Read Runners discussion

Myself and Aparna are soon to embark on a journey through The Cemetery Of Forgotten Books . Anyone interested in being a fellow traveller is welcome. Those who have already completed this journey do join in our discussions........

It was a very good book. And I think there's already a discussion thread in this group.

Its a great book! Hope you enjoy it as much as I did.

It was the BOTM last year.

Starting this today !!

On chapter 5..rather curious about the concept of "cemetery of books"..the plot is just building up.!!

Awesome book :) I hope you guys love it :)

Already loving it Hajarath Prasad and Manju. And only in the 7th chapter.

I will lurk and hopefully join for discussion :)
Read it last year and loved it. :)

@ Gehna do join in .
@ Aparna where have you reached. ? Do you think Daniel to be a a bit precocious. ? Do you like Clara? I am in the 14th chapter.

hey Rebecca..m on chapter 10..getting less reading time..so going a little slow..liking it so far..I feel Daniel is far too mature for his age..at times I went back and checked what the author had mentioned about his age in previous chapters.I also get a sinister feeling about all these characters Clara and Gustavo too..what do u think?..

Ohh! you had doubts about his age too? Yes there is something dark lurking out there I feel. The narration is simply amazing don't you think. ? I was waiting for my son in his school and to while away my time started reading this. After reading a chapter and looking up it took me some time to orient myself from the streets of Barcelona back to reality. And this one is a translation too! I wonder how the original Spanish one would have been.

Rebecca wrote: "Ohh! you had doubts about his age too? Yes there is something dark lurking out there I feel. The narration is simply amazing don't you think. ? I was waiting for my son in his school and to while a..."

Hope you remembered to pick up your son. :P

Ha ! ha! I sure did. Reading updates Aparna? I am at chapter 20 and loving the twists and turns.

EXactly my thoughts Rebecca,the narration is simply awesome..m on chapter 14..got introduced to fermin the - "bibliographic detective " ;).he seems to be a good man..

Fermin is. a strong character. Remember liking him while reading the book.

Yes I like Fermin his blasphemies, his queer faiths and even his lusting for well endowed females.

So happy to hear that both of you are loving this book! Can't wait to see your reactions once you reach the end! :D

I LOVED Fermin. He was just too good and added the much needed lightness to this book.

Couldn't agree more..Really liking Fermin and his brutally honest yet humorous explanations!!..On chapter 20.what a mesmerizing prose!!.Howz it going rebecca?

I too loved Fermin. He a mysterious character but the humour which was added to the story through him was much needed in its seriousness :D

What's happening in the story? Where have you reached? :)

@ Sri at the pace it is going my only fear is whether the end is going to disappoint me.
@ Aparna I am halfway through it and it is becoming more entangled with each chapter.
@ Gehna(view spoiler)[ I have reached the point where Daniel and Bea find love in each other's arms. Daniel and Fermin have unraveled some of Julian Carax's childhood by talking to the Father who was Julian's classmate. (hide spoiler)]

I am almost envious of you folk experiencing the wonders of this book afresh. I get nostalgic seeing your updates.

Syl ʃʃ^.^ʃʃ wrote: "I am almost envious of you folk experiencing the wonders of this book afresh. I get nostalgic seeing your updates."

Am right by your side!

@Rebecca, oh then the interesting part is still left. Read

Fast :D

There was this part about Nuria (I think that was the name) which I really liked in this book :)

@Gehna..Still a long way to go..only reached the half way mark(view spoiler)[ Reached the part where Jacinta is narrating how penelope and julian hatched a plan to elope to paris .. (hide spoiler)]

I am finished and it was some tale!

Rebecca wrote: "I am finished and it was some tale!"

How many stars??

Aparna wrote: "@Gehna..Still a long way to go..only reached the half way mark[spoilers removed]"

Did you read that part about Julian friend? The other friend not Penelope's brother. I don't remember his name :P

Yep, how many stars, Rebecca? :)

Gehna wrote: "Aparna wrote: "@Gehna..Still a long way to go..only reached the half way mark[spoilers removed]"

Did you read that part about Julian friend? The other friend not Penelope's brother. I don't rememb..."

Yes Miquel. 4 stars.

Oh yeah Miquel! Thanks!


Aparna, I was talking about Miquel :)

Rebecca, will you review it? :)

She's already reviewed

Syl ʃʃ^.^ʃʃ wrote: "She's already reviewed"

She isn't on my friends list so I didn't know.

:-) Add...:-P

Done.!!! it was a marathon read in the end .4stars it is..high five Rebecca :)

Gehna wrote: "Oh yeah Miquel! Thanks!


Aparna, I was talking about Miquel :)"

Gehna,

I liked the part about Miquel and Nuria Monfort..The letter she wrote to daniel was very heartfelt..

Aparna after we are through discussing this are you interested in a Georgette heyer? I have The convenient marriage in my TBR.

Rebecca..Yeah sure..Infact I do want to read a Georgette Heyer this year..I ll check up if - The convenient marriage is available in my library..Will let you know

Aparna back to the shadow (view spoiler)[did you guess that about Julian's father? I had as soon as Aldaya was mentioned as a womanizer and the interest he was taking in Julian's life. (hide spoiler)]

But being of a suspicious mind I had doubts about Fermin too.At one time I thought he was Clara's father.

Should we use spoiler tag for discussions
since both of us have finished?

I think we can discuss without the spoiler tags now...

Ohh..is it?..I didnt really think in those lines at first..but I did feel curious as to why Sophie and Aldaya were discussing so much in detail about julian's future..
I can see why you felt that way about Fermin..I think the writer wanted to plant a suspicion about Fermin in the minds of the readers.I remember reading the part where daniel's dad is asking if they really know who Fermin is ..as in his real name and stuff after the murder of nuria monfort.

The part about Fumero being Julian's childhood friend was a real surprise for me though..

Also I didn't really understand Clara's character..not much was written about her..she just felt like an add on in Daniel's journey.
what do u think?..did u have any particular favorite character in mind ?

Yes Clara does seem ab add on in the end and she has been given a negative touch. But in the beginning she was portrayed as something ethereal and I thought she would be an important character in the unfolding of the mystery.

Wonder why she was made blind. ? Does it add to her attraction. ?

Be it a book or a movie a good villain adds on to the spice. In Kerala we have a character actor called Nedumudi Venu. Whenever he plays the villain I cringe with revulsion That is the effect his acting has. In this book I think the most well portayed character is I think The Inspector Fumero. His character has been well accounted for. We know why he is what he is and we know why he hates Julian so much. But the fact of his being a childhood friend of Julian was indeed a great surprise to me.

I guess the blindness adds an enigmatic air to her..
Nedumidi Venu is a fantastic actor!!.M a great fan of malayalam cinema..it was almost like a sunday afternoon routine in our place during my college years to watch malayalam movie with my parents :)
I agree with you, Fumero's character has been nicely portrayed.The anger and spite he develops over a period of time hits us hard..
I was wondering what would have julian done differently if he would have known the truth about penelope being his sister.
I think he would have destroyed himself and the desire to write again would have been completely lost..what are your thoughts?

On a separate note, I checked if - the convenient marriage by georgette heyer is available in my library..and the only one they have is an audiobook, and I am tempted to get that since I have heard very good reviews about the narration by Richard Armitage.
So, If you want to start that after this discussion is done, I am all set :)

You understand malayalam! And about all the female characters whom did you like best? I loved Nuria best. Both Penelope and Bea are just some beautiful maidens after whom both the heroes lust. Their thoughts are not touched upon. But Nurie is the most important female character and her entire life is laid open.

Did you like Daniel's father? I especially liked the part where Fermin asks Daniel whether he will ever be as good a father as Daniel's is.

Did you note that all the three friends Julian, Miquel and Fumero are bound by their ties all throughout their life? Even Nuria who enters their life is tied to all three.

Lets start The convenient marriage whenever you get the book.

I too liked Nuria Monfort.She had a good heart but was sadly unlucky.She played an important role while the whole story was unfolding..But I hated clara for some reason since the beginning..Dont know why..Bea seemed nice, but not much of her life was elaborated.
I liked Daniel's father ..In the beginning I got a feeling that his character was going to be like Atticus Finch (To kill a mockingbird) but then it went a little downhill, He was mostly in the dark and not aware of the happenings..Would have loved to hear his advise to his son during the testing times that daniel went through..