ANA Book Club?

[MaryBKAriz]

I'll chime in, again. For me the twin thing was overdone. Perhaps because I don't know any twins, yet THIS many twins in one story? I also know my frame of mind was odd since I was reading it pre, during, post CK......As I think of it that may have been the only way to develop the story?  I would have liked to had a very solid resolution to why Vida chose Margaret. I get the feeling we are supposed to understand it. For instance, Vida just "knew" to ask her because of the other work she had read of hers. Why didn't Vida just write the book when younger to be revealed after her death?

Mary

[Kaybo]

Mary~
That is a very good point, but it seemed to me that it was so painful for her to tell that maybe she couldn't write it.  Maybe she had planned to - thus, the name the 13th Tale originally, and then could never do it...   

K

[leapyrtwins]

it seemed to me that it was so painful for her to tell that maybe she couldn't write it.  Maybe she had planned to - thus, the name the 13th Tale originally, and then could never do it...   

That's what I thought. 

We haven't heard from Kate, but I'm not sure if she's discussing or not.  It's been a while since she's posted.

Steve, do you have another question?

Jan

[Kate B]

We haven't heard from Kate, but I'm not sure if she's discussing or not.  It's been a while since she's posted.

[/quote]

I had to sit this one out...too much going on at work.  I'll catch up next time around.

[leapyrtwins]

Good to hear from you Kate.

Sorry you won't be discussing with us this time around.

Don't work too hard 

Jan

[sgerrard]

Steve, do you have another question?

Um, compare and contrast the principle characters of Moby Dic.k and The Old Man and the Sea - oh wait, that's from some English class...

How about: So why did you like this book so much? What was it about the story, or the story-telling, that made it a good book to read?

Steve

[leapyrtwins]

I don't think I ever actually read Moby d***, although I know what it's about and I recall the line "call me Ishmael" (or however you spell it).  As for the Old Man and the Sea, I didn't read it either - but I saw the movie.  Spencer Tracy wasn't it?

Anyway, I liked the book because there were lots of mysteries like - what was Ms. Winter's real story, why did she pick Margaret to write it, who was Aurelius, what happened to Margaret's twin, etc., - and there were lots of plot twists and surprises.  It was one of those books I wanted to keep reading because I was dying to find out what happened.  It was definitely not boring 

I also liked the book because IMO it was kind of a "challenging" read - not just "fluff".  I had to pay close attention to what was going on and even then, I'm sure I missed something.  While I like to read fluff every now and then, overall I like books with substance 

Jan

Okay - just for the record, I didn't put the *** in the title of "that whale book" - when I posted my reply it was done for me.  Didn't realize the sensors on this forum where that sensitive    Note to moderators - this could be a problem for someone who's formal name is Richard LOL

[Kaybo]

Jan~
I was wondering if you put in the astericks!!

I, too, thought a lot of the same things Jan did - I read this question last night but was too tired to post so I was thinking about it this morning before I got up.  I knew that there was a "twist" so that definitely kept me going.  But, it was just a good read that really kept your interest.  You really had to pay attention because there were so many people and sub-plots to keep up with.  I do read a lot of fluff...& don't remember it a month later, but this was not that way!!  I liked it too because we are still REALLY thinking about it and even going back to reread different things - I know for me, that doesn't happen a lot!!

K

[cindyj]

I agree that this book is one that I will remember - like I mentioned earlier, I still "feel" the darkness, mystery, tragedy of that book.  I have recommended it to several people that are also book lovers.  I find it hard to describe when they ask me what type of book it is.  I actually don't know that I would have read it had it not been for this book club, so thanks for suggesting it (forgot who that was). 

[leapyrtwins]

I think the book was suggested by K whose sister-in-law recommended it.

I don't think I would have read this book either if it wasn't for the book club - but I'm glad I did.

[Kaybo]

It was me (& I am still am proud since it was a book of "substance") - Kathy, my SIL, did tell me about it when I went to Houston for one of my many Dr. appointments!!

Glad it turned out to be a good one that everyone liked!!   

K

[leapyrtwins]

So, Steve, you never answered your own question.

Why did you like the book so much?  What was it about the story, or the story-telling, that made it a good book to read?

Jan

[sgerrard]

Um, I thought if I asked the question I wouldn't have to answer it. 

I think I liked all the detail about the various settings and characters. The Missus and John "Dig" could have been two generic people, but we learn a lot about them, and they were anything but generic. All the characters were characters, so to speak. I also liked the parallel stories of "what happened back then," along side of "Margaret and Miss Winter today." The story-telling was well done.

The "what happened back then" part of the story was pretty elaborate. That was one seriously messed up family they had going. It seemed a little unbelievable to me, but it did make for a good mystery. I think that style of "gothic novel" was quite popular at one time, and it fit well with the story of Margaret and Miss Winter.

As some of us might say after recovering from our AN treatment, Margaret must be sitting around now saying "Okay then, that was interesting. Now what shall I do?"

Steve

[leapyrtwins]

Steve -

I hadn't really thought about The Missus and John "Dig" being such developed characters, but you are right.  It would have been very easy for the author to just keep them generic.  She was actually very good about giving details on every character - Margaret's father, the woman who took Aurelius in (I forget her name), etc.

I know others have debated what time period the story was set in, but I have no opinion on this.

Do you?

Jan

[sgerrard]

Jan,

Since you ask, I have an opinion now.

I think Miss Winter was about 15 at the time of the house burning. Let's say she was 75 when telling her story to Margaret. (Did her age come up anywhere?) That's about 60 years difference.

Back when she was the girl in the mist, the doctor was coming around in a horse drawn brougham. (Nice word, brougham. Let's use it on Jim sometime.) In the Margaret and Miss Winter time, they have cars and telephones and such. So you have to pick two years that differ by 60 and that span horse-drawn buggies and modern cars and phones (no email or internet forums, though). How about 1915 for the house burning down, and 1975 for the interview with Miss Winter? If Margaret was 30 something, that would put her twin separation surgery in 1945 or so, which seems feasible. Could easily go 10 years either way.

Are there some other clues or facts that make it earlier or later? I'm sure I missed something in there...

Steve