August 2018 - Group Read #1 - The Ruins

[Erin]

I am over half way through it and I am really enjoying it so far. I do agree with you, David, I feel some of the characters are rather annoying aside from Mathias.

[Alondra]

Kimberly wrote: "Your comment made me laugh so hard!!! Great rules to follow! ..."

LOL. I'm glad, it was just hilarious. I did have fun reading it though.

Melanie wrote: "Perfect summation of the book :)...

Thankee, thankee, Sai!

Nancy wrote: "I was starting to feel like the only one...."

Hardly. I know a ton of folks really loved this novel; but I didn't. I question the 3.5 stars I gave it; but think the last star was for entertainment. o_O

[Justin]

Alondra wrote: "Kimberly wrote: "Your comment made me laugh so hard!!! Great rules to follow! ..."

LOL. I'm glad, it was just hilarious. I did have fun reading it though.

Melanie wrote: "Perfect summation of the..."

I loved it and advocated to my wife that she should read it. She did and her opinion was meh.

[Erin]

I finished The Ruins last night and overall I really enjoyed it. I know there have been some talk about the ending but I thought it fit the story, that there would be no happy ending for anyone involved. My one gripe was (view spoiler)[the way Mathias died, I thought it was sort of sloppy and just a hurried way to move the story along. (hide spoiler)]

[David]

Erin wrote: "I am over half way through it and I am really enjoying it so far. I do agree with you, David, I feel some of the characters are rather annoying aside from Mathias."
The Mayans know how to deal with Ugly American tourists. Turn them into plant food XD

[Marie Helene]

The Mayans should fight evil with evil (view spoiler)[ I suggest they try glyphosate 🤪 (hide spoiler)]

[L. Smashing]

Erin wrote: "I finished The Ruins last night and overall I really enjoyed it. I know there have been some talk about the ending but I thought it fit the story, that there would be no happy ending for anyone inv..."

TBH (view spoiler)[ I don't remember how Mathias died... (hide spoiler)] :\

[L. Smashing]

Marie-Helene wrote: "The Mayans should fight evil with evil [spoilers removed]"

XD

[M.E.]

Erin wrote: "(view spoiler)[My one gripe was [the way Mathias died, I thought it was sort of sloppy and just a hurried way to move the story along. (hide spoiler)]"

I'm with you on that. On a related note: (view spoiler)[33% of the main characters in this story died from a knife stab to the heart. (hide spoiler)]

[Ctgt]

Finished up today and ended up enjoying it. Initially my eyes glazed over a bit with all the introspection but after an attitude adjustment, I thought it was (view spoiler)[ a pretty decent look at how people react when facing their own mortality. (hide spoiler)]

[Erin]

Laura wrote: "Erin wrote: "I finished The Ruins last night and overall I really enjoyed it. I know there have been some talk about the ending but I thought it fit the story, that there would be no happy ending f..."

(view spoiler)[He was stabbed by Eric when Eric was in a frenzy, deeply cutting himself since he was convinced the vine was still in him. (hide spoiler)]

[Erin]

M.E. wrote: "Erin wrote: "[spoilers removed]"

I'm with you on that. On a related note: [spoilers removed]"

Interesting, I didn't think of that.

[Carmilla]

I wrote a review on my blog as well. It isn't long and is relatively spoiler free if anyone is interested. http://carmillavoiez.wixsite.com/carm...

[Ami]

I finished this last week but I kept forgetting to post! >.<

I really enjoyed this book. I thought it was pretty damn creepy. Easily moving this book to my “favorites” pile. Might be my favorite book of the year. :o

[Melanie]

Ami wrote: "I finished this last week but I kept forgetting to post! >.<

I really enjoyed this book. I thought it was pretty damn creepy. Easily moving this book to my “favorites” pile. Might be my favorite b..."

Awesome Ami. I love when you find a book that really floats your boat. I loved it too.

[Jamesboggie]

I am about a third of the way through. They have reached the ruins. I like the writing. It builds smoothly from the four man characters partying on the beach to the actual plot. I like the characters too; they seem realistic to me. Only one thing so far pulled me out of the story: (view spoiler)[I think Eric dropping 20 feet onto Pablo's chest should have killed Pablo. (hide spoiler)]

[Erin]

Jamesboggie wrote: "I am about a third of the way through. They have reached the ruins. I like the writing. It builds smoothly from the four man characters partying on the beach to the actual plot. I like the characte..."

I was thinking the same thing.

[Sarah]

I have a question about the vines.

(view spoiler)[ When the vines laugh or speak, does the author explain how this works? I didn't notice. But what a great writing technique, to make the reader believe what's happening without going into the science of it. (hide spoiler)]

[Marie Helene]

Sarah wrote: "I have a question about the vines.

I did not notice too, but (view spoiler)[ in the film the flowers are the ones who speak (hide spoiler)]

[Rachel]

Ami wrote: "I finished this last week but I kept forgetting to post! >.<

I really enjoyed this book. I thought it was pretty damn creepy. Easily moving this book to my “favorites” pile. Might be my favorite b..."

I thought the book was so creepy as well. I didn't re-read it this month with everyone but I read it sort of recently (while on vacation, lmao) and thought it was so good.

[Alondra]

Justin wrote: "I loved it and advocated to my wife that she should read it. She did and her opinion was meh....

Awww, it's okay, LOL. Every book is not for every body. I do love that about reading. How 5 people can see it 5 different ways... :)

[Becko]

Just finished. Not a book I couldn't put down, but I would recommend it. The vines are the best part. Still trying to decide if the language differences amongst the group add anything to the story. Definitely with the Mayans.

[Marie Helene]

Who knows what happened to Scott Smith?
He seems to have stopped writing.
I have added A simple plan to my TBR list.

[Erin]

Marie-Helene wrote: "Who knows what happened to Scott Smith?
He seems to have stopped writing.
I have added A simple plan to my TBR list."

I added A Simple Plan as well. I looked at his Wikipedia page and there isn't a lot of information about him. The only recent thing, that being from 2016, was that TNT picked up a pilot that he created but obviously it never went to air.

[Nancy]

Marie-Helene wrote: "Who knows what happened to Scott Smith?
He seems to have stopped writing..."

Maybe because he has been busy with his screen writing. He had a TV movie last year (I don’t think it has been released yet) and a movie with Keanu Reeves was just released in July. He is also the screenwriter for The Burnt Orange Heresy which is currently in production.

https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0809895/

[Marie Helene]

Nancy wrote: "Marie-Helene wrote: "Who knows what happened to Scott Smith?
He seems to have stopped writing..."

Maybe because he has been busy with his screen writing. He had a TV movie last year (I don’t thin..."

I did not know that. Thank you Nancy.
I hope we will get another book from him soon

[M.E.]

Marie-Helene wrote: "I hope we will get another book from him soon"

Me too!

[Alondra]

A Simple Plan was made into a movie back in 98; with Bill Paxton and Billy Bob Thornton. It was excellent. If you have not seen it, then do so.

Much better than killer vines... LOL

[Erin]

Alondra wrote: "A Simple Plan was made into a movie back in 98; with Bill Paxton and Billy Bob Thornton. It was excellent. If you have not seen it, then do so.

Much better than killer vines... LOL"

I haven't seen it, is it worth reading the book first and then watching the movie or does it matter?

[Alondra]

Erin wrote: "I haven't seen it, is it worth reading the book first and then watching the movie or does it matter? ..."

I have yet to read the book. All I know is that the movie was awesome.

[Marie Helene]

Alondra wrote: "A Simple Plan was made into a movie back in 98; with Bill Paxton and Billy Bob Thornton. It was excellent. If you have not seen it, then do so.

Much better than killer vines... LOL"

As a movie A Simple Plan was excellent ...

As a movie The Ruins was a good b-horror one ...

And Scott Smith wrote both screenplays ✍️