The Bronze Horseman **Spoilers**

[Leea, Escape Artist]

We have a Winner...

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Thank you to all those who voted. We will start discussing The Bronze Horseman in Dec. here in this thread.

Please use spoiler tags when discussing this book.

put what you want to hide here and remove !

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You can always put *** Spoiler*** at the beginning of the paragraph.

Thank you!



Please note that if you don't use some kind of spoiler, for those comments that need to be hidden we may have to remove the comment. We don't want to do that, so please use some kind of spoiler.

[Deena]

Just picked up tbh from the library I'm excited to start reading it! It's a pretty thick book I wanted to purchase it on my kindle but it was kinda pricey for an ebook. Its been a while since I read a good book in print. In going to start reading today.

[Leea, Escape Artist]

Yay, Dee. Glad you can join us. I've got a few Group reads all starting Dec. 1st so I might start this weekend. See if I can knock out a few before them.

[Deena]

Leea, group reads for the Outlander group or for other groups as well?

[Deena]

I know that technically the group read starts tomorrow but I just started reading and im on page 50 and I'm liking what im reading so far. I know it's only the beginning so that's all I want to say for now.

[Leea, Escape Artist]

Both, I have 1 buddy read and 3 group reads.

So glad you are enjoying it already.

[Wan]

I've read all 3 books. So I might join you guys for discussion.

[Wendy F, biblioholic]

Definitely! Wan, there'll be a thread for it in the OUtlander group.

[Marietta]

***SPOILER*** I like this book, but they never get the magic back in their relationship in the next two books( i.e. lasting, loving & exciting as in the Outlander books). Maybe I shouldn't have read them right after the Outlander series? But I'm into HEA.

[SandyC]

I will be reading this! Question: Will we be posting discussion questions, or just posting our thoughts/comments on the novel?

[Leea, Escape Artist]

Just thought & comments.

Sandy, you are more than welcome to post a question yourself if you would like. :)

[SandyC]

Thanks, Leea! The rules are there are no rules. :-)

[Leea, Escape Artist]

Well, except to hid spoilers so we don't ruin it for anyone coming to chat.

[SandyC]

Yes! Good one to have....

[Deena]

Yes please hide spoilers or post warnings I'm already on page 125 it's so good!

[SandyC]

About six months ago, I checked the book out on Interlibrary loan. I got to about page 100 when I had to return it (no re-checks!). I bought the ebook very cheap on my Nook awhile back. Happy to finally be reading it!

[Peggy]

Being a homeschool mom, you can't just read the book, you do have to do a little research. So here is some Russian communal living/experiences
http://kommunalka.colgate.edu/

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3HcNmp...

[Leea, Escape Artist]

Thanks for Sharing Peggy, that was so interesting.

[Eileen]

I am enjoying the book. I started it over the weekend and I am excited to start discussing it...

[Deena]

So can we start discussing now?

[Deena]

So what do you guys think of Tatiana? I was struck at how young she was and how young she acted, but at the same time there are a lot of things about her that are very mature (the things she reads, her knowledge of politics). I'm 21 now and I felt like I was such a different person when I was 17.

[Deena]

By the way was this book originally written in Russian and then translated in english?

[Eileen]

**Spoiler alert!!** I thought Tatiana acted extremely young and thoughtless in the beginning and she changed drastically (still can't pin point when this change happened). I didn't see the progression of this change--maybe when Pasha was shipped out? I thought she got lucky coming home with all the food. If she didn't run into Alexander, I'm sure her character would have gone home empty handed, and said, "Oh well. Maybe tomorrow I'll find something to buy?">! Did anyone else think this?

[Deena]

yea I thought tatiana was :spoiler: really reckless taking a bus all the way across town because she saw a cute guy??? And then it was interesting how when she finally did come home her parents didn't make a big deal. Poor tatiana :/spoiler:

[Eileen]

it's crazy that we are reading this book because this summer my sister and I went to St. Petersburg (Leningrad) and the white nights are crazy! You really can lose track of time because it's bright FOREVER in the middle of June (The sun didn't set until 11:45pm, and even then it looked like dusk for a couple hours before the sun came back up again). I could see how the parents and Russians in general over there can lose track of time and not notice how many hours went by--there's always light at that time of year.

Dee, I do agree with you though about her parents. Poor girl.:(

[Deena]

Oh wow white nights? That sounds so interesting but would probably mess up anyones internal clock. So then the winter days must be incredibly short?

[Leea, Escape Artist]

You can copy then past this and remove the '!'

The white nights sounds amazing. This is a reread for me of The Bronze Horseman. I remember how much that theme is talked about in the book.

[Sarah]

I too, was struck by how young Titiana was at the beginning, Dee. When I think back to being 17 and your whole world is about boys, her character really rings true. I think things don't seem that serious for her and that the crisis will pass soon so what's the big deal. On your other comment, no the books where all written in English originally.

[Peggy]

Dee, Here is Paullina Simons bio. http://paullinasimons.com/bio/ Interesting. Back in the 80's, (I'm older than dirt) I used to work with a number of Russian immigrants, and the stories they told about Russia were great. I.E. Alla could only shop in 7/11 type stores. When she walked into a Jewel or Kroger, or any normal grocery store, she was just too emotionally over come with all the products, she would just cry. They just don't have the volume like we do, never mind the different brands. She couldn't understand how we could choose soap. There is a whole isle of soap. How do I choose, when in Russia she said she was lucky if soap was on the shelf. Also she didn't understand why people weren't just loading up their carts and emptying the shelves. Her perspective was totally different. Things we took for granted she didn't. I knew her for more than 10 years and she still had issues with shopping, knowing what she knew of Russia. Her and the other Russians had some great stories thought.

[Deena]

Thanks peggy, that was an interesting anecdote. Even alexander comments about how there is nothing in the ussr. I love historical fiction because of how much it teaches me. I never knew that hitler invaded the ussr.

We do have a ridiculous amount of options in America the other day I was at a grocery store and there was like half an aisle of just salad dressings, there were so many options of salad dressing it was crazy!!

[Deena]

Oh and dont be silly you're not older than dirt!

[Deena]

:::::::spoiler:::::::::::
Ahhhh I'm so angry at Alexander!! I'm at the part after he saves and nurses Tatiana after she ran away to find her brother an after all that he continues to date her sister and now they're spending time alone in the bedroom while Tatiana waits on the rooftop ahhhhh that is just horrible. And poor tatiana she keeps thinking how can he ignore her and everything theyve been through, she wonders if that's what adults do, just ignore everything. Does anyone else feel angry at Alexander?

[Peggy]

I feel angry at Tatiana. She is the one who doesn't want Dasha to know. Alexander wants to tell everyone, T won't let him.

[Deena]

But must he continue to date (and probably sleep with) dasha?

[Peggy]

I think at this point he is trying to keep T safe. Plus, I think T really does act like a nieve 17 yr old.

[Wan]

Oh the part that he was still sleeping with Dasha and Tatiana allowd it -- killed me. Sisters or not -- I couldn't imagine myself being that generous. No one touches my man.

[Leea, Escape Artist]

Eileen, I hid your comment because it contained some major spoilers. I know you put the 'spoiler' heading but I just wanted to make sure people didn't read it.

(view spoiler)[Alexander made me mad too when he would go in the bedroom with Dasha! However, I did like that he met T after work and brought her back to her home everyday after work. I really did like that they could sit in silence comfortably on the ride back. That it wasn't a strained conversation everyday about their weird relationship. I know if it was me, I would always want to beat the dead horse of "so, how is this going to work? what are we going to do? how can we keep this a secret?"

I guess the secret went on too long and it was too late to fix it with the family outright?
(hide spoiler)]

[Lotte]

Just received my copy of TBH: (We are lucky that it is before the Christmas, they also deliver on Saturdays.) But no I'm in a bit of dilamma: So far I've read several chapters of The Scottish Prisoner and now the book of group read arrived. How should I go on reading?

[Peggy]

Lotte, I know what you mean. I am currently rereading TBH, but I haven't recieved SP yet, and as soon as I recieve sp I think SP is going to win. But we will see, because now that I am in the middle of T & A again I am loving it.

[Corinne]

Peggy,

Thanks for the links about communal living. It still blows my mind how they lived.

[Deena]

Lotte, are you the type of reader that can read more than one book at the same time? You can do that and then you'll get the best of both worlds :)

[Stephanie]

I am reading the book, but since we are all not reading at the same pace, I'll just check back at the end of the month (unless I finish before then). I just can't risk anything being spoiled for me. That's no fun! :p Happy Reading to All! 8)

[Janet]

I picked up a copy of this book at HPB today for $3.99. Not sure if I can read it with you all this month but just wanted to share my good fortune.

[Dee]

Dee - when you put the spoiler in, if you remove the ! and then put at the end, also remove the ! it will actually hide what you typed, because right now it is still showing everything

[Eileen]

what do you guys think of Tatiana's parents?

[Jessica]

Corrine the impression I got from the books was that's just the way it is in Russia.. Tatiana didn't know any different until she met Alexander and saw that she should be treated better. And as you said, she had no where else to go anyway so had to put up with it!

[Deena]

I agree with Jessica, it seems like that's just the way it is with Tatiana's family. There seems to be a hierarchy that cannot be broken. (view spoiler)[ It doesn't seem like Tatiana's parents do not love her, but that they value Pasha more because he would eventually grow up and support them financially. (hide spoiler)]

[Carol]

Dee wrote: "Lotte, are you the type of reader that can read more than one book at the same time? You can do that and then you'll get the best of both worlds :)"

Become an English teacher, you will very quickly learn how to read multiple books at one time. :) Trust me.

[Carol]

Eileen wrote: "**Spoiler alert!!** I thought Tatiana acted extremely young and thoughtless in the beginning and she changed drastically (still can't pin point when this change happened). I didn't see the progres..."

I'm so happy you posted that she drastically changes because right now I am only about 35 pages in, and her irresponsibility is extremely irritating. I cannot wait to see her mature and realize ice cream probably is not more important than feeding her family.

[Peggy]

Carol (view spoiler)[You are going to get a lot more irritated with Tatiana, before she begins to mature. And then it's questionable. (hide spoiler)] The first time I read this I nearly put it down a number of times for that reason, but I will say, keep reading the payoff is worth it. I read a lot, and it's the one I reread often. Book 2 and 3 are even better.