McGuire, Seanan--Down Among the Sticks and Bones informal buddy read starts May 22, 2018

[Moderators of NBRC, Challenger-in-Chief]

This thread is open to discuss Down Among the Sticks and Bones by Seanan McGuire.



Synopsis
Twin sisters Jack and Jill were seventeen when they found their way home and were packed off to Eleanor West’s Home for Wayward Children.

This is the story of what happened first…

Jacqueline was her mother’s perfect daughter—polite and quiet, always dressed as a princess. If her mother was sometimes a little strict, it’s because crafting the perfect daughter takes discipline.

Jillian was her father’s perfect daughter—adventurous, thrill-seeking, and a bit of a tom-boy. He really would have preferred a son, but you work with what you've got.

They were five when they learned that grown-ups can’t be trusted.

They were twelve when they walked down the impossible staircase and discovered that the pretense of love can never be enough to prepare you a life filled with magic in a land filled with mad scientists and death and choices.

[Moderators of NBRC, Challenger-in-Chief]

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[Moderators of NBRC, Challenger-in-Chief]

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[Christina]

soooo, when do we start? ;)

[Elen]

That's the question!

I can start whenever everyone is up too! But asap would be great :)


Team Hermione Granger

[Karen ⊰✿, Fiction Aficionado]

I've put in a reserve at the library so I should have it early next week. Feel free to read ahead though and I'll catch up

[Elen]

Let's start on Monday or Tuesday, what you think?

[Christina]

Tuesday sounds good. Leaves enough time to start something else in the mean time :)

[Snowtulip]

I'm going to join you, I've been wanting to read the next books for awhile :)

[Christina]

Oh hey Snow :)

[Claire]

Hey ! I'm also joining in for Team Hermione.
After loving Every Hearts a Doorway so much I can't pass up the opportunity of reading the second book !

[Christina]

so Tuesday? ;)

[Elen]

Yes.

We will start the second book on 22 May 2018, Tuesday.

[Claire]

Elen wrote: "Yes.

We will start the second book on 22 May 2018, Tuesday."

yes, that's fine :)

[Annalisa]

I just finished Every Heart a Doorway and I'm really looking forward to reading the second book. I'm heading to the library to pick up a copy of the now. I'm from Team Snape.

[Elen]

Today is the day for book 2.

I will start reading it today at night xD

[Claire]

Yeah ! I'm going to listen to the audiobook this time too. Did you know it was narrated by the author? I didn't. It's a nice surprise.

[Elen]

No, I didn't.

I don't listen audiobooks, I prefer ebooks or "paper"books. But everything has first time, I can try it out as my library has this book available :D

[Claire]

chapter 1

(view spoiler)[ I immediately disliked Chester and Serena. THey only wanted children for their own selfish reasons and not out of love. The babies were bound to be neglected.

I didn't read the synopsis before starting it so I was really surprised to see that we are following Jack and Jill. They were the last characters from book 1 I expected here.
But now that I look at the cover, I should have known! (hide spoiler)]

[Devann]

i can't listen to audiobooks either [the info just goes in one ear and out the other] but that's really cool that she did that. is she the narrator for all of them or just this one?

[Claire]

Devann wrote: "i can't listen to audiobooks either [the info just goes in one ear and out the other] but that's really cool that she did that. is she the narrator for all of them or just this one?"

No just this one. The first one was narrated by Cynthia Hopkins. I can tell you she was very good. And the third one by Michelle Dockrey.

I wish they used the same narrator for all of them. I usually don't like it when they change narrators from one book to another in the same series.

[Claire]

Chapters 2-3

(view spoiler)[ I already disliked the paretns in chapter 1 but now I full on hate them. My heart breaks for Jack and Jill. And how unfair they were to Gella Lou. When Jill thought that Gella Lou had left because she didn't love them anymore... It just broke my heart even further. it's so sad. Chester and Serena shouldn't be parents.

After seeing how they grew up, I'm now able to understand Jack and Jill better. A lot about their personalities makes more sense now. These parents have really f* up their kids. No wonder they felt more at home in that other darker, gothic world. It was always better than staying with their neglecting parents. (hide spoiler)]

[✿~Danielle~✿]

Joining in from team Newt.

[✿~Danielle~✿]

Started and I think it will be interesting to have Jack and Jill’s book as we already know how some of their story goes.

[✿~Danielle~✿]

Chapter 1

(view spoiler)[Serena and Chester sound like horrible people. So selfish and wanting children just to have the praise and accolades of having babies from other people.
(hide spoiler)]

[✿~Danielle~✿]

✿ Claire ✿ ~ The Clever Berry wrote: "chapter 1

[spoiler]..."

Agree, (view spoiler)[you really couldn’t like the parents here. (hide spoiler)]

[✿~Danielle~✿]

✿ Claire ✿ ~ The Clever Berry wrote: "I wish they used the same narrator for all of them. I usually don't like it when they change narrators from one book to another in the same series. "..."

That puts me off starting a series on audio if I see a change in narrators. I like having the same narrator within a series.

[Christina]

Devann wrote: "i can't listen to audiobooks either [the info just goes in one ear and out the other] but that's really cool that she did that. is she the narrator for all of them or just this one?"

I second that. I can't just listen to audiobooks while doing anything else like tidying up or whatever. my mind always ends up wandering elsewhere... so reading it is! and I'll probably only start with this one tomorrow so I can get further into Magic Burns before switching around.

[Claire]

Up to chapter 8

(view spoiler)[ The Master and Dr Bleak are both very creepy. But out of the two the Master creeps me out the most. I believe Jack made the right choice. I just feel sorry for Jill as her choice was taken from her...

I love the metafictional elements in the narration of this book, like at the beginning of eight. Seanan McGuire's writing is pretty neat. I love it.

Also, the Moors gives me serious Halloween Town from Nightmare Before Christmas vibes. Anybody else get that vibe? (hide spoiler)]

[Elen]

Part I: Chaper 1-3

(view spoiler)[I hate Serena and Chester. They only wanted kids to show up, how cool etc they are. They didn't care about their own kids. Also, what parent is that decides who your child is, how he/she dresses up etc. That's f*cked up. For them, kids = accessories, and nothing more.
I am really glad that Jill and Jack had Gemma Lou while Jack and Jill were growing up. She showed them what real love and acceptance is. I wouldn't mind if she kidnapped them :D

But this kind of parenting shows why and how Jill and Jack become who they are now. (hide spoiler)]

[Elen]

Question:


(view spoiler)[Who would you choose if you had a chance The Master, creepy guy or Dr. Bleak, mad scientist? (hide spoiler)]

[Rose]

I've just started this. I was going to hold out, but I couldn't resist finding out what the heck happened with Jack and Jill. It's amazing how horrifying I find the parents. I think I'd pick a vampire over them any day.

[Claire]

Elen wrote: "Question:


[spoilers removed]"

Definitely (view spoiler)[ Dr Bleak. For one, out of the two he seemed the most honest one. The Master's way of trying to persuade them is to buy them with luxury. That's definitely suspicious. And just look at how Mary is treated. She doesn't look happy at all to be stuck in that place. I wouldn't want to end up like her ! (hide spoiler)]

[Claire]

chapter 9

(view spoiler)[ I really like Dr Bleak. It's nice that he wants Jack and Jill to stay close.
But Jill is getting on my nerves. She's become so selfish and shallow ! (hide spoiler)]

[Claire]

Finished !

(view spoiler)[ The Whole thing is so unfair. Poor Jack. She lost everything because of Jill. Her homes, her girlfriend, her father figure, her lifestyle, her world literally. It's just so sad.

This book was very different from the first one. I liked it, but I think I prefered book one better. I liked the fact that we got to meet all these children from different worlds. (hide spoiler)]

[Devann]

went ahead and read chapters 1-6 today, will probably finish it tomorrow.

i'm so glad she chose to do jack and jill's background first because their experience definitely sounded the most interesting to me after reading the first book.

i, like everyone else, feel really bad for them because of their parents but i really like how seanan wrote them because 1. they are just very good 'villains' for the first part of the story and 2. it shows how people don't necessarily have to have bad intentions to do horrible things and mess up their children for life.

i love the moors in general and i love how there are actually several different parts to this 'world' and like jack and jill went for the dracula/frankenstein place but they could have easily gotten sucked into a cthulhu thing or the place with the wolves and the mountains. i wonder how many children have actually been to this same 'world' but maybe don't realize it because they have chosen different areas.

@whoever asked before who we would chose to go with: (view spoiler)[i would go with dr. bleak immediately because i think it's clear from the beginning that he actually cares about them while 'the master' is super creepy. also i am with jack in that anyone who wants me to call them master is someone i want to get far away from immediately lol (hide spoiler)]

can't wait to re-read the second half of the book tomorrow, i remember there's some really great stuff coming up!

[Snowtulip]

Just got home from work, so I plan to start after dinner. I'm really wishing I had this one on audio, but ebook for me. I don't think I've ever listened to an author narrated audio before.

[Annalisa]

✼Danielle✼ wrote: "Chapter 1"


I completely agree with you both. (view spoiler)[Serena and Chester are horrible parents. They don't seem to love their daughters even as they age. I felt so bad for them when Gemma Lou leaves. Knowing from Every Heart a Doorway that they have a son made me wonder if they do a better job of parenting the second time round. Probably not. (hide spoiler)]

[Annalisa]

Chapter 1-3

So far I'm really enjoying the story. I'm drawn in just like with the first book. I'll try and finish it up tomorrow. I really really like the cover on this book. It seems to fit Jack and Jill and the world they end up in amazingly well.

(view spoiler)[Like everyone else has said I hate the parents. How could they not see that they are horrible to their daughters? Well I guess they are selfish. I'm glad that the narration felt a little removed in this part of the book. Normally I wouldn't like it if I was reminded of the fact that I'm reading a story but I did like it here. "On the day our story truly starts--for surely none of that seemed like the beginning! Surely all of that was background, was explanation and justification for what's to come, as unavoidably as thunder follows lightning--it was raining." From Chapter 3. I thought this was a nice touch. I noticed in Every Heart a Doorway that I felt removed from Nancy a bit as well and I have that here as well. I think in most stories I would find that off putting but here it fits.

I'm really looking forward to seeing how the girls grow into themselves in the Moors. (hide spoiler)]

[Snowtulip]

✿ Claire ✿ ~ The Clever Berry wrote: "chapter 1

."

Agree, (view spoiler)[their thoughts when they were handed their babies made me want to yell! (hide spoiler)]

[Devann]

@Annalisa (view spoiler)[i guess it might be slightly better for their son because at least he isn't being compared to someone else all the time, but also i'm sure it's still not great because they probably have very specific ideas about 'what a boy should do' as well (hide spoiler)]

[Rose]

sigh wrong thread! phone issues....

[✿~Danielle~✿]

Elen wrote: "Question:


[spoilers removed]"

I would have choosen (view spoiler)[Dr. Bleak. They both are a bit creepy and strange, but I think Dr. Bleak would take a little more care. (hide spoiler)]

[✿~Danielle~✿]

Up to chapter 8

I don’t know why, I’m not loving this as much as book 1.

(view spoiler)[You can see the past issues with the roles they were forced on by the parents are affecting them now.

I feel like something bad is going to happen with Alexis. (hide spoiler)]

[✿~Danielle~✿]

✿ Claire ✿ ~ The Clever Berry wrote: "chapter 9

[spoiler]

Agree with you there. (view spoiler)[Jill isn’t very nice here. It’s a shame that just that walk throughout the village could ruin what Jack has. (hide spoiler)]

[✿~Danielle~✿]

Finished

(view spoiler)[It’s such a shame that Jack lost all that mattered to her. She learned to care and love. Which meant she couldn’t leave her sister to the mob, even after what Jill did.

I’m glad to know that from the consequences of book one, Jack got to go back to her home.

I did like the few images/drawings in between. (hide spoiler)]

[Devann]

just finished! so sad that i'm gonna have to wait until mid july to reread the 3rd one so it will count for the challenge BUT i will be lurking around the buddy read post before then when it goes up lol

anyway i think my favorite quote from this whole book is when jack is like 'I could give you children. you'd have to tell me how many heads you wanted them to have, and what species you'd like them to be' because it's just hilariously practical lol

random though: (view spoiler)[it's very interesting to see how they basically completely change roles when they go to the moors but how jack seems to be able to learn to function more or less normally while jill is just completely lost. and how now jill is the one telling jack she will have to 'learn to be a lady' or whatever since jack was always the one who used to have to be girly back in the 'real world'. (hide spoiler)]

[✿~Danielle~✿]

I loved that quote too.

[Claire]

Devann wrote: "random though:"

I had the same thought. (view spoiler)[ before getting to the moore, they were both jealous of one another and when they got the chance to choose who they wanted to be, they chose what they've been desiring all along. Unfortunately, it didn't work out for Jill. Because I don't think she was ever truly happy, even though she said she was. Otherwise she wouldn't have done what she did. (hide spoiler)]

[Elen]

I just finished it, but unfortunately, I didn't like it as much as the first one. But I will definitely continue with this series.

My final thoughts: (view spoiler)[I really liked that Jack had a chance to choose her own path in Moors. As The Master wanted her, but she didn't and said no to him, but yes to Dr. Bleak. I would choose Dr. Bleak too, bc he is more humane and I am a scientist too.
I will agree with everyone who said that Jill "chose" what she desired the most, but she was definitely miserable. I think she didn't feel to be accepted there and she did what she did at the end of the book. And Jack helped her even if she killed her lover.
BUT bc of her Jack had to leave the Moors until they can come back (What they did in book 1) (hide spoiler)]


PS. I will ask Mods for a thread for the third book if someone wants to read it too as BR.