Chapter 3: "Ask Me If I Care"

[Jay]

Sooo... Rhea is the one telling this one? I'm a few pages into it and I was a bit confused about who was the narrator, so I went back to the list of Bennie's friends and narrowed it down to her but I wasn't totally sure. Nice to have some confirmation.

[Claire]

It does jump around a lot that it is confusing as to who is narrating. I just started Ch.4 and I had to go back and work out Rolph was.

Also agree that the he goes/she goes thing was a bit annoying - but then a lot of teenage speak is "like totally annoying"

[Rachel]

I loved this chapter! Rhea is kinda of sassy - and I have freckles too so I could relate :) I'm listening to this on audio and found this chapter very engaging. I was confused for the first few minutes of course because I couldn't understand who could be talking. Love Bennie and his young friends. Hate Lou.

[Lisa]

No, I didn't feel that Rhea's voice was forced. It read true to me and I believe Egan portrayed the teens spot-on, especially with their lingo which cracked me up. They were all believable. Rhea seemed so insecure at times and had self-esteem issues like most teens but she really blew me away when she stood up to Lou in the balcony scene. That struck me as a bit out-of-character for Rhea. Or maybe she's just stronger inside than I thought. I hope that's the case because I'm rooting for her. This chapter was my favorite so far even though it made me sick at times. Lou is slime - ick. He reminds me of a famous record producer who was up on murder charges a few years back. I wonder if Egan had him in mind when creating this character.

[Jen]

Having trouble getting into this book but I'm currently on this chapter. When I have time and can read more than a few pages at a time I start to get into it but I don't get many big chunks of time. I also usually read Young Adult lit which is must faster so I'm used to that. Here's hoping I'll get more hooked on it as I go!

[Stephanie]

this is my second favorite chapter, i love a good story about unrequited love! i like rhea best and even years later when she and jocelynn visit lou i like her more, you can tell she's going to be ok, by the end of this chapter. love her!

[Evelien]

I liked this chapter, but each chapter it really takes me a while to get used to a new narrator. I really hope this novel doesn't keep changing the perspective every chapter.

I liked to read about Bennie's youth, that really gives depth to his present life. Only difficulty is that I have absolutely zero knowledge of the punk period which makes it a little harder to picture it.
And because English isn't my native language, it took me a while to figure out the meaning of the word 'mohawk'. LOL

[Kristen]

This chapter actually made me expect more Alice, and continually want another perspective by (or of) her ... there was only Scotty's reference to their later marriage & divorce. For some reason this wasn't as satisfying as Rhea's update, I suppose because it was earlier in the timeline than when Rhea & Jocelyn visit Lou's deathbed.

[Elizabeth]

I liked this chapter best of the three so far, but only because it's the first chapter where I wasn't completely annoyed by the narrator. (No, in this chapter it was Lou who disgusted me most.) I found her insecurity almost endearing.

The narrative style didn't bother me once I got used to it, which happened pretty quickly. Still, I'm not so sure about this book. As a study in writing techniques, it's interesting, but as a novel I just don't like it. I don't like the characters and whereas typically there is a plot to care about when you don't like the characters, there isn't here and I'm finding that to be irritating. I guess what keeps me reading it is that I know each chapter will be completely new. Looking at it like a collection of short stories is making it easier to read than thinking of it as a novel.

[Jen]

I think that's how I'm feeling about it as well Elizabeth. I like the characters alright but so far I don't care much about what will happen to them and that is problematic. I'm going to try looking at it as a collection of short stories with a common thread as you are. I'm on chapter 6 now.