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

[Cathy M.]

I'm starting now Karen! Though I might be a little slow since I'm at work :P

[Cathy M.]

Chpt 1 -

(view spoiler)[Wow Chester is a piece of work! When Serena's giving birth and he says how horrible she was (the sounds/straining face) and he wouldn't want to touch her again after, that's so HORRIBLE!!! My jaw seriously dropped. Already knew both of them weren't going to be good people, and should not have been all that surprised but, wow... (hide spoiler)]

[Karen ⊰✿, Fiction Aficionado]

No worries Cathy - I’m out all day so may not even get to the final part for about 12 hours or perhaps even tomorrow

[Karen ⊰✿, Fiction Aficionado]

Cathy M. wrote: "Chpt 1 -

[spoilers removed]"

Oh yes I forgot about that bit! There were just so many horrible things between those two it’s hard to pick which was worse 😬

[Cathy M.]

Karen ⊰✿ wrote: "Cathy M. wrote: "Chpt 1 -

[spoilers removed]"

Oh yes I forgot about that bit! There were just so many horrible things between those two it’s hard to pick which was worse 😬"

With parents like that it's no wonder that the girls longed for another place to be themselves!

Ended up working thru lunch so thru Chpt 2 - (view spoiler)[Louise was good for the girls growing up but that last bit where Chester and Serena tell her to leave that night? Seriously harsh. The way they treated Chester's mother was so heartless. And how could she just leave like that? She raised those girls and seemed to love them like her own but didn't fight it? Didn't try to keep a relationship going with them? (hide spoiler)]

[Cathy M.]

Karen ⊰✿ wrote: "No worries Cathy - I’m out all day so may not even get to the final part for about 12 hours or perhaps even tomorrow"

It's a short book so we'll catch up to one another quick :)

[Cathy M.]

End of Chpt 5

(view spoiler)[Every time they mention how Gemma Lou stopped loving them, and how they are not close at all, is heartbreaking. They're twins! But their parents pretty much pitted them against each other. Just wish they would've stuck by each other instead and had the relationship that I thought they would have.

Crazy that there was a sign that said to be sure before they entered the door to the Moor's land.

At dinner when Dr Bleak states that the other boy before them found a door and went home, don't quite believe him. We already know he is a vampire from the 1st book so wondering if the Master actually killed him...

Ominous ending to the chapter:

"Eat. You'll need your strength for what's to come."
"We all will." (hide spoiler)]

[Cathy M.]

Thru Chpt 7 -

(view spoiler)[They've picked their "roles" now so things are about to get REALLY interesting! It's like we know how they turn out after but I love reading the before.

Seeing as this is already 59% into the story, have a feeling that things are going to be super rushed and we won't get enough of the story. I could be wrong, like with how rich & full Book 1 was with the small page count, but thought we would get more of the after from Book 1. Shouldn't feel disappointed yet but I have the feeling that I'm going to be left wanting more! (hide spoiler)]

I'm going to read another chpt or 2 then head to bed. This one is going by too quickly!

[Karen ⊰✿, Fiction Aficionado]

Cathy M. wrote: "Ended up working thru lunch so thru Chpt 2..."

Yes, I didn't understand why she didn't fight it either. Or even just visit? Maybe it was too painful for her after basically having treated the girls like her own

[Karen ⊰✿, Fiction Aficionado]

Cathy M. wrote: "Thru Chpt 7 -

They've picked their "roles" now so things are about to get REALLY interesting! It's like we know how they turn out after but I love reading the before.

Seeing as this is already ..."


Yes, I suspect we will have lots of questions at the end of this too.

I didn't get a chance to read the last part today, but should get there tomorrow :)

[SandyC]

This was a really quick read. I liked it better than the first one. I thought so much of it was sad.
(view spoiler)[
The parents were horrible . I felt sorry for the girls being boxed into certain roles. When they got to the moors, I was surprised that Jill was so eager to become the master's daughter. I don't know how Jack could forgive her for murdering Alexis. In a way, I wish I had read this one first. (hide spoiler)]

[Cathy M.]

Finished earlier today! Then had to go back and re-read parts of Book 1 to see what I missed/overlooked about Jack & Jill.

(view spoiler)[They really took to their new roles well. Crazy to read how Jill became the spoiled selfish entitled girl that she did. I wish we had more about their lives as they were growing up in the Moors. It just went by way too quickly, only a couple of paragraphs?

It was so messed up that Jill killed Jack's love! It was obvious Jill only cared about herself and her master, had no care whatsoever for Jack. That jealous side of her really showed and you just knew she was going to hurt Alexis. Didn't imagine it being so gruesome, and she had no remorse whatsoever. Don't really understand how Jack could love Jill after that, or even forgive her, so I don't really understand how she could save her from the villagers (they had NO relationship/sisterly bond/familial attachment), and later, stay with her in the real world and not go back to where she really wanted to be. Their relationship, to me, steered more toward indifference than love. If I was Jack, I would've told her to screw herself and gone back! Screw the united front, she could fend for herself (or at least have her committed first)!

Definitely wanted more of the after coming back at the end of Book 1 so feel a little disappointed by that. But despite that, and the rushing of this story, I enjoyed this one more than I did the 1st one. I was more engaged, felt more comfortable in their world and had more of an understanding of it. (hide spoiler)]

[Cathy M.]

✿ Claire ✿ ~ The Clever Berry wrote: "Finished !

"

So agree, (view spoiler)[Jack lost everything that ever meant anything to her and (referring to Book 1) Jill never seemed to appreciate or care! So sad. It sort of makes me mad too but I'm glad Jack killed Jill in the end. (hide spoiler)]

[Cathy M.]

✿ Claire ✿ ~ The Clever Berry wrote: "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. Goodne..."

(view spoiler)[Yes! That broke my heart every time she said that Gemma Lou stopped loving them. (hide spoiler)]

[Cathy M.]

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 awesome :D

[Cathy M.]

Karen ⊰✿ wrote: "✼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 ..."

I was in the same boat - liked this one a lot more. Was hoping Book 3 would be about one of the characters we've read about in Book 1 but looks like it's a completely different character. The books in this series don't seem to follow the typical formats (all books about different characters in the same world or books leading up to a certain situation/event). Huh, wondering where this series is going, if anywhere.

[Cathy M.]

SandyC wrote: "This was a really quick read. I liked it better than the first one. I thought so much of it was sad.

The parents were horrible . I felt sorry for the girls being boxed into certain roles. When th..."

Me too, I wish I read this one first. But then again, they mystery of the killer in Book 1 would've been too obvious.

[Dev]

I feel like if you read this one first though then the actually first book would kind of pointless since (view spoiler)[you would literally know who the murderer is right away (hide spoiler)]

[ClaireB]

Devann wrote: "I feel like if you read this one first though then the actually first book would kind of pointless since [spoilers removed]"

You're right Devann. (view spoiler)[Knowing Jill already killed before will immediately make her a suspect and there'll be no suprise at all in the end. Not even on the fact that Jack could have gone back any time... (hide spoiler)]

[Karen ⊰✿, Fiction Aficionado]

Cathy M. wrote: "Finished earlier today! Then had to go back and re-read parts of Book 1 to see what I missed/overlooked about Jack & Jill.

They really took to their new roles well. Crazy to read how Jill became t..."

I just finished. Definitely loved it more than book 1. I loved the world, and the differences between Jack and Jill and how that was so different from their parents 'ideal'.

In terms of Jack at the end (view spoiler)[ I think she took orders from Dr Bleak unquestioningly for 5 years, so that was part of it. Also, when he said that the locals would come after her and The Master may burn their city down was pretty good incentive for her to go. She was also in shock I think.

I also wish I still had book 1 to go back to it. I actually feel this would have been better as the first book released. (hide spoiler)]

[Karen ⊰✿, Fiction Aficionado]

Cathy M. wrote: "Was hoping Book 3 would be about one of the characters we've read about in Book 1 but looks like it's a completely different character. The books in this series don't seem to follow the typical formats (all books about different characters in the same world or books leading up to a certain situation/event). Huh, wondering where this series is going, if anywhere. ..."

Seems like a bunch of short stories / companion books. I don't mind much, but I would REALLY like more about Jack and Jill after the events of book 1. And also more from some of the other characters in book 1 - some more prequels would be really interesting

[Karen ⊰✿, Fiction Aficionado]

Devann wrote: "I feel like if you read this one first though then the actually first book would kind of pointless since [spoilers removed]"

yes very true

[Cathy M.]

Karen ⊰✿ wrote: "Cathy M. wrote: "Finished earlier today! Then had to go back and re-read parts of Book 1 to see what I missed/overlooked about Jack & Jill.

They really took to their new roles well. Crazy to read ..."

(view spoiler)[That's true , she did share the same face as Jill. I think I was just so upset by that turn of events (Jill killing Alexis of all people to show she could be ruthless). (hide spoiler)]

[Cathy M.]

Karen ⊰✿ wrote: "Cathy M. wrote: "Was hoping Book 3 would be about one of the characters we've read about in Book 1 but looks like it's a completely different character. The books in this series don't seem to follo..."

Ditto! :)

[Dev]

i think she said that the format for the series is going to alternate between a book set in the 'present timeline' [books 1 &3] and then prequel books about various different characters [books 2&4]. book 3 has characters from the first book in it but there's also a new girl so i think the series will continue to add and get rid of characters and some of them go back through their doors or new ones come to the school etc

and also that she will literally keep writing them as long as the publisher signs on for more lol so i'm sure she's got a lot of ideas for it

[Rose]

I finished this, and then promptly forgot to post. I did find the ending rushed. I was also expecting more to be added to the story. Like maybe a chapter or so of their reappearance. It just made the story seem more unnecessary to end it with what we already knew.

[Annalisa]

I agree with you Rose. I was most interested in what happened to them after Every Heart a Doorway. I think this would have been a more interesting story if we had gotten that.

[Kristel]

Some of my thoughts:

(view spoiler)[I liked this one way better. Like SandyC said, I do not understand how can Jack forgive Jill and in Every Heart a Doorway act like everything is ok. I feel like the author didn't have a clear idea about the plotline of the series and that why the characters didn't act the way, that in least in my mind, they should've acted. Now, I want to know what happened to them when returned to The Moors at the end of the first book. (hide spoiler)]

[Karen ⊰✿, Fiction Aficionado]

So, does anyone consider the cover has dirt on it?

I've been staring at the hardback for a while and I see lots of rocks... my captain sees dirt

[Cathy M.]

Karen ⊰✿ wrote: "So, does anyone consider the cover has dirt on it?

I've been staring at the hardback for a while and I see lots of rocks... my captain sees dirt
"

It's dark but I would say yes!

[Dev]

i was planning on using it for the dirt cover so i certainly hope your captain sees dirt lol [i mean i think it's a mix of dirt and rocks but yeah, i'm totally for counting it ;)]

[Annalisa]

I thought it was rocks and lichen and some low shrub like stuff covering dirt. That's what I thought a moor was. It does look like dirt on the cover with a little vegetation and rocks.

[Karen ⊰✿, Fiction Aficionado]

Thanks ladies. I thought I was some dirt on the left, but I wasn't sure!

[Donna]

Chapters 1-4

(view spoiler)[
These poor girls were not allowed to develop personalities of their own. The parents are totally clueless about their children's feelings. The grandmother is the only one who has a clue and they kick her to the curb once they have the children pushed into the personalities they want them to have. It was quite mean to lie to the girls and sever their relationship to their grandmother so completely. They even went as far as to not give them presents from her. Twins should be each other's best friend but these girls were treated so differently from the start that they grew to be wary of envious of each other instead. Finding their way to another world may just be the best thing that ever happened to them.

(hide spoiler)]

[Donna]

Elen wrote: "Question:


[spoilers removed]"

I think I would have made the same decision as Jack. Dr. Bleak seems the lesser of 2 evils.

[Donna]

Chapters 5-9
(view spoiler)[

Jack and Jill seem to be taking to their new roles quite differently. Jack, who was always alone growing up, now has friends. Jill is now the loner and enjoying being pampered and spoiled. It is almost like role reversal. It is a shame that they don't have much of a sisterly connection, though.

I felt bad for Jack after her walk thru town with Jill. It seems that being associated with her sister is causing people to mistrust all of a sudden.

(hide spoiler)]

[Donna]

chapters 10-end
(view spoiler)[
Jill is truly spoiled at this point. She wants more than she is allowed to have. On top of that she was jealous of Alexis spending time with her sister. She obviously didn't think before acting or she didn't care. She still thought her master would save her after her actions.

I feel bad for Jack because she was truly happy. She didn't demand for more than she was given. She was happy with what her new life dealt her. Now they are back in the world they were born in.

There is no way that going back is gonna make them closer. I do think Jack knew she had to keep a closer eye on her sister. I think she knew instinctively that the events that happened in book one would happen. She might not have had all the details but she knew her sister was capable of such vile things.
(hide spoiler)]

I will definitely be reading more in this series. I am looking forward to whatever happens next.