The Book of Strange New Things: Part II (Contains Spoilers)

[Kara]

This is to discuss the second section, On Earth.

[[deleted user]]

Not sure why it took me so long to make the Heart of Darkness connection. I mean the previous pastor's name is Kurtzberg!

[Kara]

Oh my goodness, I didn't think of that AT ALL until you mentioned it, haha. And now it's so obvious!

[[deleted user]]

It's so weird. I'm strangely annoyed by Bea's letters, as it seems Peter is. But then I'm also really upset at him for not writing her back! I imagine I must be approaching the end of Part II, which is strange as I'm at page 318. The next 3 parts must be much shorter than the first two. My mind can't even imagine where this is headed next.

[Amanda]

I just finished the second section and like Erica I was getting very annoyed by Bea's letters, but also curious as to why so many disasters were happening back at home... I guess we may find out. I don't ever read sci fi so this was a little tough for me to get into but seems to be moving right along now.

[Whitney]

Awww, I actually feel bad for Bea. I think she's handling things well considering her husband went to another planet, leaving her stuck at home with no heat, no food, a broken window, etc.

I'm at about p. 320, and I don't think I have it in me to read about another stint at the Oasan community. For whatever reason, the description of Peter's life with the Oasans has been a bit tedious for me to get through. I just don't find it interesting at all. Though it has been interesting to watch the shift in Peter's thoughts/personality as he's distanced himself from other humans.

[Alisia]

I'm listening to the audio version so if I misspell names/places I'm sorry!

Did anyone else notice when Peter talked about the unimportance of a physical church/building he referred to outside of the church as earth (among other things I can't remember)? I thought "Wait a minute... you're not on earth." Did I miss what planet he actually IS on? Is the planet called Oasis or is that just the name of the community. The downside to the audiobook is that it is much harder to go back to a specific chapter.

Another thing I thought about while listening to this book is, the bible has been passed through centuries and re-interpreted over and over and over. AND NOW, he is doing it again! I though oh great! I know he is trying to be helpful and help them understand, but that bothered me a little although I don't personally have any attachments to the bible.

Also, where in the beginning I thought the way the narrator did the alien voices was cool, I now find annoying.

[Kara]

Alisia, the planet has been named Oasis. Peter slips a lot and uses terms like "earth" and "people." I wonder if it's his way of dealing with being so far from home.

[Peggy]

Finished part two and so far I am really enjoying it. Here are just a bunch of random thoughts/impressions I had as I read.
I wonder if Bea would ever regret her decision to get pregnant. As she mentioned, the world literally changed for the worse once Peter left. I didn't like Peter's desire to build a church (initially with a big spire)and his own personal written translations of the bible. I think his inability to realize/appreciate his wife's dangerous situation at home is shallow. He really doesn't seem very concerned and is feeling distance from Bea but he hasn't been gone very long...a few months?! I love the cover of the book! It definitely sums up Bea and Peter's relationship. As I am reading I have no idea who to trust and what the ulterior motives are for each of the characters. Initially I liked Peter now I am seeing him as not only naive but shallow. I will be very disappointed if there is any infidelity in the remaining book.

[Cassandra]

What I think is interesting is Peter's (accidental?) references to the Oasans as humans. People to me is a word that can be applied to all sentient beings, but human is a world that applies only to people from Earth.

I didn't think Bea's letters were irritating. I can't imagine what it would be like for your husband to be so incredibly far away while the world is literally falling to pieces around you. It must feel like the apocalypse on Earth, with all of the shortages and natural disasters.

Peter is increasingly changed by this new world. Something is making him increasingly passive, even more so than the USIC employees. Is it the food? The water? The atmosphere? Something that Peter is exposed to in greater quanities than the others.

Now that I write this, I remember that the original USIC employees went crazy pretty quickly. Then there was a more rigorous selection process and the current group seems remarkably content. They don't wonder about conditions on Earth at all, and Grainger seems to be one of the only ones with strong feelings. Is it just the selection process, or is something else going on here?

[Claire]

Erica wrote: "Not sure why it took me so long to make the Heart of Darkness connection. I mean the previous pastor's name is Kurtzberg!"

*Facepalm* I never made that connection, but it's very accurate! Great catch, Erica!

Cassandra, I agree that Peter is becoming more passive, or at least more acclimated to the environment, just as Kurtzberg and Frank were. The common factor seems to be the greater time spent with the Oasans/exposed to the environment.

I also think there is something else going on with the USIC employees. They are entirely too complacent, and too disconnected from their past lives. I mentioned in the thread for Part I that I thought USIC might be drugging them. But combining these two ideas, is it possible that USIC might be doing something to immunize them against whatever is affecting Peter?

My other random thought: is it possible that USIC might be intercepting and modifying the communications between Peter and Bea, to try to drive a wedge between them, and make Peter want to stay?

[Megan]

Having just recently watched "Interstellar", that might be shadowing my perception of some of the clues that I am seeing. The references to the neo-natal equipment, larger colonies, lack of guns and passivity, all seem to suggest USIC is a colonization effort to save/improve the human race. Given the reports from Bea back on earth, it seems the planet is going to hell in a handbasket. It also seems like the USIC employees are being given drugs to decrease violent tendencies, which might be why Peter has such violent physical reactions when he returns to base. Not sure but truly intrigued as to where this story is going from here!

[Kaitlin]

I feel like USIC foresaw the natural disasters and started working on building a new civilization on Oasis. That idea is definitely hinted at throughout part two, such as the setup of a large medical base, including a place for infants. I am then wondering if it is a red herring.

I do really wonder if Peter and Bea will ever see each other again. Peter's inability to respond to Bea's letters in an appropriate or emotional way is really starting to irritate me. Just sit your butt down and respond, Peter!

[Karen]

Just finished the second part of the book. I do feel bad for Bea and everything she is experiencing at home. Peters responses don't feel heartfelt even though he seems to try and make them be, and the letters which at one point were a way to make them feel closer together are now driving them apart.
I really want to know what is going on with the employees of USIC and why no one else is concerned about the condition of Earth. I don't think it is a coincidence that most of them have no connections back on Earth, and the only two that do (Peter and Grainger) show any emotions.

[Jenn]

Cassandra wrote: "What I think is interesting is Peter's (accidental?) references to the Oasans as humans. People to me is a word that can be applied to all sentient beings, but human is a world that applies only to..."

Interesting...when I read your thoughts about Grainger being the only one who seems to have feelings, I thought about how she drinks the expensive bottled water instead of the green flavored water...could they be drugging the water?

[Jenn]

I'm mostly bored by this book. I want answers to the big questions and all the descriptions of the day to day life just seem like filler until I can get to meat of what is really going on. I feel like by 70% into a book, we should have more of an idea of where it is heading. Right now I feel like we have a lot of interesting questions, but no idea how anything is going to be resolved. I agree with Whitney that the parts where Peter is with the Oasans are especially tedious. At least when he goes back to base, we learn more about what is going on.

[Adam]

I agree, it's about halfway through the book now and it seems there are more questions being generated than answers, like a bad episode of Lost.

I'm wondering if the cinnamon being dropped by the aliens was something important. Did they realize that a drug was disguised as cinnamon, or was that supposed to be there with the medicine? They didn't really explain that.

I'm secretly hoping that the aliens are going to open up in righteous indignation and start killing unbelievers. Then things would finally get interesting. If I understood correctly they see unbelievers as good as dead. Or did I misinterpret that? I'm listening to the audiobook and I think I'm missing a lot of what the aliens are supposed to be saying. But it seems they have a strange fascination with knifes and needles too.

I thought the funeral speech actually was in poor taste towards the end when he asserted his beliefs. But in real life funerals are often hijacked anyway I've noticed, and sometimes more is said about the speakers religion than about the actual person. At least he did a good job at going over his life an achievements.

[Reija]

I'm agree, this is really boring. He is very annoying, I don't know why he cannot tell more about aliens and their life and maybe the world generally but then we get endless letters and long chapters some happenings that seems no meaning. And all that religion stuff, this feels like some preachers book. I honestly don't care much what happens any of those people, just maybe little about Bea. What is happening the earth?

[Jenn]

Adam wrote: "I agree, it's about halfway through the book now and it seems there are more questions being generated than answers, like a bad episode of Lost.

I'm wondering if the cinnamon being dropped by th..."

I thought the point of the dropped cinnamon scene was just to illustrate how different the Oasans are from humans. When stuff happens they just accept it and move on - there's no fuss or drama.

[Meg]

I am really enjoying this book. I am getting worried now that the are so many unanswered questions left but not a lot of pages. I think the ending will be very disappointing without answers.