The Book, the Author & an Excerpt

[Reshan]

I like the book so far, however, is anybody else having a hard time liking "Ginny"?  I feel very uncomfortable when she is talking.  I don't understand where she is coming from.

[kiakar]

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Reshan wrote:

I like the book so far, however, is anybody else having a hard time liking "Ginny"?  I feel very uncomfortable when she is talking.  I don't understand where she is coming from.

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It seems she is coming from a dark place where few people tread. It was on my second read that I really caught this "something" in what she was saying. Things just do not seem right with her.

[ELee]

We have all discussed the book through Chapter 5 at this point, so here is a question.

I think we all agree that there is something different about Ginny, so why do you think the author chose her to tell this story?

[vivico1]

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ELee wrote:

We have all discussed the book through Chapter 5 at this point, so here is a question.

I think we all agree that there is something different about Ginny, so why do you think the author chose her to tell this story?

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If Ginny really has a distorted view of the world then its a heck of a lot more interesting to experience the world through those eyes (which we can't do in real life) than to hear someone who is reality based, tell us one more time about someone who isnt and try to tell us their story as they see it. Its much more of a mystery through Ginny's eyes.

[Everyman]

The other interesting point to watch will be whether the author is able to first present her character in a way that is consistent with whatever condition it is that Ginny has, and second, keep Ginny in that character throughout the book (unless something is identified which changes her condition).

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ELee wrote:

We have all discussed the book through Chapter 5 at this point, so here is a question.

I think we all agree that there is something different about Ginny, so why do you think the author chose her to tell this story?

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[grapes]

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Reshan wrote:

I like the book so far, however, is anybody else having a hard time liking "Ginny"?  I feel very uncomfortable when she is talking.  I don't understand where she is coming from.

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I find nothing in Ginny to dislike. I feel something has happened in her life that has made her react to others with such anxiety.

Grapes

[grapes]

Everyman wrote:
The other interesting point to watch will be whether the author is able to first present her character in a way that is consistent with whatever condition it is that Ginny has, and second, keep Ginny in that character throughout the book (unless something is identified which changes her condition).

On the cover of the book there is a picture of one sister. It looks like a stone monument to me. Will one of the sisters die? On the other hand, it looks like a sepia toned photograph. I believe there is a chance something will happen to one of the sisters.

[thewanderingjew]

grapes wrote:

On the cover of the book there is a picture of one sister. It looks like a stone monument to me.

did anyone think it looked like the bust of caesar rather than an elderly woman?

twj

Message Edited by thewanderingjew on 03-05-2008 08:52 AM

[thewanderingjew]

ELee wrote:

I think we all agree that there is something different about Ginny, so why do you think the author chose her to tell this story?

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ginny is the sister who remained "with the house". when she stands by the window in chapter 1, you almost get the feeling that she has become part of the house. as she states, vivi was gone almost 50 years. she is the only one "qualified" to tell the story..., although it soon becomes obvious that shared events are often viewed in different ways by each witness..

twj

[grapes]

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thewanderingjew wrote:

grapes wrote:

On the cover of the book there is a picture of one sister. It looks like a stone monument to me.

___________________________________________________________________

did anyone think it looked like the bust of caesar rather than an elderly woman?

To me it doesn't look like Caesar. It does resemble a bust of a young woman, I think.

Grapes

____________________________________________________________________

twj

Message Edited by thewanderingjew on 03-05-2008 08:52 AM

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[vivico1]

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thewanderingjew wrote:

grapes wrote:

On the cover of the book there is a picture of one sister. It looks like a stone monument to me.

did anyone think it looked like the bust of caesar rather than an elderly woman?

twj

Message Edited by thewanderingjew on 03-05-2008 08:52 AM

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it is a bust, not a picture. It doesn't look like Caesar at all tho, but a woman. If you think about it tho, to me it would be a bust of Ginny. She seems to be the emotionless one,"like stone", just staring off.

[AmyEJ]

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grapes wrote:

I find nothing in Ginny to dislike. I feel something has happened in her life that has made her react to others with such anxiety.

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I totally agree, Grapes.  Maybe I'm not far enough along (I'm behind--only in chap 6) but I haven't read anything that makes me dislike her.  I find her different, and am watching the speculation closely about what that difference means in terms of possible mental illness or disability or something else.  But so far I'm reserving my judgment about all of that and just accepting her as my sympathetic narrator. 

[CAG]

I agree. Ginny is "different" and that is exactly what makes her such an interesting character. I am fascinated by the way she thinks.

[kiakar]

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momgee wrote:

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Carmenere_lady wrote:
I guess you've all googled Poppy Adams by now and know that The Sister was originally published in England last year under the name The Behaviour of Moths. I can see why they changed the rather botanical title, in the U.S that may not fly. No pun intended.

Any way, don't be disheartened that we're not the first to read. The same thing happened with Riverton and it didn't hurt my experience at al


Hi - I don't think I would ever pick up a book titled The behaviour of moths! It would not fly with me either. The story sounds intriguing just from the excerpt - hope we get it this time before the discussion starts.

Kaye

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 Hi Momgee, long time no hear from you! Hope everything is good with you.  I know I wouldn't buy a book that said the behavior of moths. But I did buy one that said The secret of bees. But I guess bees are better than moths. Yeah! I agree with me.

[kiakar]

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paula_02912 wrote:
This book sounds very interesting...I kept thinking of twins when I was reading the excerpt...is it just me? I wonder what caused Vivie to almost die 59 years previously, what made her leave and why she is coming back...I can't wait to get into this one...

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Vivie fell off the belltower and almost died.

[kiakar]

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Carmenere_lady wrote:

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Everyman wrote:

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CuriousKat wrote:
I laughed about the comments about a title with Moth in it......you would be surprised what you find yourself reading. Have any of you read the Secret Life of Bees by Sue Monk?

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It's hard not to suspect that the Moth title was based in part on the success of the Secret Life of Bees. I tried to read Bees, but didn't get very far before I sent it back to the library.

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I thought about The Secret Life of Bees at work today and thought "hey that was botanical too" and that title worked. I suppose it's word of mouth that sells a book with a name like that.
I read Bees because of the rave reviews and although I finished it I couldn't figure out what all the bruhaha was about. I guess I'll have to take another look at it again some day.

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I think, Lynda Sue that the Secret life of bees was written better about bees than the one about moths. The bee story somewhat had drama to it. It seemed to make the bees come alive and she told many secrets that enticed the bees even further.  And too, it wasnt about killing like the Moths were. And people were making a living with raising bees, it was their livihood, not so with moths, it was a sick obsession at times with them.

[grapes]

AmyEJ wrote:

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grapes wrote:

I find nothing in Ginny to dislike. I feel something has happened in her life that has made her react to others with such anxiety.

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I totally agree, Grapes.  Maybe I'm not far enough along (I'm behind--only in chap 6) but I haven't read anything that makes me dislike her.  I find her different, and am watching the speculation closely about what that difference means in terms of possible mental illness or disability or something else.  But so far I'm reserving my judgment about all of that and just accepting her as my sympathetic narrator. 

Grapes wrote:

AmyEJ, I agree with you. You have written your thoughts about Ginny in such a perfect way.

[Peppermill]

Give me a break! I'm still considering whether to compare Kate Morton to McEwan; but Poppy Adams....

"Whilst learning a fair amount about the behaviour of moths, Poppy Adams debut is a haunting and yet ultimately subtle thriller to challenge the work of Ian McEwan." John Lloyd, Waterstone's Bath

AVOID LINK IF CONCERNED ABOUT POTENTIAL SPOILERS (Depends on your definition -- just be cautious if of especial concern.)

http://tinyurl.com/2lf863

Does have a picture of the cover in the UK.

[Carmenere_lady]

Hi all,

I have thought, for awhile now, that when Ginny speaks directly to us that she is speaking as if to a therapist, psychiatrist, or police detective.  I don't have my book with me so I can't site anything specifically but I wanted to get this down before I forgot.  Have any of you had this feeling about Ginny?

[songgirl7]

I have thoughts about Ginny as the narrator but I'm going to wait until the book discussion gets to the final chapters... it's just too good to spoil.