May 2018 Group Read #1 Into the Drowning Deep

[Tyler]

I've finished Rolling in the Deep (loved it!) and have just started Into the Drowning Deep. I'm glad I read Rolling in the Deep, though I can see (only 8 pages in) it isn't strictly necessary i'm still glad I read it. :)

[Melanie]

Kimberly wrote: "Just finished tonight! [spoilers removed]"

I finished this a few days ago while on holiday and was so relieved to find I was not the only one feeling pretty flat about the characters, particularly as half way through it was revealed that one of the characters is supposedly autistic! As someone with a lot of experience and in this area, I found this completely unbelievable.

Then there were three different occasions where she referred characters skin tightening around the eyes...what does that mean?? Are they squinting? Is it some sort of conjunctivitis? Are they just getting a nervous tic from poor writing??? Perhaps it's a sty developing?

I don't know, maybe I'm just being picky, but at the time I was reading this, I was also reading some EXCEPTIONALLY well-written short fiction all based on the Cthulhu mythos, and this just didn't stack up.

....sorry about the rant....

[Kelly B]

Melanie wrote: "Kimberly wrote: "Just finished tonight! [spoilers removed]"

I finished this a few days ago while on holiday and was so relieved to find I was not the only one feeling pretty flat about the charact..."

I felt the same way about the autistic character. It's almost like Grant herself realized her characters were flat, and started to come up with ways to make them more interesting.

[Mike]

Got my request for this from the library today.

Read Grant's Feed trilogy, and I remember liking the story, but not caring much about the characters. But that was a long time ago.

[Tyler]

I'm on page 81 and i'm really enjoying it and falling in love with the characters so far!

I need to spend more time reading though so I don't take forever. Will just have to spend the next few days reading! :D

[Ami]

I’m on chapter 7. Man... for some reason I am just having a hard time with this book. :/ it started off with a bang, which was great... then.... I don’t know... I guess it lost me with all the set up for the second trip to the trench? *shrug* felt really fast, then slowed down too much.

I’m hoping that now that everyone is finally getting on the damn boat and the second trip is on its way, things will start picking up again.

[Tyler]

Hope it picks up for you

I'm 1/2 way though, next up for me is Zone Four, and i've been loving it from the start! I've loved getting to know the characters, and I keep highlighting and tabbing things. I enjoy annotating. I'm enjoying taking my time with it.

[Mike]

Ami wrote: "I’m on chapter 7. Man... for some reason I am just having a hard time with this book. :/ it started off with a bang, which was great... then.... I don’t know... I guess it lost me with all the set ..."

I had a similar reaction, Ami. I'm to the point where they've been underway for a little bit, and it's starting to pick up a bit. Small things have started to go wrong.

[Rachel]

i'm finally starting it. just getting to chapter 1. normally reading puts me in a good mood but i started this book in a bad mood and every chapter has switched characters and year it's pissing me off lol

[Rachel]

ok, 37% in, finally something happened.

@ Melanie, once I noticed the "skin tightened around her eyes" descriptor I keep noticing it lol. In the last few chunk of pages I read, I counted it no less than 3 times. Good grief.

[Robert]

I've been listening to this, and I'm getting near the end, but I've almost given up multiple times, because it's just not holding my interest. I'll get home and realize I heard almost none of what played on the drive because my mind wandered. There are some good ideas here, but the execution is bloated and overly talky, and as many have mentioned, I just can't connect with the characters.

[Rachel]

Lena wrote: "Is it petty that I’m hoping Tory gets eaten?"

I've been wanting that since the beginning! I want everyone eaten!

[Tyler]

I think i'm the odd one out. For the most part i'm loving how it's so talky, as I think it's saying a lot of important things and it all just sucks me in. And i'm loving the diverse characters, who are flawed but understandable and generally good people. They aren't perfect but that makes me love them more. I mean i'll understand if everyone has to get eaten though.

I think my INFP is showing lol

[Mike]

The science nerd stuff loses me a little( just not my thing), but Grant sure knows how to write a scary death scene.

[Kimberly]

Robert wrote: "I've been listening to this, and I'm getting near the end, but I've almost given up multiple times, because it's just not holding my interest. I'll get home and realize I heard almost none of what ..."

That was my problem, too--I didn't connect with any characters. I just wanted them all to get eaten alive. ;)

[Lena]

I connected with Big Momma

[Kimberly]

Lena wrote: "I connected with Big Momma"

LOL! The BEST character there!!!

[Tyler]

Right now, i'm on page 310, and I hope Jason gets eaten by a mermaid.

[Katy]

Stephanie wrote: "Right now, i'm on page 310, and I hope Jason gets eaten by a mermaid."

I just got my copy and I'm a few chapters in. Looks like eat-able characters ahead...

[Tyler]

Katy wrote: "Stephanie wrote: "Right now, i'm on page 310, and I hope Jason gets eaten by a mermaid."

I just got my copy and I'm a few chapters in. Looks like eat-able characters ahead..."

lol, happy reading :)

[Amanda]

Lena wrote: "Is it petty that I’m hoping Tory gets eaten?"

I really disliked Tory! Actually, I really disliked almost all of the characters, but it was still a fun read. I thought Dr. Toth was unbearable in the last 3rd of the book.

[Kimberly]

Amanda wrote: "Lena wrote: "Is it petty that I’m hoping Tory gets eaten?"

I really disliked Tory! Actually, I really disliked almost all of the characters, but it was still a fun read. I thought Dr. Toth was unb..."

LOL! Same here!

[Lena]

Did you notice how many of them did 180s? The tiny white lesbian who started with a manifesto of how absolutely nothing was more important than her job, not even her pain. Then after a one night stand even her boss is noticing how she’s selectively filming not for the good of the company. Thoth does a large statement reverse near the end too, which people call her on, but she’s says that option was for when "people" or I guess cameras were around. I could go through each of them but my loan expired and I don’t care that much.

[Melanie]

Lena wrote: "Did you notice how many of them did 180s? The tiny white white lesbian who started with a manifesto of how absolutely nothing was more important than her job, not even her pain. Then after a one ni..."

Lena, 'the tiny white lesbian' made my cup of tea come out my nose!

[Melanie]

Not the actual cup, just the tea.

[Lena]

Lol, thanks.

[Alan]

Melanie wrote: "Lena wrote: "Did you notice how many of them did 180s? The tiny white white lesbian who started with a manifesto of how absolutely nothing was more important than her job, not even her pain. Then a..."
Lena, 'the tiny white lesbian' made my cup of tea come out my nose!

Now now, that is NOT the preferred nomenclature these days. The proper term should be 'the "petite" white lesbian'. :P

[Lena]

I stand corrected 😉

[Shaun]

Admitting I kind of lost interest after the initial burst of action. I'm not going to mark is as 'did not finish', as I like the idea of the story enough that I may come back around to it, but it's just not striking me at the moment. :-/

Honestly, it kind of hurts considering how expensive this book was.

[Tyler]

I'm on page 343 and right now I want to cackle with glee. And I am loving hating Jacques and Michi.

I do seem to be the odd one out. I have tiny little issues with it but mostly i'm loving it. Sorry to those it's not working for. Right now i'm guessing my rating will be around a 4.

[aPriL does feral sometimes]

I really liked it, too. I hope there is a sequel.

[Benjamin]

I enjoyed it enough that I'd read a sequal, too.
The characters were a mixed bag for me, but I appreciated the diversity, and I liked Victoria.

[Tyler]

(view spoiler)[I didn't like Jason or Michelle and Andrea, and I probably liked their deaths too much. (hide spoiler)]I am loving to hate Jacques and Michi. I like Tory, I don't always agree with her but I can understand her. I mostly like the characters, or I love to hate them (view spoiler)[or I just hate them and laugh at their deaths....uhm....oops? (hide spoiler)] I am appreciating the diversity too. Loved Tory's explaining being bi, as i'm bi too.

Glad it's not just me. Unless the last 97 pages somehow ruins it all i'm thinking i'll like this. :)

[Melanie]

Stephanie wrote: "[spoilers removed]I am loving to hate Jacques and Michi. I like Tory, I don't always agree with her but I can understand her. I mostly like the characters, or I love to hate them [spoilers removed]..."

I'm glad you're enjoying it Stephanie, even though it wasn't my thing I have loved all the discussion on this thread and hearing all the different opinions, I look forward to hearing your thoughts when you've finished.

[Tyler]

Melanie wrote: "Stephanie wrote: "[spoilers removed]I am loving to hate Jacques and Michi. I like Tory, I don't always agree with her but I can understand her. I mostly like the characters, or I love to hate them ..."

^_^ Hearing different opinions is wonderful, no book is for everyone and it can be nice to see another viewpoint.

Hopefully the next book you read will be a winner for you :)

[Kimberly]

Stephanie wrote: "Melanie wrote: "Stephanie wrote: "[spoilers removed]I am loving to hate Jacques and Michi. I like Tory, I don't always agree with her but I can understand her. I mostly like the characters, or I lo..."

I actually love the dissent in how people feel about books--it gives me a chance to look at things from another perspective. I also thought the author handled the "bi sexual" issue very well; that was one of the things that made Tory stand out among the others.

The ending DID leave me wanting to read another, I should add...

[Jamie]

Finished! I freakin loved this book. I stopped coming to the thread here because it got a bit too spoilery for me but I'm done now.

My thoughts on the ending:
(view spoiler)[

I really liked the reveal of the giant female. I kinda saw it coming although to be fair I have two degrees in wildlife biology so the hints weren't lost on me. I think the ending lacked a BANG though. They should have played out the scene of the female coming up and the lights going on and driving her back so it was more tension-filled and immediate. Otherwise, I liked it!
It's also nice to have an LGBT couple who gets a happy ending for once!
(hide spoiler)]

[Nancy]

I enjoyed the book even though I thought many of the character’s personalities were irritating but that might have been the intent of the author. IDK, are science types really that self-absorbed ass hats? I agree the ending lacked that bang of an ending. The suspense was a slow build and a big band at the end was lacking.

[Katy]

I'm about half-way and things are starting to happen.

[Tyler]

I'm 90% done, on page 395, hopefully I can finish it tomorrow, if not the next day.
(view spoiler)[I hated Michi for so long, then somehow Mira Grant made me care about her...and then killed her. I was so surprised at being upset at her death when originally I had been hoping for it.

I loved how sexism was talked about, how Michi knew how she had to act different than Jacques to get the men on her side and not think she was a "crazy bitch". And while I will never understand taking JOY in killing something for sport, that to me seems way too much, I do understand, especially in their situation, the need to be able to kill, and they, Michi and her husband, were good at that and hence very valuable here.

It all feels complex and gray to me, I mean that in a good way.

Dang you Mira Grant, giving me unexpected feels. (hide spoiler)]

Still loving it.

[Rachel]

starting zone 4 which puts me at about halfway mark. hope it gets better bc its been a dud for me so far

[Lena]

I love reading how you’re getting so much out of this Stephanie.

[Tyler]

Lena wrote: "I love reading how you’re getting so much out of this Stephanie."

:) My copy is tabbed so much. And it's color coded as I bought new tabs.

I love annotating but this is definitely one of my more tabbed books!

[Melanie]

Stephanie wrote: "Lena wrote: "I love reading how you’re getting so much out of this Stephanie."

:) My copy is tabbed so much. And it's color coded as I bought new tabs.

I love annotating but this is definitely o..."

Yes! I'm not the only one who does this. :)

[Lena]

Nope you’re not the only ones.

[Melanie]

YEEEESSS! Another creepy horror book with cutesy animal stickers.

[Lena]

Lol, hate to burst that bubble but that’s my copy of The Way of Kings.

[Melanie]

Oh well, it is marked as an 'Epic' fantasy.

[Lena]

I highlight on kindle/nook all the time to help me at review time or if I just find something funny.

[Nancy]

Lena wrote: "Lol, hate to burst that bubble but that’s my copy of The Way of Kings."

Wait a minute....you write in your books????????

Noooooooooooooo