Charlie’s Comments (group member since Dec 24, 2010)

Charlie’s comments from the Read This Next! group.

I need to use the library more often. I'm terrible about buying books. Although, I do go to the used book stores first and often find lots of treasures.

1. This comic is illustrated in a maddeningly detailed, kaleidoscopic profusion. How does this reflect the painful realities of David B.'s family life?

2. How common do you think it is for an unhappy child's fantasy life to be the seed of artistic talent?

3. How much do you blame the parents for neglecting their other children?

4. Do you begin to hate Jean-Christophe for what he does to the family?

1. What customs did you grow up with that you eventually realized weren't shared outside your family?

2. Which customs did you grow up with that you find a little embarrassing?

3. Is there a pattern to when Mary Karr is being funny? Is she funnier when what she's describing is more potentially upsetting, or in the less-dramatic stretches between traumatic events?

4. Does a life story have to be traumatic to make a good memoir?

5. Do you believe the story abut the locusts?

Favorite quotes from Endless Love:

"I was totally victimized by the irrational navigation of my unconscious."

"I was, I knew then, a member of a vast network of condemned men and women: romance had taken a wrong turn within me and led me into mayhem."

My Thoughts: I agree with the authors of "Read This Next," and recommend that everyone add this book to their "to-be-reads before I die list." Spencer smashes recent love stories making them look like romantic light and as shallow as a puddle in Arizona. The deeply passionate journey of David Axelrod epitomizes love at its most intense and insane. The descriptions grip at your guts and tingle all the way down through your toes. It's not an easy read, but the humanity and truthfulness of intimacy is so honest that it borders on perfection. Spencer is a master at constructing a genuine love scene with a rawness and tenderness that makes the heart ache with both madness and astonishment.

Has anyone read or is reading this book yet? I'm curious to know what it is like. I plan on getting to it -- Feb. has been a very slow reading month for me.

I'm leaning towards David's 'love' as a mental illness. It seems tied and confused to so much more than just love -- but to other areas of his emotional life and needs that were neglected. There is more to fulfilling this 'void' than first love or intimacy. I'm about half way through the book so maybe my questions will be answered by the end.

I just started reading and already I want to highlight sentences! I had to start marking pages.

Questions to ponder...

1. Do you think Dumas makes his Marguerite believable, or is she a male fantasy of a courtesan?

2. Which is more romantic -- a happy ending or one where someone tragically croaks?

3. In the world of Camille, courtesans routinely 'ruin' men by spending their entire inheritances on clothes, home furnishings, and jewels. How wrong or right do you think this behavior is, in the world of the courtesan? Is this what we would today call being a shopaholic?

Here are some questions to ponder.

1. Blame the parents?
Do you think Jade and David's are unfairly stigmatized because something went wrong with their children's relationship? Are the parents to blame?

2. What is healthy?
Can love that intense ever be considered 'healthy'? Can it be considered a mental illness?

3. A different time, a different age?
Would this story make as much sense or be just as daring/relevant if set in the present instead of 70's? Is stalking as fulfilling now that technology has made it so easy ie facebook ect?

4. Dude, is he mental?
Is David crazy? Should he have been institutionalized?

That is an interesting point, the connection between creativity and soul. Alexia was very imaginative and creative, just look at her uses for a parasol! Hum...I will have to give that some more thought!

I agree. The romance was ill-timed and a bit strange. Too much rolling around on the floor while life in danger going on. I think it was to stress the animalistic side of behavior, but it got awkward. It doesn't have to be real, but it does have to be believable and I think that was what I had trouble with -- I didn't fully give in to believing.

I posted by review of Soulless here at Goodreads and also at my book blog Bitsy Bling Books

Here is my book review of Soulless

What is the value of life in this book? I love the wit and humor but it feels as if the true moral questions are glazed over. Is life valued? By whom -- supernaturals or humans? The question that wasn't answered, or maybe I've missed it (which is possible), does the 'soul' have anything to do with feeling. Does it have a use or purpose for the living or after death.

I guess I'm trying to wrap my brain around the carnage at the end. Without discussing anything that would cause spoilers.

I'm trying to figure out how I feel about this book. It has some interesting sub-themes that make for discussion topics--like supernatural taking over the world - vs. humans taking back control ect. I will have to give this some more thought. I haven't yet finished. I'm about 80% done with book.

Feel free to add more questions. These are just some I came up with as I was reading.

1. Countess Nadasdy. Is she suppose to represent the infamous Blood Countess, Elizabeth Bathory who married Count Nadasdy. If so, what works about this association with a historical folklore figure. What makes you think this is a 'different' Nadasdy?

2. What do you think about the BUR and its role in social progress?

3. What do you think about government monitoring in order to bring about social tolerance of outlining groups? Is this good or bad?

4. Why hives and clones to describe vampires? What characteristics do they share or not share? Is this fitting or would you choose another insect or animal group to describe them?

If you have a blog and would like to post answers there and link up, you can do it through Bitsy Bling Books: Read This Next!!!

As most of you know there was also a prize courtesy of Simon & Schuster, who offered an ARC to all who joined in with the challenge. Well, Simon & Schuster are sponsoring the Mystery & Suspense Reading Challenge again for 2011 and are giving away an ARC of 'The Survivor' by Sean Slater! Details of what you need to do to claim this fab ARC as well as all the details you need for signing up to the challenge are below!

More info and to sign up click: Mystery and Suspense

Read novels about real, historical mistresses and favourites of royalty --Novels about fictional favourites of royalty --Non-fiction about royal mistresses or favorites too.

More info and/or sign up click: The Royal Mistress

There is nothing better than a great Gothic read - crumbling old castles, mysterious legends, shadowy characters, supernatural beings and unexplainable events, make for some of the most haunting and captivating reading imaginable.

More info and/or sign up click: Gothic Challenge

The goal is to read TWENTY FOUR (24) horror & urban fantasy novels in 2011 (24 is the minimum but you can read more if you wish!)

More info. and/or to sign up: Horror and Urban Fantasy