Chicks On Lit discussion
Archive 08-19 GR Discussions
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The Sweetness at the Bottom of the Pie
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Claire wrote: "Rita and January, although I like the book, don't feel compelled to finish if you really don't want to. Sometimes a book doesn't strike you as appealing trying to read it once, and then you may pi..."I just hate not finishing something. I recently read The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo and it was very slow for the first 150 or so pages, but I ended up loving the book...same thing with Outlander! Some books are just slower starts than others. I was just wondering if it gets better.
Also, I read Wicked and hated the book. Don't bother with it...it doesn't get any better!
Yogagrrl wrote: "I thought it got better after 100. Part of the frustration in reading was that Flavia didn't tell the police any of the things she was finding. I mean, it was a bit like Sherlock Holmes where you g..."Thanks! I think I am going to read two or three more chapters and then if it still doesn't appeal to me put it down.
Tanja, I still loved the book. It is not a suspense and action novel. As far as comparing it to Sherlock Holmes and Nancy Drew, I can only comment on the latter. I grew up reading Nancy Drew in the late 50's/early 60's and thought they were so exciting! She was spunky for her day, not the stereotypical female, also motherless and independent. If I remember correctly she also had a strong relationship to some of the family's hired help. And if I also remember, she was somewhat secretive in her "sleuthing." Maybe I appreciate this charming book because of my age! Considering the author isn't so young either!
January wrote: "Also, I read Wicked and hated the book. Don't bother with it...it doesn't get any better!"I read "Wicked." Be warned that it is nothing like the musical! It's much, much darker. I liked the book, but I think it tries to do too many things at once. It's trying to make a political statement, put a new spin on a familiar tale, and be its own story all at the same time, and it's just too overwhelming. Though I'm probably in the minority, I liked the sequel, "Son of a Witch," a lot better because it's truly its own story, and it's not trying to do a million other things at once.
I liked "Wicked" as well, although I had to start it a second time before I got past thinking it was slow. Britt good point about it trying to do too many things. The musical centers on telling its own story. The music is so awesome. I have accompanied choir versions of a couple of the songs. I have not read "Son Of A Witch" yet - may have to do that.
I finally finished it. I adored Flavia! Of course, many times throughout the book she acted way too old for 11, but then she would do something like egg on her sisters, or mouth off to the detective and I'd be like, "oh yeah, she's 11." I think I liked the scenes where she was interacting with the detective the best. She was trying to be one step ahead of him, and she may have been in some ways, but in other ways, she was just a kid and lacked that ability to realize she's not the first person to think like this; to be analytical. My only problem was that there were a lot of details and as I put the book down for a few days, I forgot some of them. The worst of which was when her father was telling the story in jail and she was thinking about pulling both stamps out of her pocket. I had completely forgotten about her finding the first one, so I was baffled as to how she had them both. There were other places, too, but that was the one that stopped me in my tracks.
I finished Sweetness... and just loved it. I am truly impressed by Flavia, though it feels as if she has a split personality - mostly a child and sometimes an adult. She is totally lovable, though it is debatable whether I would like her as much if she were my younger sister who frequently pestered me. I even liked her two older sisters - in worlds of their own. Maybe the whole family was irrevocably affected by the mother's death. I am planning to start on the second book after a while as I am afraid that if I start it soon, I may change my perception of Flavia. I want to savor the current Flavia for a few more weeks.
Smitha, I think if you loved Flavia in the first book, you will love her in the second. I certainly did, and laughed aloud at some of her sayings in the book. I think her relationship with her sisters gets more interesting, too.
Britt☮ wrote: "January wrote: "Also, I read Wicked and hated the book. Don't bother with it...it doesn't get any better!"I read "Wicked." Be warned that it is nothing like the musical! It's much, much darker. I..."
I really wanted to like it, but just didn't. I agree with you that there was just too many things going on at once! I also think that I was so excited to read the book and then it was such a let down.
January wrote: "I really wanted to like it, but just didn't. I agree with you that there was just too many things going on at once! I also think that I was so excited to read the book and then it was such a let down."I definitely would have liked it a lot less if I'd seen the musical first.
Jennifer W. said: My only problem was that there were a lot of details and as I put the book down for a few days, I forgot some of them. Thank you! I am glad to hear I was not alone. I don't generally like mysteries that require a big info dump at the end explaining everything, but I sure needed the one at the end of this book.
Claire wrote: "Smitha, I think if you loved Flavia in the first book, you will love her in the second. I certainly did, and laughed aloud at some of her sayings in the book. I think her relationship with her s..."Thanks, Claire. I'll start on the next one then.
January wrote: "I am on page 101...if I don't like this book now should I just stop reading it or does it get better?"I actually stopped reading around the same point, page 100; however, I just got the chance to pick it up again and I couldn't put it down. I really liked Flavia and I loved the author's writing. If you do not like the story maybe try to focus on the words? If not, I would say put it down. I hate reading books that I don't like. :-0
Claire wrote: "I read the Alexander McCall mysteries, too - #1 Ladies Detective Agency. I like Flavia, because she has the sarcastic, biting, English humor. I think it is even more funny because she is young. ..."Hi Claire and all - I received an email that McCall is doing a Q&A this upcoming Monday. Please contact me if you want more information about this event. I think you just need to go to McCall's author page via Goodreads on Monday. Enjoy. And thanks for reminding me about McCall - I have been meaning to start reading that series again.
It has already been going on - I got the same email and have checked it out.
I finished Sweetness today. I just thought it was a fun read. I think it will be a while before I read the next so I can savor the first on in my mind for a while. I loved the references to other literature and plays. It also had many witty lines that kept me reading on and smiling the whole way through the book.
Hi Megan - I did receive a message about the Alexander McCall question and answer - thank you for thinking of me!
Glad that some found a new series to read and I apologize for others who didn't fidn it that enjoyable. I'm glad for those who didn't like it did put the book down. There's nothing requiring you to finish and why make your reading time suffer? :)
I finished this book last night and while I loved the last 4 or 5 chapters of this book, the rest was slow and boring to me. I thought there was way too much info in the book that was not important to the story!
Since we now know that this will probably be a series with Flavia, I think the author wanted to set up a solid description of her character, her family, the house where she lived, the town, the police, etc.I tend to like a detailed description of place and characters. It's not just the story to me. It helps me make a mental picture (like a movie in my head).
I just started and love the book so far. I enjoy Flavia and do relate her interactions with her sisters to my own four daughters. I am reading it for free on the website bookglutton.com. I will continue it today during breakfast. So much better to read this then the news!
Hi Marialyce,thanks for the info regarding the booksite. I am browsing through the site now.
Hanna, I agree with you. I put the book away because it wasn't as fascinating as I had hoped. I started reading a while before this discussion began. Later however, I went back to it and finished it. I didn't feel that Flavia was as upset about her father's arrest as she should be and therefore not quite believable.
Her knowledge of chemistry was quite amazing and I kept waiting for her to make a mistake, which thankfully never happened.
I do agree with the author though, that 11 year olds are not very trusting creatures and her suspicions about other characters were legitimate. The fact that she kept things to herself is quite believable - children of that age know much more than we give them credit for and they are rarely willing to discuss things with adults.
Sometimes a book just doesn't grab me and I have to make more of an effort to finish it.
January wrote: "I finished this book last night and while I loved the last 4 or 5 chapters of this book, the rest was slow and boring to me. I thought there was way too much info in the book that was not importan..."I like a detailed description also, but sometimes enough is enough...especially when it isn't anything interesting he is describing (in my opinion of course)
The book's page lists the setting as 'Bishops' Lacey' England, although the author is apparently Canadian. It was charming where ever!
Late to the scene but I finished Sweetness this morning and found it, to use a 1950's British term 'delightful.' The tale is wrapped so heavily around Flavia's character that I would imagine if you didn't warm to her in the first 100 pages, you aren't likely to. As I'm British myself I found it astounding the author only visited England for the first time when receiving his Debut Dagger award. I think the highest compliment I could pay him would be to say that it felt British throughout. Parts were a little unbelievable for me but the characterisation and writing hooked me in so far I could happily suspend that where I needed to. Alexander McCall Smith is a perfect comparison - gentle reading but for grown-ups. I love the mystery genre but often tire of its 'sliced white bread' approach to the reader, not giving me much to get my teeth into. This was a fat English muffin with slatherings of butter. Thanks to whoever suggested it - I had never heard of it before this group. Sorry - I've blathered on a bit.
Just blabber on Deborah. Amen to all of the above!!
I just finished this book so I'm a little late.I found flavia very cool and a fantastic role model. I loved how she gave the inspector such a rough time about asking her to bring him tea. She was Independent, feministic, and had a lot of self worth - more women like this in books please!!!
Parts felt contrived (no one can be that witty brilliant and on top of things 24/7, or can they?) but it wasn't a distraction, it just rendered the book into the realm of cute rather than realistic. I still enjoyed it very much. It's so easy to lose sight of the wonderful imagery and use of language that Bradley employs because the tale is straightforward and simple but I did appreciate the elements he brought into a "standard" style mystery book which tends to not incorporate more of the heavy hitting literary features.
To answer one of the questions above I think one of the themes of the book was centered on chemistry, reactions, and determining a catalyst for events. I think it will continue to develop in later books with the mystery of Harriet and the relationships with other townspeople and the family.
It was a story of a cute, precocious eleven year old in a British Nancy Drew environment. I enjoyed all the characters and loved the way the sisters interacted.
How would you compare/contrast Flavia with Sherlock Holmes? Nancy Drew?