Await Your Reply

[Kathie]

Thanks so much for bringing this book to my attention in the podcast. I really enjoyed it--the language, the structure of three parallel stories, the whole concept.

This book explored the slippery-ness of identity, with characters who shed identities and take on new and shadowy lives. The aura of unease that gradually builds throughout the book and keeps the pages turning.

[[deleted user]]

I thought it was interesting how after reading the book you didn't really know who anyone was (or at least I didn't).

[Rita]

I'm picking this up from the library tomorrow. I had to return it before I was finished with it. I will be able to finish it this time.

[Heather]

I agree Suzanne-I finished it yesterday and I'm still kinda trying to wrap my mind around it!

Heather in KS

[Vanessa]

For anyone in the Columbus, OH area, Chaon (among others) will be at the Ohioana Literary Festival on 5/8:

http://ohioanabookfestival.org/

[Tara]

*SPOILERS IN COMMENT* I'm hoping everyone in this thread has read the novel? Because I've been dying to talk to someone about it! My question is - do you believe the central character was mentally ill? A schizophrenic or a sociopath? I thought that was the implication made by the other characters, but in the end I felt as if most of his paranoia proved to be legitimate. Any thoughts?

[Linda]

Vanessa wrote: "For anyone in the Columbus, OH area, Chaon (among others) will be at the Ohioana Literary Festival on 5/8:

http://ohioanabookfestival.org/"

I'm hopin' on bein' there! I was excited when I read this.

Linda

[Vanessa]

Linda wrote: I'm hopin' on bein' there!

Great Linda. I'm planning on attending too although I'll have to work out what time. I do want to see Chaon and Andrew Hudgins. I have 3 books of his poetry I bought signed 20 years ago down in Kentucky. Strange coincidence.

[Andrea]

I'm a little over half finished with this and I keep thinking I've got it figured out until something else happens! I have to keep putting the book down for work, kids, home, pets, etc. and it's driving me crazy that I can't just sit uninterrupted and find out exactly who is who!

[Michael]

Booksexy wrote: "*SPOILERS IN COMMENT* I'm hoping everyone in this thread has read the novel? Because I've been dying to talk to someone about it! My question is - do you believe the central character was mental..."

*SPOILERS* I felt like it was a little bit of both, he definitely wasn't as far gone as we were led to believe, but he seemed to relish becoming someone new (admittedly, I read it a LONG time ago...)

[Linda]

I am just back from Ohioana Book Festival in Columbus. I stopped and chatted specifically with Dan Chaon who was not aware of the Books on the Nightstand podcast, but he is now! I even told him about this specific discussion on Good Reads that isn't a discussion because no one wants to give anything away. He seemed very appreciative of our thoughtfulness and our advocating for this book. Nice man, but I had met him a few years ago at the Buckeye Book Fair and have a signed copy of Among the Missing. I had my husband drive me over, so I could not come home with the entire store! He thinks I have too many books, now. I know he is wrong!

Linda

[Simcha]

I just finished this book and I'm not sure what to think. I really enjoyed it but I'm pretty disappointed that none of the individual stories were completed. I was a bit stunned by the sudden ending (I was also listening the audio version so I really didn't see it coming). And once it becomes clear how all of the stories are connected some of other parts of the book didn't really make sense to me, like how "Jay" can describe in such detail about his first meeting with Hayden, considering the truth which is later revealed about each of them.

[Pam]

I was disappointed in this book. It did not live up to my expectations and the hype. The characters were very confusing!

[Melissa]

I was also disappointed. I was looking forward to a twisted, meaningful ending, but the ending was not at all interesting.