[October] Sing, Unburied, Sing, by Jesmyn Ward - Part 2 Through Chapter 6 (Spoilers)

[Katie]

Questions for the first half, through chapter 6.

1. How do you feel about the book so far?
2. The book has multiple narrators. Do you think this structure works for the book? Which of the narrators is your favorite?
3. Which characters do you find most sympathetic and why? Which do you find least sympathetic and why?
4. Answer the question from the person above you.
5. Pose a question for the person below you.

[Peter]

1. How do you feel about the book so far?

I think chapter 6 is where things changed for me. Up to this point I wasn't seeing how it was a ghost story. With the addition of Ritchie's narrative it started to make a little more sense.

2. The book has multiple narrators. Do you think this structure works for the book? Which of the narrators is your favorite?

I liked the structure. It allowed things to develop gradually and worked well to add a little bit at a time by seeing things through different perspectives. Jojo is my favourite voice in the book, Ritchie second and Leonie last.

3. Which characters do you find most sympathetic and why? Which do you find least sympathetic and why?

I think most of the characters are written in a sympathetic way, but I can't stand Leonie. Very few of her decisions make sense. It didn't seem to me that she really had a reason to start using drugs. I also have no idea she was capable of being with Michael after what his relatives did to her brother and the way the covered it up as an accident. She constantly makes poor decisions and blames everyone else other than herself. The resentfulness she feels towards her kids seems extremely unfounded as well and as a parent can't understand the animosity she shows to them.

5. In your opinion what was the scaly bird? I didn't really understand what it was or represented.

[Shelley]

1. How do you feel about the book so far? I'm not enjoying it that much because the language is a bit more flowery than I care for. This is purely a personal opinion and generally based on my mood, so maybe I'm just not feeling it today. I do appreciate that it's a more straightforward view of poverty in the US. A lot of books take either too bleak or a too rose tinted glasses view but I felt this was more real.

2. The book has multiple narrators. Do you think this structure works for the book? Which of the narrators is your favorite? I'm not the biggest fan of multiple POVs but I do think it works in this case. Both Jojo and Leonie have very strong emotional perspectives and I'm not sure how else it could have worked.

3. Which characters do you find most sympathetic and why? Which do you find least sympathetic and why? I actually really feel for Leonie. She seems completely starved for love and affection and completely incapable of digging herself out of the anger that she has to be able to receive it from her parents and children. Like Peter, I can't stand her, but I still feel for her.

4. Answer the question from the person above you. I assumed the bird was a crow and all of the associations with death that come with that. I'm not sure why it would be scaly.

5. Pose a question for the person below you. Do you think Richie will have an influence on the plot or is he a background story-telling device?

[Peter]

You make a good point when you say Leone seems starved for love. That's an apt description of how she perceives things. I guess it's likely that she fell into the background after her brother's death and that may be how things started. I do feel for her situation and the challenges she has been presented but I don't understand her general reactions or decision making in response to her circumstances. Honestly the thing that bothers me most about her is her contempt for her kids. I just don't understand why she feels that way to her.

I'm just posting in response to Shelly so I will leave her question for the next person to answer.

[Silvia]

1. How do you feel about the book so far? It is not the kind of book I usually read, but I am really enjoying it.

2. The book has multiple narrators. Do you think this structure works for the book? Which of the narrators is your favorite? I like the books where I can see the story from different POV, because it gives you the opportunity to understand
why they do what they do, even when the protagonist cannot not understand each other, you do ... sometimes. My favorite narrator is Jojo.

3. Which characters do you find most sympathetic and why? Which do you find least sympathetic and why? For now, I like better Jojo, because is a loyal calm boy and least Leoni, although I also feel sorry for her. When Leoni is talking I can feel her need of love, but when Jojo is talking I know how selfish she is.

4. Do you think Richie will have an influence on the plot or is he a background story-telling device. I think Richie is part of the plot, I think this is the kind of story where anything will find its place in the story at some point.

5. My question: Why do you think Richie is there at that moment?

[Bana AZ]

1. How do you feel about the book so far?
So far, it's okay. I'd put it somewhere between 3-4 stars, but it might change later on.

2. The book has multiple narrators. Do you think this structure works for the book? Which of the narrators is your favorite?
Yes, I think this works especially since the characters sometimes see people who only they can see or hear, like Leonie seeing Given and Jojo hearing animals and then seeing Richie. Like all the ones who've commented before, Jojo is my favorite so far.

3. Which characters do you find most sympathetic and why? Which do you find least sympathetic and why?
Is it weird that I feel most sympathetic to Kayla? I guess I can relate to how she has a favorite in the family (Jojo) and a least favorite (Leonie).

I am least sympathetic to Leonie because of how she is as a parent.

4. Answer the question from the person above you. --- Why do you think Richie is there at that moment?
We haven't heard the full story of Richie from River yet, so I think Richie's there to tell his story. He's the singing unburied soul.

5. Pose a question for the person below you. --- Is Given a ghost? How come only Leonie can see him but Jojo can't even though it seems that Jojo is the one who got passed down the family power?

[Chrissy]

I just finished chapter 6, and I’m enjoying the story and the writing so far. All the characters are interesting, and bring something different, so alternating POV works well. I think Leonie got into drugs partly because they let her see her brother again, as a vision at least or maybe a ghost.

Sorry, I really don’t care for the list of questions format for these discussions! Hope it’s still ok for me to join in the conversation.

I’m interested to see how things change now that Michael will be back.