BR: Take a Look at the Five and Ten

[Kristenelle]

Take a Look at the Five and Ten

A Christmas themed Connie Willis story for the Christmas season! (I hope I chose the right folder. I think this is a novella?) I'll probably start reading in a few days. Some questions to get us started:

1) What is your familiarity with Connie Willis? What else have you read by her?

2) If you have familiarity with Connie Willis, what do you like/dislike about her writing in general?

3) What are your motivations for reading this?

4) Do you think there are a decent number of people who will spring for a $40 limited edition hardcover copy of this book?

[Oleksandr]

Thanks, Kristen for starting this discussion. I'm in for reading and here are my answers:

1-2 I've read most H/N nominated novels by the author and I'm in love/hate with her Oxford time travel - love her historic detail but hate soap opera coincidences that stop people from doing simplest things. I liked her wry humor in Bellwether

3. I hope it is like Bellwether

4. for sure not me but I think publishers know their potential pool of buyers

[Kristenelle]

Just realized I didn't answer my own questions. 🙈

1-2) I've only read Bellwether. I enjoyed it and plan to read more by Willis. She has a direct, humorous writing style (at least in Bellwether).

3) I love Christmas and reading a Christmas story seems like a fun way to get in the Christmas spirit.

4) I don't get it. There must be dedicated Connie Willis fans out there with completionist collection goals.

[Gabi]

Ad 4) - keeping in mind that Brandon Sanderson did a kickstarter to finance a $200 version of the first Stormlight Archive book and reached his goal of $ 250.000 within 3 minutes there are quite dedicated fans out there.
Perhaps Connie Willis has got them as well.

[Kristenelle]

Gabi wrote: "Ad 4) - keeping in mind that Brandon Sanderson did a kickstarter to finance a $200 version of the first Stormlight Archive book and reached his goal of $ 250.000 within 3 minutes there are quite de..."

Whoa. That's impressive!

[Kristenelle]

Ok, my reading habits the past couple of weeks have been distracted and unfocused. I've been reading a little bit of this and a little bit of that. Well, it is Christmas week now! Time to focus on this one!

I'm about 13% right now. This sounds very much like Connie Willis's voice as I'm familiar with in Bellwether. It even seems like this is going to go in a neuroscience direction. It feels present day. I'm wondering if it is a formula for this author to write in a present day setting and discuss a theory rather than create a new world with different technology like a lot of other scifi does. I would say that this doesn't feel like scifi so far (that could change of course) and I remember discussing whether Bellwether was scifi too.

How are you all doing with it?

[Kateblue]

So we are reading this right now?

[Kristenelle]

I say yes! I’m going to try to finish by Christmas. It isn’t long.

[Oleksandr]

Kristenelle wrote: "How are you all doing with it?"

I plan to get to it, but right now I'm finishing other books first, so I guess in 3-4 days, definitely plan to finish before year's end

[Kristenelle]

I just finished. I thought it was engaging and sweet.

(view spoiler)[ I was convinced that Grandma Elving was having a panic attack when they took her to the hospital. I was confused why they didn't even consider that since they were trying to dredge up a major trauma in her. Shouldn't they have been bracing for a panic attack anyways?

I was also getting frustrated with Ori. She was never sticking up for herself. And then she wouldn't let Grandma Elving talk forever! Like, come on! You guys have been trying to reach a big epiphany and you aren't going to stop everything to listen to what Grandma Elving has to say right now? (hide spoiler)]

[Kateblue]

I have to put it on my Kindle before I can read it!

[Oleksandr]

I finished it, a nice season story. what I thought will be the plot as I've read:
(view spoiler)[1. the memories of a parallel universe, divergent in some details
2. a version of men in black forgetting device going wrong, she saw aliens
3. time travel? she travels back with each telling?
(hide spoiler)]

What have you expected?

[Kateblue]

Yep, love it! 5 stars