Classics Without All the Class discussion

Some of you have finished! Yay! Let's have your overall review and star rating! (basically what you probably put down on your Goodreads account ;) )

I have absolutely fallen in love with this book. It is six different stories which are inter-linked in some way and centre around the theme of power - how it is used and mis-used. I was not sure of this book at the start but by the third story I was completely hooked, so stay with it.
Five stars!

Elizabeth wrote: "I have absolutely fallen in love with this book. It is six different stories which are inter-linked in some way and centre around the theme of power - how it is used and mis-used. I was not sure of..."

I am the same way Elizabeth, though I am not done quite yet, I have 3 more stories to read the finale of, but I am seriously loving this book too. I'm so glad it ended up being picked!

I am finished just a couple of minutes ago and i really feel i should read it again because i`m not sure that everything is Cristal clear.
I think the stories are always about the same two (not just the one with the comet sign)people but in different connection, but there are always one with the sign and the other one who contributes significant changes in there lives. After they met something radically changes for better or worse.

Kiss-koczka wrote: "I am finished just a couple of minutes ago and i really feel i should read it again because i`m not sure that everything is Cristal clear.
I think the stories are always about the same two (not ju..."

I'm not quite finished yet, but I completely agree. There are always two. The one who has the birthmark needs help, and then there is always a person there to help, in one way or another. I would also add that there is a "nemesis" in each story as well. So, maybe there are actually 3...?

I think you are right Angie. My problem with this book that at some parts are not as good as others. I really think the part with the composer is the best, not just because that is the one where almost everything get answered (or maybe yes) but i think that is the part which explain the book itself in a best way. An that is the story which left me without questions.
But the Somni parts are just irritating. First it feel like a copy of a movie like i said before(although Luise ray is like Julia Roberts in the pelican Brief or Erin Brokovich) but it left open so many questions.
Please somebody tell me what about the Declarations did i really missed it in some other parts? What are the rules and how it is end up as a new religion, if it is new not just a mix up some old ones. Because it seems in the Zachary story that a rules are quite basic, which is definitely wont be a solution for civilization because the rules of Christianity is quite simple as well and still not working in a way as it tend to be or at least not any more(i referring to 10 commandments which is the basic moral rules in the western civilization, i know this is really oversimplified but i hope you get my point) So I really don`t see how some basic rules can change the world for better. Because i had the feeling that David Mitchell is somehow against civilization and think it would be better it we leave it behind because it reveals at Zachary story the Meronym visits them because they have something special and they want to know why their society is working (apparently because of somni`s rules)and at the last Ewing story the doctor say some pretty harsh things about society of the white people.

And i have some problems or things that i can't figure it out. Why the movei of cavendish made somni happy what is it about that is so special for her?
And i was trying to connect the stories in time, because some of them are pretty close and others not so much. The composer dies in the thirties and Luisa Rey is i think aoriun thirty in the seventies so she was born in the forties and we don't know whn she dies but cavedish story is sthe closest to our time and he is 65 so he cannot born after the seventies??? So WHAT???So if it's a reincarnation story then i am wrong about who gets reborned or i am just looking it in a wrong way??? Originally i was just going to point it out that sometimes the time between the person with the comet mark came back is cosler than it he other cases and what happens with tham in between but now i am more confused than i was before...

Kiss-koczka wrote: "And i have some problems or things that i can't figure it out. Why the movei of cavendish made somni happy what is it about that is so special for her?
And i was trying to connect the stories in ti..."

Kiss-koczka wrote: "I think you are right Angie. My problem with this book that at some parts are not as good as others. I really think the part with the composer is the best, not just because that is the one where al..."

All of you questions are totally valid Eva! I has a few of the same questions myself! Especially the end of the Sonmi story. Wikipedia answered some questions I had, but not all http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cloud_At..., but someone on another page linked this video http://youtu.be/1lq3ee6gWcc, I haven't watched it yet, because I was waiting to finish the book, but it might answer more of your questions, I'm not sure.

I think that's interesting that you found the Frobisher story the more interesting, I found it one of the hard to follow. I really didn't like the main Robert Frobisher very much and maybe that is why.

And I don't know if Mitchell is against society as much as he is against corporations taking over our society. He believes a simpler life is best, at least that's what it appears to me. This book could get very philosophical! I guess that's why it is considered to be such a contemporary classic!

Jeane wrote: "Kiss-koczka wrote: "And i have some problems or things that i can't figure it out. Why the movei of cavendish made somni happy what is it about that is so special for her?
And i was trying to conne..."

To be honest I really hate (ok maybe hate is a strong word for it but still) when people idealizing the so called simpler life it`s always puts me into attack mode. The arguments is always almost the same that we should go back to a time when everything was better and values was still values and so on. The strange part for me is that you can actually can find this argument at any given time in a written history, so i really do think that it is something wrong with it because even Plato use it (saying that using books instead of memorizing the text makes us loose something essentially important -- to me this argument is always fun if you consider the fact that people nowadays saying that using internet and pc instead of books causing the same kind of loss)
I do think that the in this aspect the simpler life is not working because people actually better or the rules more clear or we are getting worse because of the corporation or anything like that. It is working because the society is significantly smaller like in the Zachary story, everybody will know if you do something wrong and they will never speak to you again like when you kill somebody, so in smaller groups you cannot get away if you do something awful.

Jeane wrote: "Kiss-koczka wrote: "And i have some problems or things that i can't figure it out. Why the movei of cavendish made somni happy what is it about that is so special for her?
And i was trying to conne..."

jeane thanks for the links i used wikipedai while a read the book but still didn`t get my mind around some parts, and a video is just a nice way to get people to read it but i think that is all, no real answers there

Kiss-koczka wrote: "Jeane wrote: "Kiss-koczka wrote: "And i have some problems or things that i can't figure it out. Why the movei of cavendish made somni happy what is it about that is so special for her?
And i was t..."

Oh bummer! Well I'll keep an eye out for a more informational page ^_^

Okay. Well, I finally finished the book! I have so much to say about it that I don't know where to start or if I should put it all in different posts. So, I think I'll post my general review here and then other stuff in the post, where the stories connect.

First of all, I totally loved the book. I was very worried that I was going to find the complexities of the novel too trying and that would affect how I felt about the novel as a whole. However, the complexities became something that I loved. I became an active participant in the book because I was constantly looking for ways the stories overlapped. I found myself highlighting on my Kindle and writing notes on pieces of paper every time I read. Right now, I'm looking at 3 sticky notes and 2 note cards filled with notes and connections I made while reading.

I love the message that a corporate world will lead to slavery. I think this message is timely and true. And, the treatment of others as non-humans, can lead to actual cannibalism. What is bad about eating the fabricants if they are not even considered humans? We eat animals that way every day.

In each story, the characters get a little bit further in actualizing their fate(?). And, the book poses Zachry's story as the last one. However, I would ask in return, is the story over? Has the lesson been learned? The reason I ask is that Zackry ignores sonmi's warning not to slit the man's throat. So, is it possible that person really was Zackry's brother? Was he supposed to live? And if so, does that mean these characters will live again, maybe one more time in order to get things finally right?

Anyway, I was hesitant about this book choice, but I'm really glad I read it. :)

I'm kind of wishing that there was more discussion on this novel, but oh well. I just wanted to point out that there may be an answere to our issue with Louisa and Timothy Cavendish. We agree that these two people must have been alive, at least part of the time, during the same era, so can't be reincarnations of each other. However, I just want to say that I think it is interesting that (I can't find it now) I remember that Timothy mentions in the first half of his story that no one had ever said his birthmark looked like a comet, instead like some kind of smear (I think?). Everyone else's birthmark is directly compared to a comet. In addition, there is this quote in the second half of Louisa's story:

"The uncreated and the dead exist solely in our actual and virtual pasts. Now the bifurcation of these two pasts will begin."

This quote appears right as the plane is blown up. So, is it at this point where one past, Timothy's, completely separates from the other, Louisa's? It seems like there may be a connection here.

Angie wrote: "I'm kind of wishing that there was more discussion on this novel, but oh well. I just wanted to point out that there may be an answere to our issue with Louisa and Timothy Cavendish. We agree that ..."

I think we had a lot of influx of people towards the end of the month and most probably decided they didn't want to start so late. Next month should be better.

I, for one, finished yesterday, but have been contemplating how I wanted to write my review. I don't want to come off unfair or dumb. I wasn't thrilled with this book. A lot of it probably came with the fact I was feeling rushed to read it since I've been buried in NaNoWriMo this month as well as doing a ton of housekeeping for the book club with all our new members.

That being said, I enjoyed a few of the stories, Luisa Rey's and Somni's to be exact. Cavendish's wasn't bad, although I preferred the second half over the first. I had a really hard time getting through the other three. I also think I got overwhelmed trying to find all the connections instead of just reading it through and enjoying it for what it was. And even for all that...I still didn't catch all the connections you guys did.

I didn't love it, but I didn't hate it. I may re-read it at some point. I definitely would love to see the movie.

Karena wrote: "Angie wrote: "I'm kind of wishing that there was more discussion on this novel, but oh well. I just wanted to point out that there may be an answere to our issue with Louisa and Timothy Cavendish. ..."

Yes. I definitely would like to see the movie rendition as well. Maybe, this would be a case that the movie would clear up some questions!

Angie wrote: "I'm kind of wishing that there was more discussion on this novel, but oh well. I just wanted to point out that there may be an answere to our issue with Louisa and Timothy Cavendish. We agree that ..."

Oh hey! Maybe Cavendish is a reincarnate of Isaac Sachs!I mean, we know for sure that *Spoiler* he died....

I finally finished--better late than never!

This book was interesting. I knew going into it that reincarnation was the theme, and I figured that the people with the birthmark were the reincarnations of the same soul. After I finished, I read a review that suggested that EVERY character in each story kept on reincarnating. I did not pick up on this while reading the book, but in retrospect, I can see how that might be the case.

That led me to thinking about the theme of reincarnation. I do not believe in reincarnation myself, but I don't mind reading books where that is a theme. (Just like I don't believe in elves, dwarves, or hobbits, but I love The Lord of the Rings.) I am finding that I'm getting somewhat "turned off" by the idea that all of the characters are reincarnations of themselves. This would imply that the souls are going through lifetime after lifetime, continually interacting with the same core group of souls who are somehow connected with them. This idea seems even more improbable than reincarnation itself, and it also seems kind of boring for the souls. When there are billions of people in the world (plus innumerable animals, who may or may not reincarnate), why would a soul always interact only with the same core group? Wouldn't it be better to have different experiences each lifetime, and interact with different other souls?

Although I suppose there is something to be said for the idea that the souls are connected so that they can work something out, or get something right, and that once that happens, they can go their separate ways.

Anyway, very interesting book!

I loved this book! I really enjoyed trying to find the various parts where the stories interweave and overlap. There were a few parts that were harder to get through then others, but on the whole I enjoyed all the stories. I definitely think this will merit a second read at some point, as I'm sure there is alot I missed the first time around.

Tanya wrote: "I finally finished--better late than never!

This book was interesting. I knew going into it that reincarnation was the theme, and I figured that the people with the birthmark were the reincarnati..."

I'm not sure if this is appropriate here or not, but on the topic of interesting reads that contain a reincarnation theme, I would like to recommend The Law of Love by Laura Esquivel http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/25...
It has a very interesting take on reincarnation.

Okay not sure how this works, this is my first time posting in the review. I liked the book a lot and was very surprised at how it came together from a technical standpoint. I have been reading short stories lately so this worked in well with my frame of thinking. I would give this a 3.5 out of 5 as the writing was keeping me interested as well as the story. Some favorite quotes: "sometimes the fluffy bunny of incredulity zooms round the bend so rapidly that the greyhound of language is left, agog, in the starting cage." And "The cold sank its fangs into my exposed neck and frisked me for uninsulated patches.". And "...there ain't no journey what don't change you some." those were a few that I marked that had me laughing out loud or turned me introspective.

I loved this book!it really kept me reading.

I read it when it first came out in 2004, and have just reread it in advance of the film being release in the UK next month. Even better on a reread. My review is here: http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/....