Dubuque Virtual Book Club discussion

Books up for discussion in June (all are available through our OverDrive collection as eBooks, most also have audiobook versions).

The Monuments Men: Allied Heroes, Nazi Thieves, and the Greatest Treasure Hunt in History: We'll be showing the movie on June 26th (More info.). The true story of Allied mission to protect and recover European artworks during WWII. Edsel's conversational writing style adds appeal for readers who might otherwise avoid history as dry.

The Giver: Movie release date August 15th. This award winning and controversial young adult classic predates the current dystopian trend in YA has a slower pace than modern readers might expect, but packs a thought-provoking punch.

If I Stay: Movie release date August 22nd. Character-driven and reflective, an examination of grief in less than 200 pages that has no less impact for its length.

Wild: From Lost to Found on the Pacific Crest Trail: Movie release date December 5th. Advice columnist Strayed's inspirational memoir of her ill-planned hiking adventure to reclaim her crumbling life was the first title of Oprah's relaunched book club.

I just finished The Giver--my kids all read the book in grade school and loved it so I'm not sure how it slipped by me. I enjoyed it, but mostly because I pictured myself reading it 20 years ago when it was first published--it must have been quite inventive at that time and I can see why my kids liked it. Since then the genre has taken off--I would be curious to see what a 12 year old today would think of it reading it for the first time compared to 20 years ago.

I actually felt a bit let down by the ending--it all happened so quickly and seemed rather anticlimactic--I wonder how the movie will handle things--I feel like the book will need to be fleshed out for a full length movie. I was left feeling like I wanted a little bit more.

I first read The Giver as a kid 20 years ago, and I had a very similar reaction to the ending as you did Michelle. Lois Lowry has written three sequels, which I haven't gotten around to reading.

Interestingly enough, this was probably the book that started me on reading books about the apocalypse or dystopias. It isn't a book I would've picked up on my own, but my mom gave me a copy when the school removed it from curriculum. The act of reading a book most of the other kids weren't allowed to read really added to my immersion in the story.

I wasn't overly thrilled with The Giver, though that could be because I didn't read it as a kid. It probably would have made more of an impression on me back then. Reading it as an adult, I didn't dislike it, but I didn't love it the way so many do.

My feelings echo what Charleen said. I only read "The Giver" a few years ago and thought maybe I would have loved this as a kid but as an adult I thought it was just alright. I'm also not a fan dystopian literature so other novels of Lowry's have resonated with me more than this one. Her novel "A Summer To Die" is one of my all-time favorite novels and impacted me so much since I read it as a kid and even as an adult it still holds this sense of wonder for me - probably because I remember what it was like to read it for the first time.

I enjoyed "The Giver", but agree I would have enjoyed it more as a kid. I have also read "Gathering Blue" and am wanting to read the other two that are part of the series. They are not exactly sequels, though ... completely different characters and scenarios. But they are all dystopian novels, so they do have some similarities.

Joy wrote: "I enjoyed "The Giver", but agree I would have enjoyed it more as a kid. I have also read "Gathering Blue" and am wanting to read the other two that are part of the series. They are not exactly se..."

I think you will be pleasantly surprised to discover some shared characters between Son and earlier books in the series :)

I know I'm late, but I just started reading The Monuments Men last week. I'm still in the beginning stages, but find it interesting so far. I'm also on the hold list for the movie, so I can't wait to compare the two.

Yeah, I'm late too, I only just got If I Stay. I'm not usually a big YA fan, but I've been curious about this one for a while.

No worries! The intention of the Goodreads Book Club is for people to join in as they're able. I liked If I Stay, but I haven't picked up the sequel yet because I'm not sure how there can be a sequel.

I finished Wild a few weeks ago. Overall I liked it in that it was engrossing and kept me interested. There's no way I could have done what she did and admire her for it. My criticism is that it ended with a thud. It's not a spoiler to say that she finishes her trek...and the book ends. While I realize it is about the journey it would have been nice to have an afterward/epilogue of some sort. Having just seen the movie trailer I'm curious how that will go.