"Nettle & Bone" First Impressions *No Spoilers*

[SFFBC, Ancillary Mod]

Come talk about your initial, general impressions!

Please save all discussion of particulars, details from the story, character choices, plot questions, etc. for the full spoiler thread.

Content warnings for those who want them: (view spoiler)[ coercion of will, loss of a child, domestic violence, implied rape/ sexual assault, miscarriage, body horror (hands, teeth), cannibalism, harm to animals, street harassment, attempted suicide, religion, parents sacrificing children (hide spoiler)]

Special spoiler comment for people who need to know about animal death ahead of time: (view spoiler)[ None of the animal companions actually die. (hide spoiler)]

[David]

I'm 100 pages in. It feels character-driven, in a good way, and I thought the In Media Res was a good choice.

[〰️Beth〰️]

I am 5 chapters in and this so slow to the point of boring. I usually love this woman’s books within the first few pages. I agree with David it is character driven but not necessarily in a good way.

[Anna]

There's a point where it changes pace pretty dramatically :)

edit: I think it's chapter 7?

[Meredith]

Just started and I'm liking the way things are developing. Just read the first 4 chapters.

[Ellen]

I'm halfway through and enjoying the story. It definitely picked up at chapter 7.

[〰️Beth〰️]

Anna wrote: "There's a point where it changes pace pretty dramatically :)

edit: I think it's chapter 7?"

It definitely changed between 6 and 7. Overall I enjoyed the book.

[Allison]

For those so inclined, Ursula Vernon will be joining us for an author Q&A on September 18 at 1 pm Eastern. Please follow the thread below for details:

https://www.goodreads.com/topic/show/...

[Anna]

And for those who are confused, Ursula Vernon is T. Kingfisher :)

[DivaDiane]

This is very cool, Allison! Thank you!

I started this today (basically) and am enjoying it quite a lot. Much different to Defensive Baking.

[Bonnie]

Anna wrote: "And for those who are confused, Ursula Vernon is T. Kingfisher :)"

That does shed light on some of the excitement
😑😇

[Bonnie]

Five chapters in. I enjoy the 'past' story more than the 'present' story. Suppose we will catch up eventually.

I like the writing except when Marra thinks
Oh.

Funny:

The man was carrying a shovel. Marra eyed it warily. Shovels were good for burying dead bodies, and also for making bodies dead in the first place.

[Beth]

〰️Beth〰️ wrote: "I am 5 chapters in and this so slow to the point of boring. I usually love this woman’s books within the first few pages. I agree with David it is character driven but not necessarily in a good way."

I agree with this other Beth. The plain and straightforward writing style must be deliberate, but it's acting against my engaging with the slow events. I do see that Beth gave it four stars in the long run. I'll keep at it until that ch. 6-7 turnaround, at least!

[Sarah, The Unsettled]

I think it started picking up for me around chapter 9. I too initially found the back story more engaging, but I’m loving the characters!

[Gabi]

Just started listening to it - now THAT's a way to write the first sentence of a book. Got me instantly intrigued.

[Mel]

Started to pick this up a few times, but glad that I'm just digging in now so it'll be fresh for the meeting tomorrow. :)

Starting Chapter 8, but I haven't found the opening chapters to be slow. Similar to Bonnie, once we leap back to the establishing narrative I mentally wriggled and got myself cozied up to the story. "Now let's see what this is all about then, shall we?"

If anything, there are a couple moments where the narrative went, "Let's just skip that bit, shall we?" Or got straight to the point in a refreshingly no-nonsense sort of way, "No need to beat about the bush. We've got things to do, people to see. Best get to it."

[Bobby]

I felt that the beginning was slow as others have said. I just finished a couple of other just ok fantasy books and I almost put N&B aside thinking it was similar in quality. But I finished it today and I enjoyed it more than the previous two books I read. It picked up at some point as others have said and I enjoyed it overall.

[CBRetriever]

part of today's Daily Deal on amazon.com for $2.99

[Liane]

87 pages in & enjoying this light read after several historical war books. Laughed at “Of course….It was never not going to be horrible.” Wish I had been able to make yesterday’s zoom.

[Allison]

we recorded the q&a! you can find it in the VBC thread. i know it was not an optimal time for our Australian friends

[Leonie]

Allison wrote: "we recorded the q&a! you can find it in the VBC thread. i know it was not an optimal time for our Australian friends"

I am so pleased to hear this! I shall have to go and have a good look!