Let's Read I'LL GIVE YOU THE SUN Together

[Sharman]

Some of the group have suggested reading a book together--with a new book every two months. A book suggested by two members already is I'll Give You the Sun, a 2015 Printz Winner.

I'll Give You the Sun

How about if we start with that for March/April for any of you who want to join?

We can also collect suggestions here for the next book to be read this summer, June/July.

[bjneary]

I read this book and LOVED it, I will be participating.

[bjneary]

If you have not read All the Bright Places
Jennifer Niven, OMG- it is so sad but so good. I would suggest this as a future book to read. Here is my review:
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

[Julia]

I haven't yet read I'll Give You the Sun, but I read Jandy Nelson's The Sky is Everywhere and vowed to follow her anywhere. It was one of my favorite books that year. I'll be participating, too.

[Sharman]

Okay, well, let's do this! We'll start reading and let the discussion really start to roll in April. Until then, reviews are welcome but no spoilers per the plot?

[Janice]

If any of you are Audible members, this book is the Daily Deal at $3.95 today. I picked it up and will read it after I finish the audiobook I'm currently reading.

[bjneary]

Janice wrote: "If any of you are Audible members, this book is the Daily Deal at $3.95 today. I picked it up and will read it after I finish the audiobook I'm currently reading." My review on goodreads - https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

[Sharman]

Thanks for this information! I'm not a member but tempted now...

[Merritt]

Christopher Morley The Haunted Bookshop and Parnassas on Wheels are great books for book lovers and book store lovers. They were written about 90 years ago. I just found and bought the first and donated it to the local library.\
The Candy Bombersa story of the Russian blockade of Berlin, Germany 1948-49 and ensuing year-long airlift to supply the 2.2 million people of the city who had no access to supplies and lived in a destroyed city. Among the pilots flying in supplies and fuel was one who started dropping tiny parachutes with candy and dried fruit to children of the city.

[Sharman]

Merritt wrote: "Christopher Morley The Haunted Bookshop and Parnassas on Wheels are great books for book lovers and book store lovers. They were written about 90 years ago. I just found and bought t..."

Hi, Merritt!

[Stephanie]

Just put it on hold at the library.

[Merritt]

Also, I'm reading (almost finished) The Boys in the Boat. This is the story of the Univ. of Washington sculling team that beat the Germans at the 1936 Olympics.
Plus reading Rescuing Da Vinci, by Robert M. Edsel, the story (illustrated profusely) on Hitler and the Nazis stole Europe's Great Art, America and Her Allies Recovered it.
Plus re-reading both John D. MacDonald's Pale Gray for Guilt, a Travis McGee novel and Early Autumn, a Spenser Novel, by Robert Parker.

[Janice]

I started the book today. At first, I wasn't sure I was going to like it. But, by the time I had to get ready to go out with friends, I didn't want to put it down.

How do you want to proceed with book discussions? Is it preferable to read in March and discuss in April, or read/discuss at our own pace?

[Kathy]

Me too, started reading it last week and was immediately hooked. I am now halfway through it and totally get why it has garnered so much attention. Beautiful writing, complex characters, compelling storyline - so far, so good!

[Sharman]

Janice wrote: "I started the book today. At first, I wasn't sure I was going to like it. But, by the time I had to get ready to go out with friends, I didn't want to put it down.

How do you want to proceed wi..."

I am open to suggestions as to how to proceed! But probably it makes sense to let people read a little more before we start discussing the book. So, yes, read in March and talk in April. If anyone wants to post beforehand, though, without spoilers, feel free.

[Janice]

I'll be patient and wait. :)

[Janice]

I finished the book last night and really enjoyed it and I'm looking forward to discussing it with everyone.

[Madly Jane]

I have the book and will wait for the group to read before I start.

[Gail]

I've read and loved the book; would be happy to join the conversation after!

[Gail]

Upcoming YAs that I would join in a group read:

1) Tommy Wallach's "We All Looked Up"
2) Becky Albertalli's "Simon vs. the Homosapiens Agenda"
3) David Arnold's "Mosquitoland"

[Tracy]

Can't wait to discuss it in April. Jealous of all of you who are reading it for the very first time! Thanks for asking me to join. Looking forward to getting to know you all and getting to know some great literature through this group!

[bjneary]

Julia wrote: "I haven't yet read I'll Give You the Sun, but I read Jandy Nelson's The Sky is Everywhere and vowed to follow her anywhere. It was one of my favorite..." Julia, I LOVED the Sky is Everywhere too!!!

[Kathy]

Just finished the book. Wow. I'll be really interested in whether the experience of reading the book is different for those who do not have children. Can't wait for our discussion!

[Sharman]

Gail wrote: "Upcoming YAs that I would join in a group read:

1) Tommy Wallach's "We All Looked Up"
2) Becky Albertalli's "Simon vs. the Homosapiens Agenda"
3) David Arnold's "Mosquitoland""

Thanks, Gail. Simon vs. the Homo Sapiens Agenda

I had to go and check out this book for its intriguing title.

[Sharman]

Kathy wrote: "Just finished the book. Wow. I'll be really interested in whether the experience of reading the book is different for those who do not have children. Can't wait for our discussion!"

Me, too. I haven't finished it yet mainly because it's on audio. I am certainly enjoying her sparkly language.

[bjneary]

I have read this book but for this discussion I am listening to it and I so enjoyed this format!!! I still have 4 hours to go but what a joy to listen to a book I SO LOVED reading!

[Sharman]

Well, what did you all think? Language? Structure? The ending? The sex? The themes?

[bjneary]

Right now I am only going to comment on the
Language, Jandy Nelson has used the words to evoke so many brilliant colors, sounds, images- you get swept up in her language and you want it to continue long after the book ends! Boy did I savor the way Jude and Igor spoke, Noah's thoughts were explosions and The sculptor's sadness was palpable- just LOVED her words- every single one.

[Janice]

I really enjoyed the way Jandy Nelson painted pictures with words. It was reminiscent of the word craft in The Book Thief. I thought it was very clever to have Noah think in terms of colour, pictures, and imagery. It was completely in character of an artist.

The structure threw me off a little at the beginning. Noah in the present time and Jude several years later looking back to the past. I adapted quickly, though. While in Jude's POV, Jandy was able to do a bit of foreshadowing. I appreciated that she wasn't heavy handed with it. There was just enough of a teaser to whet my appetite.

The sex.. at first I thought that they were a bit young. How easy it is to forget one's own forays into the world of love when a teenager. I'm also reminded of the time I walked into my 13 year old son's bedroom to find calendar pictures of scantily clad women on his ceiling. I was not happy, and remember complaining to my friend, "He is 13 and not ready for sex!" Her response, "HE'S ready for sex. YOU aren't ready for him to be thinking of girls in that way."

I'll hold back on any more comments for now. I need to get to work!

[Sharman]

I listened to this on audio, and I am glad to be introduced to audio! But like reading on kindle, there are drawbacks for me. One of those is that I couldn't stop and reread sentences that just--well, they lept into my ear rather than off the page. (Lept? Leapt? Leaped? Jumped.) They were funny. They sparkled. The whole book glowed for that reason. (I can't say that everything worked in terms of language. But 87% did and that's pretty good.)

[Janice]

I can rewind 30 seconds on my app if I want to listen to something again. It can be done multiple times if necessary.

[bjneary]

Sharman wrote: "I listened to this on audio, and I am glad to be introduced to audio! But like reading on kindle, there are drawbacks for me. One of those is that I couldn't stop and reread sentences that just--we..." I read this book first (on a kindle) and just finished listening on Audible and oh did I love it!!! And I never read a book a 2nd time but this book was so worth it!!! I was able to re-imagine this book fraught with flawed characters, drama, and SAVOR for the 2nd time how this book just got to me. I was flabbergasted with Jude and Noah---I ached for them as terribly flawed characters but I understood their jealousies and just how much of a toll is taken on everyone involved in that "two" year period. Noah's words, imagination, and life were so full of color, and I enjoyed the way he saw things and then when he referred to this as "portrait" or "self-portrait"- he is the ultimate artist and as a reader I could "see" and "feel" his tremendous ability. But I did not like all the bad things he said as a result of his insecurities. Whereas Jude was one tough cookie and I hated to see her change and become this bible toting, disease moaning, crazy person in the 2 year period we know her. I understood why Jandy Nelson always had Noah's narration 2 years behind but I found it a little disconcerting. Sharman, let us know what did not work for you in language, I am interested in hearing more on your thoughts.

[Kathy]

I really liked this book, for a variety of reasons, and am putting it in the hands of as many people as I can find, both young and not-so-young adults! First, I think the alternating chapters were very effective in keeping the interest of the reader. You knew SOMETHING happened and wanted to keep reading to find out. I have seen this storytelling technique used before (A Northern Light, for example, another very fine book), and actually like the slight confusion and occasional discomfort of moving back and forth in time. Second, I noticed how well the author used language to depict the intensity of adolescent sexuality without being gratuitously explicit. Finally, the climax of the story, as both children grapple with guilt and redemption and love, moved me to tears. Literally. I was sitting at my desk in the library, surrounded by teenagers, with tears flowing down my face. I think this may have been because of my relationship with my own children, so I'm not sure teenagers would necessarily react the same way. And I would be interested in hearing from other parents whether this section moved them the same way.

[Sharman]

I read a lot of reviews on Goodreads and people were crying in quite a few of them! I think that's a sweet scene--at your desk in the library, the tears flowing down your face.

I also really liked how flawed the characters were. Their jealousy--from the very beginning. The mean things the twins would do to each other. It felt very real and natural and made for good drama, too.

Oh, with audible, I just couldn't stop and look at language, in terms of noting what didn't work for me. But I don't expect an author to work for me all the time! I guess I felt that Noah relied a few too many times on hyperbole, that I heard some devices like the hyperbolic punchline too many times, toilet-licking too many times. But that kind of repetition could also be necessary as part of building his voice. Again, I don't have complaints regarding her language! Every page had some flourish or sparkle and some pages many of them.

[Sharman]

Janice wrote: "I can rewind 30 seconds on my app if I want to listen to something again. It can be done multiple times if necessary."

Good idea. I'll try that. Listening to a book takes me so much longer than reading a book that I might be loathe to extend the time period. But I think audible serves me well for many situations. I suspect I just want and need a printed copy in addition...

[Janice]

I spend more time listening to books than I do reading them so I tend to finish audiobooks faster. The advantage to audiobooks is that they force me to listen to every word and good narration will pull me into the story. When reading, I tend to skim over words. I also tend to cheat by peaking ahead. :)

There are definitely disadvantages. I'm trying to remember the phrases Noah and Jude used that had me rolling my eyes. If I was reading a book or ebook, I could search that out pretty easily.

The phrases that annoyed me were Noah's constant, "Self-portrait". Jude had hers as well, but I can't remember it.

I agree regarding the jealousies and petty sabotaging they did to each other. They had spectacular, yet unintentional, results.

[Yuthika]

I loved this book, and will be delighted to read it again, together!

[bjneary]

Sharman wrote: "Janice wrote: "I can rewind 30 seconds on my app if I want to listen to something again. It can be done multiple times if necessary."

Good idea. I'll try that. Listening to a book takes me so muc..." I agree that this might be a book I want to keep, give to others to read and mark up my favorite passages, quotes, etc!

[Sharman]

Janice wrote: "I spend more time listening to books than I do reading them so I tend to finish audiobooks faster. The advantage to audiobooks is that they force me to listen to every word and good narration will..."

Oh, yes, the audio is making me slow down as a reader and listen and that is all to the good. I have that childhood habit of "devouring" books, eating too fast. But I don't have the childhood habit, now, of rereading a book--and sometimes I should.

[bjneary]

Sharman, I am thinking about the structure of this book and it was a little awkward for me to keep going from Noah to Jude with the time sequence but as I read/listened to the story and jst let Jandy Nelson work her magic---the structure worked for me by the end of the book. It was like a puzzle or even a mystery where the pieces end up being where they should be...and in this case...an ending representing Jude and Noah trying to be true to each other---no lies, no jealousies.

[Sharman]

I liked the structure and felt it engaged me as a reader--trying to fit the past with the present, what happened to Noah then with what was happening with Jude now. Without this complexity, I think the emphasis on their sexuality, on the romances, on the emotional dynamics, wouldn't have been quite enough. All that emotion! I needed a little of that intellectual puzzle or mystery, as you say, as a balance.

[bjneary]

Sharman wrote: "I liked the structure and felt it engaged me as a reader--trying to fit the past with the present, what happened to Noah then with what was happening with Jude now. Without this complexity, I think..." I totally agree with your assessment Sharman, I felt like I was on a rollercoaster but I loved the wild ride:)

[Shelley]

Darn, just saw this. Are we starting a new one soon?

[Sharman]

Shelley wrote: "Darn, just saw this. Are we starting a new one soon?"

We should, shouldn't we? I am strongly tempted by Bone Gap Bone Gap because it has gotten such strong reviews and is described as so original--and is quite different from I'll Give You the Sun. What say you?

[bjneary]

Sharman wrote: "Shelley wrote: "Darn, just saw this. Are we starting a new one soon?"

We should, shouldn't we? I am strongly tempted by Bone Gap Bone Gap because it has gotten such strong reviews..." I just finished it this weekend and OH SO GOOD!!!

[Sharman]

Okay, three votes for Bone Gap! Let me start a thread.

[Shelley]

I'll order Bone Gap now

[Madly Jane]

I have Bone Gap and would love to read it with you ladies!

[Sharman]

Wonderful. And there is a Bone Gap discussion that you can just post in and continue with that discussion...lots to talk about with this book.