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

[Elen]

✼Danielle✼ wrote: "I loved that quote too."

Seconding that.

[Elen]

Devann wrote: "random though: "

Agree. (view spoiler)[I think Jack took everything more acceptedly. She understood that they are there for long period and she decided to learn everything she could at this time. Because there were no limits or restrictions they parent could put on them.
As in first part of the book there mentioned that they were always jealous of what one had but another one didn't. So they decided to swap the places/roles. (hide spoiler)]

[Christina]

Noooooo, you're already all finished? 😭😭

[Elen]

Christina, not all of us ;) But we will stay here to discuss with you, don't worry :D

[Snowtulip]

I also didn't like it as much as the first one, for some reason the story telling style was hard for me this time around. That being said, I still liked the book :)

(view spoiler)[I was surprised by Jack and her choice for Dr. Bleak because of how she had behaved "in the real world", it seemed that she longed to be out of her pretty clothes, but enjoyed the popularity it brought. I was glad she was able to be more of herself, but saddened by how she was then treated by Jill. (hide spoiler)]

[Dev]

i think the writing style was so different with this one because the first one was more focused on the 'real world' and how the kids were coping so it was a much more straight-forward style then you skip to this which takes place in a 'fairytale' world so she writes it like a straight-up old-timey fairytale story and also kind of like the narrator is telling you the story orally so it's both more and less formal at the same time. i think it works but i can see how it would be weird to some people who are used to maybe a more 'unified' series.

[Christina]

I finally started today!!!!! and so far I have read PART I: Chapters 1-3

(view spoiler)[I cannot believe how awful Jack & Jill's parents are! my heart broke for them a million times in only 3 chapters. how can they just decide what each of their children is like, and not let them explore and just be themselves? now the kids think they know who they are, because that's how they're supposed to be, but they still silently doubt themselves and feel they're bad for wanting something else. it's just so sad :(

I'm glad they had Louise, who told them that they can be whoever they wanted to be, but of course Chester and Serena asked her to leave when the kids turned 5 and so the children just believed everything their parents told them growing up. as if Gemma Lou would ever leave her granddaughters because she didn't love them anymore 3

I think it's interesting though that Jaqueline is the "pretty one", taken care of mostly by their mother, when it would have been so easy to just call her Jack and be the tomboy instead? so weird that they didn't want the kids to have nicknames. Chester at least could have had a kid with a - usually - boy's nickname, since he was hoping for a son so badly... (hide spoiler)]

[Dev]

@Christina i think this might be in chapter 4 or 5 and it's not a huge spoiler but i'll put it behind a cut anyway (view spoiler)[i cannot believe that the their parents actually looked into switching their names so that jacqueline could be 'jack' and jillian could be the feminine one. i mean i CAN believe it bc they're awful but still. (hide spoiler)]

[ClaireB]

Devann wrote: "@Christina i think this might be in chapter 4 or 5 and it's not a huge spoiler but i'll put it behind a cut anyway [spoilers removed]"

(view spoiler)[ The parents are just aweful. They don't consider their daughter as persons but as objects, like two identical dolls on which you can just put the clothes you choose, force them into doing things they don't necessarily want to do and even rename them if they want to. One of them belongs to the dad, and the other to the mom. (hide spoiler)]

[Elen]

I would really want to know how (view spoiler)[they would act if they didn't have twins. Are they going to fight over a child and who she/he must become or even they would do this only kid into a girlish boy or boyish girl. (hide spoiler)]

[ClaireB]

Elen wrote: "I would really want to know how [spoilers removed]"

I think (view spoiler)[ that had it been a girl she would have gone to the mother, and a boy to the father. And then they would have tried for another child? maybe? But bets are off as for child number 2. (hide spoiler)]

[Dev]

@Elen well at the end of the book (view spoiler)[they come back home their parents have a boy but we don't really get a good look at him so idk if they messed him up more or less than the twins (hide spoiler)]

[Rose]

Christina wrote: "Noooooo, you're already all finished? 😭😭"

I haven't gotten very far, either. I've been reading other books.

[Christina]

Rose wrote: "Christina wrote: "Noooooo, you're already all finished? 😭😭"

I haven't gotten very far, either. I've been reading other books."

well, but we are on the same team x)

[Christina]

✿ Claire ✿ ~ The Clever Berry wrote: "Elen wrote: "I would really want to know how [spoilers removed]"

I think [spoilers removed]"

I agree. (view spoiler)[they already had planned what to do with their kid, to show it off to the other women by Serena (if it was a girl) or to take to work with him to get attention from his colleagues by Chester (if a boy) - so I guess we already have our answer there. (and I generally would hate to refer to a kid as 'it', but with this family I doubt that hasn't happened....) (hide spoiler)]

[Annalisa]

I have only just started the second half of the book. So hopefully we can still have some conversation.

[Annalisa]

Part II Chapter 4 - 7
In the first book I felt like there was a lot of set up for how short the story was. I feel the same way for what I've read of this book so far.

(view spoiler)[I just can't believe how horrible the parents are in this novel, the changing names was just ridiculous. I'm also surprise that Jack and Jill don't have more animosity towards each other after what they went through. I'm having a bit of trouble connecting with this story the way I did Every Heart a Doorway. I'm hoping this changes in the last section. Having read other's comments it seems like maybe it won't change. I'm curious to see if Jill ever feels any fear towards the Master. Right now she is very taken with being feminine. (hide spoiler)]

[Annalisa]

Part II Chapter 8 - 9
I'm going to put everything I have to say about these chapters in spoilers because I don't want my opinion to influence someone else's feelings.
(view spoiler)[I'm not really liking how everything feels like a summary of events. The section starts by saying it is going to get to the story, but I didn't feel like it got to the story. It felt like more summary to me. Yes, things happened, but I didn't care. I like it more when I care about the characters and what is happening to them. The writing is still beautiful, but I'm not liking this as much as the first novel.

Jill has become cruel, like the master. Jack is still worried about being dirty. I found it interesting how they still have aspects of what their parents expected of them. I am glad that the story has been mostly following Jack. However, I found both Jack and Jill to me more interesting characters in Every Heart a Doorway. I'm not sure there is enough time for this to really become a story. I get that some of the separation is just the fairytale style. However, it isn't working for me as well as it did in the first novel. (hide spoiler)]

[Annalisa]

Part III Chapters 10 - 13
I've finally finished the book. I agree with what others have said, the first one was better.
(view spoiler)[I find it strange that I liked this one less. The distance the narrative style maintained made it hard to connect with the characters. I was able to connect with the characters in Every Heart a Doorway, but in this one I didn't connect with the characters. I didn't really care what happened to Jack and Jill. They were so summarized that even when I wanted to care I didn't really.
I wonder if Jack would have really forgiven Jill as much as it seemed like she did when we see them in the first book. I would have forgiven her if she killed the person I love. They weren't close but then again they never really were close.
The ending seemed fitting. However, I was curious what happened when they got back to the world with Jill dead. (hide spoiler)]

[Annalisa]

Elen wrote: "Question:


[spoilers removed]"

I would choose (view spoiler)[Dr. Bleak. At least he isn't going to eat me and it seems like he cares enough to be involved. (hide spoiler)]

[✿~Danielle~✿]

Annalisa wrote: "Part II Chapter 8 - 9
I'm going to put everything I have to say about these chapters in spoilers because I don't want my opinion to influence someone else's feelings..."

That’s a good description..(view spoiler)[..A summary of the event.

I wasn’t sure why I didn’t like/connect with the book as with book one. (hide spoiler)]

[Annalisa]

✼Danielle✼ wrote: "Annalisa wrote: "Part II Chapter 8 - 9
I'm going to put everything I have to say about these chapters in spoilers because I don't want my opinion to influence someone else's feelings..."

That’s a good description..."

Exactly. I felt that way about the whole book.

[Christina]

PART II: Chapters 4-7

(view spoiler)[how bad is it that I imagined Dr. Bleak having grey hair and wearing a white coat like your usual crazy scientist? this is so bad, I'm embarrassed.

Also, I was wondering how the Master will have dinner with the girls sitting right there without them realizing he was a vampire... I seriously thought he'll have an actual person come in to drink from their neck.... 🤦🏼 (hide spoiler)]

I should not read anymore when I am so tired lol

[Christina]

PART III: Chapters 8 + 9

To be honest I enjoy reading about Jack more than reading about Jill. I also find Jack (view spoiler)[more likeable (I might also feel a connection to her though because she's got a girlfriend 🙃 who I am super worried about now by the way!!)

it makes me so sad every single time this comes up, but I still can't believe Jack + Jill don't have that sisterly bond that you would expect from most sisters, especially twins... :( (hide spoiler)]

[Snowtulip]

Devann wrote: "i think the writing style was so different with this one because the first one was more focused on the 'real world' and how the kids were coping so it was a much more straight-forward style then yo..."

I think you are spot on with this, I'm curious if I read this one again if it will be better for me...kind of finally getting into the different rhythm. Always harder with shorter books.

[Snowtulip]

Christina wrote: "
PART III: Chapters 8 + 9



I also liked reading about Jack, which I didn't think I would at the beginning, but almost seemed like her story overshadowed Jill's and could have biased me a little bit.

[Christina]

FINISHED

(view spoiler)[did we already know Jill killed Alexis? I have a feeling this might have come up in Every Heart A Doorway, but I'm not sure anymore... it's sad that Jill wanted to become a vampire so badly, or well, for the Master to officially be her father and see her as his daughter. and then for the Master to sort of betray her and revoke his protection of her. Jill must be heartbroken, but she obviously couldn't let go :(

on one hand it's so refreshing to know that Jack loved Jill after all, but on the other hand we know that she only knew love thanks to the one person Jill ended up killing... Jack stepped up to save her sister, but I don't know if I could ever forgive such a thing. (hide spoiler)]

I definitely want to continue the series, but unfortunately I have another BR starting tomorrow, and I'm also still reading Magic Burns by Ilona Andrews...

[Elen]

Christina wrote: "I definitely want to continue the series, but unfortunately I have another BR starting tomorrow, and I'm also still reading Magic Burns by Ilona Andrews..."

Christina, we haven't yet decided when we want to start book 3. Go over the thread and suggest your date. Right now we are thinking about mid-June.

[ClaireB]

Christina wrote: "
FINISHED"

(view spoiler)[It was mentioned in the first book that they had to leave because Jill started killing people. But we didn't get any specifics. Tbh, it was kind of a shock to me that she killed her sister's lover. The way Jack explained it in book one was so detached. I would have never guessed it was someone she loved.
I would also have a hard time forgiving her. (hide spoiler)]

[Christina]

✿ Claire ✿ ~ The Clever Berry wrote: "Christina wrote: "
FINISHED" ..."

Jack may have built a wall inside of her to protect herself - would make sense to make her seem detached...

[Apoorv]

Team Gilderoy Lockhart
Chapters 1-6 - Parts 1-2

Ugh! I positively hate (view spoiler)[Chester and Serena. It is people like these who ruin it for everyone. How can parents even be like this? If you don't care about children, don't have them! But don't ever treat them as entities. They are not things to show around. I am not a parent, but I am sure it takes immense amount of strength to raise a child.

... and then when Grandma Lou comes in to take care of them, you are ashamed to even tell the people you know the real reason? What kind of horrible people are these? Ashamed of their parents AND their kids. Ugh! (hide spoiler)]

What is even more painful, but is so relevant in every society across the world, is how parents (view spoiler)[try to impose their wishes onto their kids. Yes, they are your kids, and you have the right to raise them per your wishes; but ATLEAST take the wishes of the kid into perspective before you dump yours onto them. HEAR them out? Is it really that difficult? (hide spoiler)]

I am just positively pissed! But, it certainly lays out a fantastic back-story to Jack and Jill's antics from Book 1. Kudos, Ms. McGuire!

Anyway, I love the moors. The world description is very distinct and it certainly makes me want to go explore (however creepy it is!) And while I would choose to go with (view spoiler)[Dr. Bleak as well, like many of you; I still somewhere believe that 'The Master's world is bad yet fascinating in a weird sense. (hide spoiler)]

[Rose]

Anyone still here? I finally finished a book that was a bit of a spot, so I'm in the mood to come back to this one.

[Annalisa]

I've finished the book, but I'll be happy to talk with you about it. I'm sure others will to. Also, I think maybe a few others were starting later as well.

[Rose]

I'm on Chapter 4 and as they look up at the stars I have a random question. How do you guys think stars/planets relate to fairylands? Is it like an alternate universe but same planets, or do you think all the fairy lands are on different planets. Random Sci-Fi thoughts in my fantasy. lol

[Annalisa]

I was thinking of them as alternative realities on the same planet. I know they are called worlds which would imply different planets. I really hadn't thought about that aspect of the story.

[Apoorv]

Team Gilderoy Lockhart
THE END

Finished this almost two days ago, but RL got the better of me. Ugh!

Anyway, I have to say, I was right in (view spoiler)[disliking Jill. Now, ofcourse, she is not a villain per say, but I do think that she is spoilt - not by her parents, ofcourse, but by the lack of care and consideration they gave her, plus the fact that she didn't seem matured enough to devise her own path and realize that what you desire, is not always want you want. (hide spoiler)]

It's just sad with what happened to (view spoiler)[Alexis. I was so excited to see Jack get her love reciprocated so nicely. I don't know if somewhere I justify Jill's action, just because I understand it. I understand that both Jack and Jill are different personalities, but Jack certainly was more aware of her situation and learned to understand and work with what she had; as opposed to Jill, who while even being in the castle, never really realized the worth of it all. (hide spoiler)]

I did however feel like the ending was a bit rushed. Everything that happened, seemed to have been put in place, just to tie things back to the obvious end we know off. Took away a little from the story for me.

All-in-all, slightly lower than the first one in terms of appeal and execution, but a solid 3-star read for me.

[Rose]

I'm half way through, and I can see how this going to be very rushed. They basically just got to the Moor, and I know a ton has to happen from this point on. I feel like one of the issues is that we already know the major points of the story in super condensed form, so this book feels more like we are getting the expanded cliffnotes rather than a complete narrative.

On the other hand, I just don't know how it could have been expanded and still match the first book, and I loved having all that time devoted to setting up those creepy parents (#stilltherealmonsters) so I can't complain about the pacing in the beginning.







Apoorv wrote: "Team Gilderoy Lockhart
THE END

Finished this almost two days ago, but RL got the better of. Ugh!

Anyway, I have to say, I was right in [spoilers removed]

It's just sad with what happened to [spo..."

[Karen ⊰✿, Fiction Aficionado]

✿ Claire ✿ ~ The Clever Berry wrote: "Chapters 2-3

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 h..."

absolutely. This first part really answers some of our questions from the first book regarding how the kids can go back knowing their parents are left behind with so many questions

[Karen ⊰✿, Fiction Aficionado]

Part 1, Chapters 1-3

Ok, I'm finally making it to the party ;)

As everyone has said. Those parents are the pits. (view spoiler)[ so selfish, and pretending that his mother was hired help. Goodness.

What I didn't like is how the grandmother didn't try and fight it, or at least say goodbye to the girls. She just left in the middle of the night. She raised those two like her own, and then she just disappears? I found that a bit odd.

It is also confusing to me (although I'm sure intentional) that they made Jack the "girl" and Jill the "boy". I've even forgotten who was the killer in the first book, so I'll have to go back to the spoilers!! (hide spoiler)]

[ClaireB]

Karen ⊰✿ wrote: "Part 1, Chapters 1-3

Ok, I'm finally making it to the party ;)

As everyone has said. Those parents are the pits. so selfish, and pretending that his mother was hired help. Goodness.

What I didn..."

in book 1 (view spoiler)[ Jill was the killer and Jack was the "mad scientist" (hide spoiler)]

I agree about the grandmother. (view spoiler)[ She could have fought a little harder or at least sneak into their room to tell them she's leaving. It really broke my heart that Jill believed her Grandma didn't love them anymore ... :( (hide spoiler)]

[Karen ⊰✿, Fiction Aficionado]

Thanks Claire!
Now the memory aid I'm going to use is that my mum's name is Jill, and she isn't a scientist... so....
LOL

[Karen ⊰✿, Fiction Aficionado]

With the grandmother, I would like to know more, but I'm sure we won't because this book is not big. But it really did break my heart on so many levels.

[ClaireB]

Karen ⊰✿ wrote: "Thanks Claire!
Now the memory aid I'm going to use is that my mum's name is Jill, and she isn't a scientist... so....
LOL"

that's a good trick to remember it! lol

[Karen ⊰✿, Fiction Aficionado]

✿ Claire ✿ ~ The Clever Berry wrote: "Up to chapter 8

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 ..."

Yes, VERY creepy, but I would definitely chose the Doctor

Love the Halloween Town comparison. Nice one!

[Karen ⊰✿, Fiction Aficionado]

✼Danielle✼ wrote: "Up to chapter 8

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

..."

That's so funny, because I am enjoying this much more. I think I like the fantasy element which is much more in-your-face than the first book. I also didn't really understand Jack and Jill much in book 1, so this is a great way to see how they ended up where they did.
I actually want a whole book about Nancy and her world now.!

[Karen ⊰✿, Fiction Aficionado]

Rose wrote: "I'm on Chapter 4 and as they look up at the stars I have a random question. How do you guys think stars/planets relate to fairylands? Is it like an alternate universe but same planets, or do you th..."

She talks about how the moon is a different size and is red, so I took it as this is an alternate reality

[Karen ⊰✿, Fiction Aficionado]

Part 2, chapters 4-7

So I am going to head to bed now, but will finish this weekend after Cathy joins in

I seem to feel differently than everyone else in that I am enjoying this book more than book 1. In some ways, I think this would have worked better as book 1...

I'm not a short story reader, but I actually think the size of these books kind of works. It is like a chunk of a story that you are just thrown in to and you either sink or swim (I guess).

I am so interested to see how Jack and Jill adapt to their new "roles" (view spoiler)[ which are so different to what their parents assigned them. I'm also intrigued about how they both aren't shocked/worried/disgusted by these new roles.... as a blood bank and a Frankenstein type-person. Intriguing (hide spoiler)]

[ClaireB]

Karen ⊰✿ wrote: "✿ Claire ✿ ~ The Clever Berry wrote: "Up to chapter 8

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 j..."

Really? that's interesting. I believe most of us said Dr. Bleak was the best choice. Why do you prefer the master?

[Karen ⊰✿, Fiction Aficionado]

✿ Claire ✿ ~ The Clever Berry wrote: "Karen ⊰✿ wrote: "✿ Claire ✿ ~ The Clever Berry wrote: "Up to chapter 8

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 ..."

Oops! I meant the master is the creepiest. I would choose the Doctor beacuse he seems more genuine and doesn’t have creepy Mary warning against him 😂

[ClaireB]

Karen ⊰✿ wrote: "✿ Claire ✿ ~ The Clever Berry wrote: "Karen ⊰✿ wrote: "✿ Claire ✿ ~ The Clever Berry wrote: "Up to chapter 8

The Master and Dr Bleak are both very creepy. But out of the two the Master creeps me ..."

haha, no worries. ;)