The Poppy Fields

[SarahKat, Buddy Reads]

This thread is to discuss The Poppy Fields by Nikki Erlick.

Pages: 324 pages

Length: 1 month (July)

Participants: Elaine, Susan, Lorraine

Everyone reads at their own pace during a Buddy Read. Because participants can be at different parts of the book at different times, it is extremely important to mark spoilers so that the book is not ruined for someone who is not as far along as others!!!

Mark spoilers by placing {spoiler} before the text and {/spoiler} after the text but use the < and > instead of the { and }.

Here are some questions to help get the conversation started! Feel free to look up discussion questions specific to this book or come up with your own. Just make sure any questions that contain spoilers are under spoiler tags.
Discussion questions are not required but may be a fun way to talk about the book and get to know each other!

Prior to starting:
What prompted you to join this buddy read?
Have you read this author before? What do you think of their other books?

Mid-read:
What character or ideas do you relate to the most and why?
Do you have any favorite quotes or scenes?

After reading:
What was enjoyable or not-so-enjoyable about this book?
Did this book change your perception about anything, either within the book (character development) or in real life?

[Lorraine]

Hello Elaine and Susan. I am still waiting for my copy from the library. Unfortunately, it seems I wont get it on time. Sorry for that

[Elaine]

Lorraine wrote: "Hello Elaine and Susan. I am still waiting for my copy from the library. Unfortunately, it seems I wont get it on time. Sorry for that"

No problem - I completely understand…this happens to me all the time!

[Susan, Games & Events]

I've also been waiting on my copy from the library. We could ask SarahKat to move this Buddy Read to August. What do you think?

[Elaine]

Works for me!

[Susan, Games & Events]

Great! I'll request it in the Buddy Reads sign up.

[SarahKat, Buddy Reads]

This has been moved to the August folder

[Susan, Games & Events]

Thank you! I finally got my copy from the library!

[Lorraine]

I’ve finished The Poppy Fields—the book arrived much sooner than I expected! (view spoiler)[Overall, I thought the story was okay, but I had trouble connecting with the characters. They were sympathetic and likable, but for some reason, I just couldn’t fully engage with them.

I also had some difficulty with the story itself. Personally, I believe grief is a process that takes time—something we need to experience in order to carry forward the memories of those we’ve lost, whether a person or a pet. I understand the very human wish to skip over the pain, to sleep through it and wake up without suffering. But to me, that suffering is part of what keeps our capacity to love alive.

By the end of the book, I wasn’t entirely sure what the author wanted readers to take away. It left me a bit uncertain and reflective. (hide spoiler)]

[Susan, Games & Events]

I started this book this morning and I'm enjoying it so far.

[Susan, Games & Events]

Finished reading The Poppy Fields today. The idea of sleeping away your grief is an interesting idea, but I had a hard time enjoying the parts of the book. I found myself skimming here and there and I hate that. (view spoiler)[Seemed more like a road trip amongst strangers with info about the fields thrown in here and there. People need to grieve their loved ones and not just sleep it away. The side of effect of the sleep, losing all feelings for your loved one, would be horrible. (hide spoiler)]

[Elaine]

Finally got my copy and absolutely loved the book! So glad it was worth the long (LONG) wait!! I didn't love this one as much as The Measure but it was still a very well-written story that I really enjoyed. Glad to add this author to my auto-read list!