Book Club. All Are Welcome. Reading for End of May: Dark Matter by Blake Crouch

[tankel]

yes. Wil, do you wanna lead the discussion? (or just forget about it since its been so long)

Also who wants to pick the next book? Less depressing please

 

[writingislove]

Yep, I'll type up my questions.

Tank and I sure know how to pick some downers lol.

 

[tankel]

Yeah, we're not in charge anymore. But I have read several really good (not depressing) books outside of the book club in the last few months.

 

[BookGeek]

What have you read recently that you enjoyed, tank? And I guess my next question would be do we want to read a newly published book, or do we want to read something classic?

 

[tankel]

either. New or classic for me. I'm not too picky.

I am enjoying the Magicians right now.

 

[lemon_tree]

I forgot about this book! What happened in this book!?

Oh! The annoying cougar and the close minded town and the mom who betrayed her son and the stupid explosion. Check!

I started to read the Goldfinch but my library loan ended before I could finish it. I liked it and need to get back to it! I’m now reading The Light Between Oceans.

I’d be up for something new or something classic, but I’m opting out of choosing the next one. Too much pressure when I'm going on vacation.

 

[tankel]

Oh Lemon, whats that book about? The cover makes it look sexy.

 

[lemon_tree]

Hahaha, it's not, really. It actually deals a bit with infertility and tough choices. Here's a quick synopsis - it's not a spoiler, just a condensed version of the book jacket, but I'm hiding it in case people are trying to avoid learning about it before seeing the movie or something.

Spoiler

A couple lives on a deserted island and cares for a lighthouse by themselves. But they have a few miscarriages and it's very sad. Then they find a baby and make a choice. And then they deal with the repercussions of that choice very differently.

 

[writingislove]

Here are the questions. The book didn't speak to me enough that I was able to tap into my contemplative skills, so I consulted my friend Google for discussion questions...

I didn't answer them yet but I will.

I am so not volunteering to pick a book again for a long, long time.

1. Why do you think the author chose to tell the story from so many different characters' perspectives? How would the book have changed if the point of view had been more limited?

2. When a particularly pushy news anchor asks June how she is "surviving" the loss of her loved ones following a house fire, she answers, "No one has survived." (p. 12) Explain June’s statement. Do you agree with June that, although she is alive, she has not survived? How are June and the others affected by the tragedy are coping with their grief?

3. Who is Winton? Although Lydia distrusts him, “she’s still not ready to step away,” (p. 143) she continue to take his calls. Why? What prompts Lydia to share her life story with Winton? Were you surprised by what she revealed?

4. Almost everyone in Wells has an opinion of Luke, particularly after he dies. What did you think of Luke? Why do you think he was such a controversial figure in Wells?

5. Silas “thinks of himself as [Lydia’s] guardian, her shadow.” (p. 265). Why does Silas think that Lydia needs protecting? Silas ultimately decides to tell Lydia the truth about the role he thinks that he has played in Luke’s death. What makes him confess?

 

[Whimsical88]

to tell you ladies the truth, i have already forgotten about the last book.

lemon i too am reading that book. its one of those books that will stay with you for years to come. well atleast thats how i feel about it now and im about 100+ pages in so far.

i suck at choosing books so i will just wait till someone picks something.

 

[tankel]

Will answer the questions as soon as work isn't insane.

 

[writingislove]

Will answer the questions as soon as work isn't insane.

This.

 

[lemon_tree]

I'll try to find some time this week!! ^

 

[Whimsical88]

well this book club is really getting neglected. i have read the light between oceans and would recommend that to any of you. i loved the book and was very sad when it ended.

i have a book suggestion. Flawless by Heather Graham. goodreads gives it 4 stars but you ladies have a look and see if you all want to read that too. it is different from what i read and im not sure if anyone else will like mystery so opinions welcome and suggestions for another book are welcome too

 

[Whimsical88]

by the way my first choice was The Silent Wife by A S A Harrison but im not sure if any of you will like that

 

[writingislove]

Lol this book club has been a little neglected. I'm going to admit, my problem is that I really didn't like the book I chose and I don't want to answer the questions because I don't want to waste any more of my time on that stupid book.

I do love mysteries though.

 

[Whimsical88]

WIL, you think you bad, I cant even remember the book to comment on it. Its almost like I just blocked it out of my brain library so really, don't stress about the book. there are more miserable books that we all have stuck to and read it till the last page. also I think the intro that's given is not always as wonderful as the book. some books miss the whole point in there intro and when you read the book, its almost like the intro and the book are 2 different books. I gave the suggestion based on the intro and yeah I hope the book lives up to it.

 

[tankel]

LOL yep. Not answering the questions because I forgot the book too! I'm neglecting my own book club because I'm trying to avoid answering them. I don't want to go back and do research! hahaha

I'm ok with Flawless by Heather Graham. Are you all? Maybe we won't flake out again!

 

[lemon_tree]

Omg I love you all! I'm having a slow day at work, otherwise I would join your bid to not answer these, either. Here's my attempt.

Spoiler

1. Why do you think the author chose to tell the story from so many different characters' perspectives? How would the book have changed if the point of view had been more limited?

I think it was a plot device to seem more mysterious, so we could piece the action together from different points of view, but not have the main character (the mom?) find out what had happened as early as we did. (I found this somewhat ineffective because all of the characters voices sounded so similar to to me.) If it was all told from one or two people's point of view, the "mystery" would have been harder to pull off, and we definitely wouldn't have been in the mom's (June's?) head because she spent most of the book locked into a hotel room. Maybe it would have centered around Lydia?


2. When a particularly pushy news anchor asks June how she is "surviving" the loss of her loved ones following a house fire, she answers, "No one has survived." (p. 12) Explain June’s statement. Do you agree with June that, although she is alive, she has not survived? How are June and the others affected by the tragedy are coping with their grief?

June means she died with her family in that fire.
I get the metaphor but I disagree with June because she still has a pulse. She needed to see a grief counselor for sure.
They coped by isolating themselves. This author's representation of a small town was that they are too gossipy to be supportive, I guess.


3. Who is Winton? Although Lydia distrusts him, “she’s still not ready to step away,” (p. 143) she continue to take his calls. Why? What prompts Lydia to share her life story with Winton? Were you surprised by what she revealed?

Winton is a phone scammer. Lydia took the calls because she was lonely. I have no idea why she broke down and shared her life with him, it felt like such a forced plot point. I don't remember if I was surprised or not, but I remember thinking, "Wow. She's terrible."

4. Almost everyone in Wells has an opinion of Luke, particularly after he dies. What did you think of Luke? Why do you think he was such a controversial figure in Wells?

Luke seemed like a good guy. It was weird to me that he returned to the same town after everything that happened, and that he was with someone sooooo much older than him. Awkward. He was controversial because of his race, and again, because small towns are terrible, per this author.



5. Silas “thinks of himself as [Lydia’s] guardian, her shadow.” (p. 265). Why does Silas think that Lydia needs protecting? Silas ultimately decides to tell Lydia the truth about the role he thinks that he has played in Luke’s death. What makes him confess?

He felt he needed to save her b/c she was lonely and made fun of and in part he destroyed her family. Silas was totally creepy, though, checking out her a$$ while stalking her and then telling her that he killed her son. WTF, dude.

In conclusion: This book was dumb.

Looking forward to the next one!

I'll order Flawless from the library now.
Update: On hold for the ebook with 1 person ahead of me.

 

[Whimsical88]

i read lemons replys just to remember part of the book because its so bad that i forgot a book completly.

im in for Flawless