Book-a-book of the Month Club discussion

So, I finally had a chance to do some reading. I couldn't decide whether to go back and read Nos4a2 or jump ahead. There was a simple pleasure about buying both books and I had no idea what to expect from either. I imagined one to be a campy horror (make fun of itself kind of thing) and the other to be... So I picked up the one I had no idea about.

I have to say that these aren't my real first impressions. I blazed through this book. I don't know if that was because I finally had time to read, if it was really fun to read or both. I was initially going to read the first few chapters to get an idea about what it was and then do the same for NOS4A2.

So... I thought the beginning of the book was confusing. I know there was meant to be a lot of mystery around the setup, but I would have been happy without the future remembering the past thing. I don't felt like it added anything to the story. All it did was ruin the ending a little bit.

Once the main character was a boy it was very easy to get through the book.

Welcome back! Wow, you did hit the ground running on this one . . . I am still waiting for my copy from the library! I look forward to discussing in early April!

Thanks, it's good to be back. I really enjoy the book club. I have some more unadulterated travel time next week. I'm going to get back to NOS4A2.

Based on what I have seen of your book interests on Goddreads, I think you will like NOS4A2.

I sort of freaked out a little just then thinking I had forgotten to read the book, haha although I love buying my books and being able to hold them, i may have to buy this one on kobo. I will get back to you also when i have something more to discuss about it! haha

I just picked this up at the library - much shorter than I expected. At under 200 pages, should be a quick read. Hard to call it a novel - more like a novella. A big change after NOS4A2!

haha, yeah. Going the other direction is sort of painful. It was nice to breeze through a book in a few days. I'm only 15% through NOS4A2 after 3 days.

Bleh! I am trying to get to this book so that I can give my first impressions but I have been so tired with work and the new baby! I am reading another book too, and while I was reading it yesterday during lunch I feel asleep in the breakroom.

So, I am only about 4 pages in to The Ocean at the End of the Lane, but I will probably have to start over because those 4 pages were read in a half asleep state . . .

I feel like as the leader of the group I am dropping the ball on this one! :)

Uh... It sounds like you got a lot going on. It also sounds like you're trying your hardest, more than I would expect you to. That's really all anyone could ask of you.

I personally would like to hear that you're getting your rest and enjoying your life. You've done a good job setting up the book club and there's a lot of potential for us to maintain it.

Thanks! I am excited about the participation I have seen so far - and we got a new member yesterday!

I think once I get into a good pattern with work and family, I should be able to get back into my normal reading pattern as well.

Thanks again for your support and kind words!

Yay! I finally got to start this this past weekend.

I would say my first impression through the first 50 pages or so is that it quickly becomes hard to tell what is real life and what is fantasy and who is part of which side.

Basically - it is going along normally, gets weird, and then goes back to normal, but them gets weird again quickly! Very interesting start!

Matthew wrote: "Bleh! I am trying to get to this book so that I can give my first impressions but I have been so tired with work and the new baby! I am reading another book too, and while I was reading it yesterd..."

Oh honey! I am so impressed that you have any time to raed at all with both the kids and work, yikes. You are a rock star! And will be totally forgiven for slacking on your participation :)

I'm not sure if any of you know this, but Neil Gaiman's dad told him that when he was a child (about the age of the narrator) a boarder was found dead in the family car. Neil had blocked it out of his memory until his dad reminded him. He started this little book as a way to tell a story to his wife Amanda, but being Neil...it turned into fantasy instead of recollection.

That is pretty cool