an extent, it adds to the utter desolation and helplessness felt by the survivors.

I also felt the the naming at the end was a perfect way to illustrate Malorie's state of mind at that point. No sequel needed. :)

[Tiffany]

I'm on page 64. So far it's ok. It will be interesting to see how this all unfolds.

[Monica]

I'm half way in. I'm trying to go slowly :)

[Tiffany]

Wow! I really enjoyed chapter 13...really creepy!!!

[Tressa]

Wow, this book is so creepy! It's like that hunched-shoulder, wincing fear you have when you're walking in pitch black and are afraid of what you'll bump into...or what may reach out and touch you. I cannot imagine living this way.

The scene at the well...scary and tense!

[Latasha]

Yes!

[Marc-Antoine]

Tressa, great description! You hit it right on the head!