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Post by Violent BUN Fortuna on Aug 3, 2022 6:01:46 GMT -5
I doubt I'll be able to start this weekend, I've got a lot going on, but hopefully I can catch up with it later!
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Post by twigz on Aug 3, 2022 6:33:33 GMT -5
I requested it from my uni library so they should get it in around 5 days
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Post by Isadora Is a Door on Aug 3, 2022 15:37:19 GMT -5
Okay, looking at my (paperback) copy of the book I will be breaking up the discussion as thus
Week One, Aug 6th-12th, Pgs 0-60, up to and including 'The Penultimate Update Nora Had Posted' Week Two, Aug 13th-19th, Pgs 61-120, up to and including 'Svalbard' Week Three, Aug 20th-26th, Pgs 121-171 ending just before 'A Silver Tray of Honey Cakes' Week Four, Aug 27th-Sep 2nd, Pgs 172-231 up to and including 'The Game' Week Five, Sep 3rd-9th Pgs 232-End
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Post by Isadora Is a Door on Aug 6, 2022 11:43:04 GMT -5
Okay, lets get this discussion underway then. I just wanted to ask, B., why did you nominate this book?
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Post by B. on Aug 6, 2022 16:33:29 GMT -5
Okay, lets get this discussion underway then. I just wanted to ask, B., why did you nominate this book? Ive been seeing it around a lot and been meaning to check out something by Matt Haig (fiction) and this seemed like a good place to start. And it was the only book that might not have been inappropriate to nominate lol
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Post by twigz on Aug 6, 2022 23:19:44 GMT -5
i was reading the blurbs of some of his other books and now i want to read them all... i've never heard of him !
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Post by Isadora Is a Door on Aug 7, 2022 2:57:41 GMT -5
I had heard of the book and of him. Both this and 'How to Stop Time' are very popular, hence why I was unable to get a copy from work and I have to buy my own instead. Of the two, I would have found How to Stop Time more interesting from its description, but then this book is turning out to not quite be what I expected. I will elaborate with some more detailed thoughts later today.
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Post by Isadora Is a Door on Aug 7, 2022 11:35:41 GMT -5
So, I've now almost read all of this weeks segment, still about 20 pages to go, so this is my attempt to put some thoughts together and lead some kind of discussion. I've made some notes as I read along, but mostly this is a summation of everything I've felt so far. My inital impressions are that the story is enjoyable, and I am liking the characters and centeral concept, but I do feel its all a bit predictable so far. Although i normally wouldn't read this type of story I cant help but feel I know whats coming. We shall see.I'm not a fun of the endlessly small 'chapters of only a few pages' either, especially as I feel it sometimes disrupts the flow of the story. Perhaps there is a reason for this that will become clearer later, though I am doubtful. Nora is an interesting protaganist, at least so far. Though she is written well and likeable enough, though I am waiting until we get further into the book to see where she develops as a person before casting too much of a judgement. I am able to relate well to her, which is good because I am not someone who is as retrospective as the this story requires her to be. I don't (yet) have a bookful of regrets, but I am able to get myself into the headspace of someone who does, which means the author has clearly done a good job. The actual concept of The Midnight Library is interesting, though I am doubtful as to how much it will be explored as I feel it will simply be a plot device rather than having any deeper conceptual meaning throughout the rest of the story. Even though the blurb on the back of the book pretty clearly states how 'The Midnight Library' works I was expecting anything quite so 'fantasy like', but that was a pleasent surprise. I would just like more of an explination as to why. Other general notes and comments : - When the cat died, I was worried what Kit's tits kick ticks 's reaction would be. She does not like things where cats dies - I'm not a big fan of the 'Everything goes wrong on the same day' trope, because I think that it is generally a tad unrealistic. Yeah, you can have salsaty days, but not really salsaty (not unless you instigate some of it yourself). The book does lay it on very thick here. - It's interesting we don't know how Nora has killed herself, which does make me a bit doubtful that she is truely 'dead' and/or 'experiencing' these events - So...what happens to the Nora from one reality while Our-Nora is inside her mind? These are the kind of questions I want answered! - Dan is decidely a dick from the moment he appears. Any doubts that Nora or the reader may have about their relationship should be confirmed by Nora pretending not to know the awnser to a question in order to 'risk' his reaction. That was my favourite moment of the book so far.
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Post by B. on Aug 7, 2022 14:30:31 GMT -5
Okay I'm about 30 pages in too as of yesterday, gonna read the rest later probs but I'll expand on some thoughts too:
-Thank potato this is an easy read. The small chapters are meh, but at least it is very easy to digest. - I really sympathize with the main character and all the things leading up to when she decides to end her life, I can see how they would all pile on, and found it quite sad when it came to the point before she 'died.' Although I can't relate much as I have thankfully never been low enough to feel like ending my life. But I found it believable in terms of portraying depression, and what would go on in a person's mind. The author himself has been ill with severe depression at times, so it makes sense. -Also yeah, good point about not knowing how she 'killed herself.' I guess we'll have to see how it develops.
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Post by Kit's tits kick ticks on Aug 9, 2022 14:56:28 GMT -5
salsa this is depressing. It's not bad though. - I generally prefer story focused books over character focused ones, and this seems to be quite character focused. So far I find it easy to relate to the character though. But also along with the "everything going wrong" being a bit unrealistic/over the top, I think the same is true for "character being naturally talented at everything (except maybe real life skills)". We probably all had hobbies as a kid that we regret giving up and not taking to a professional level, and it probably helps lots of people to identify with the character (especially because it captures the sporty kids AND the musical ones AND the academic ones too), but does it really have to be THAT close to both a sports career and a music one? - Noooooo, not the cat! - I also hope we get some things explained, like what actually happened to "real" Nora, but I feel like this is not the kind of book where we would get that. - Not only do we not know how she killed herself, we don't even know that she killed herself. She might not have done it and just have fallen asleep. I just saw a random person reading the book on the train.
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Post by B. on Aug 10, 2022 15:47:47 GMT -5
Finished up to page 60 this eve. Enjoying it so far! Kinda grim the portrait of her marriage to Dan. I like the idea behind the book, it's unique, but it's not anything groundbreaking in the prose/story. I can see why it's popular.
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Lily
Catastrophic Captain
Posts: 80
Likes: 135
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Post by Lily on Aug 14, 2022 11:12:27 GMT -5
oh i don’t think i’m too late to try and catch up! i’ve heard a few people praise it so this would be a good opportunity to try, i’ll try and get the ebook and start reading asap
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Post by Isadora Is a Door on Aug 14, 2022 11:27:04 GMT -5
Im on about page 100 now, probably will only get a little incriment done each day over the next few days.
So I've now read through Noras alternate versions of her cat dying and her going to australia, and am now partway through her 'succesful self'. Ii'm now more convinced that Nora is not really dead, as time isn't really progressing in any meaningful way here, and it seems like this where we will be for the rest of the book. The Cat having lived its best life in the 'root' world is interesting, though I found it a bit unlikely that of the literally endless possibilites our Nora comes from that specific outcome. I find it interesting that we are yet to see Izzy. Perhaps its just my imagination but I am getting such a strong subtext in regard to Noras feelings regarding her. In each reality Izzy's happiness seems to be of paramout concern to Nora. I am predicting that the only life in with Nora and Izzy are still together, Izzy will be unhappy. Haha. Izzys parents both seem very complicated, though I think I will wait til I have finished this current 'reality' until I comment further on Nora's father.
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Post by Kit's tits kick ticks on Aug 14, 2022 16:51:09 GMT -5
I have read up to where she decides to try the life where she went to Australia.
I find the whole memory transfer logic a bit weird. So when Dead Nora goes into another life, she doesn't have access to the memories of the Nora of that universe, but when that Nora is back in her own life she remembers what Dead Nora did when she was in her body. That just makes no sense. Also if she decided to stay in one of the lives for years, wouldn't it become obvious that she has a lot of memories missing?
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Post by B. on Aug 19, 2022 15:37:41 GMT -5
Hey, I'm still reading. Up to page 121 now.
It's okay! I also don't think she's dead. Although the book seems to be getting worse, it's an interesting idea just seems a little poorly executed at points.
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