Book-a-book of the Month Club discussion

Discuss the characters here

Even with 2/3 of the way into the story, I can't say I really like or love any of the characters, though Faye is interesting, once you get into her background and story. I wasn't thrilled with her in the beginning though, because she was being unsympathetic with Samuel and all his crying, though I can understand where she's coming from --- I just thought it was a bit harsh to think what she did of her son back then ((view spoiler)[I think it was something along the lines of him not being as smart as the others, or as tough (hide spoiler)]). <-- not much of a spoiler; occurs within the first fifty pages or so.

I think other than Faye, the only other character I sort of like is Bishop, because he was badass. Kid's been through some stuff and still remained tough. Plus, (view spoiler)[he took down a bully! In an ingenious (albeit somewhat predictable) way! (hide spoiler)] A bit violent, though (I'm thinking of his and Samuel's first encounter). Bethany is meh, Samuel is meh, Pwnage is meh... basically everyone else (so far) is meh.

Dislike Laura Potsdam, though her passage was fun to read about, I guess. I don't really understand her relevancy to the story, though. Neither did I understand Pwnage's passage.

I will have to wait a little bit to read your whole post, Michelle, as I am only about 50 pages in.

However, so far, if Laura Pottsdam spent as much time working hard on school as she on coming up with excuses, she would graduate at the top of her class!

Samuel (view spoiler)[ he cries soooooo much! (hide spoiler)]
Bishop (view spoiler)[ a bit scary so far! (hide spoiler)]

Laura Pottsdam (view spoiler)[ Reading about her and what she thinks was SOOOOOO painful! (hide spoiler)]

Matthew wrote: "Laura Pottsdam [spoilers removed]"

Yep. It was interesting, but also, why?

Okay I haven't gotten to Laura Pottsdam yet so I won't read the spoilers. But as for the others, yup.......... Samuel is very umm, sensitive? I'm back and forth on Bishop (view spoiler)[ he starts off as scary, then takes down the big bully but then he puts the salt lick in the hot tub? That's crazy! (view spoiler)[ (hide spoiler)] (hide spoiler)]

(view spoiler)[Spoiler (hide spoiler)] <-- I had to do it.

But for reals:
Samuel: (view spoiler)[I think we all go through slumps in our life where we are generally unsatisfied with what we've accomplished and that we should have accomplished more. And that weight to do more stops us from doing more. I know, at least, that's held me down a few times in my life. And I can see how it would be easy to give up and go with the flow. Samuel is fed the double woah though of not having even accomplished his only accomplishment. (hide spoiler)]
Bishop: (view spoiler)[Uh, killing animals in the woods for fun.
His character never surprised me after that. In fact I thought,
given his proclivities and his mystery revealed that his behavior was a little underwhelming. All that lead up to the point where he sought out to come clean with all his loved ones, starting with Samuel... felt a little contrived. Not impossible, but contrived. (hide spoiler)]
Faye: Annoying.
Beth: (view spoiler)[ Not only was she kind of dull, but I didn't see her and Samuel being life long anything. They only really had a little time together and while they were both taken with each other as children... I just didn't see the growth and expansion of an adult relationship forming. I guess it was in the letters... but then she seemed extra superficial when she let Samuel be interested in her without ever sharing it back at all. (hide spoiler)]
Periwinkle: Awesome. I don't know what to say other than that. He was brutally honest and unforgiving. (view spoiler)[Clearly the protagonist, but at the same time a guru to Samuel. (hide spoiler)] :shrug:
Pwnage: (view spoiler)[Why? The only thing interesting that ever came of Pwnage was his super cliche hospital stay and the ensuing conversation about mixed realities when the vigil was ambushed. (hide spoiler)]

What was up with Allen Ginsberg? I don't know much about him, but he just came across as a caricature of a hardcore hippie. Honestly, his character was laughable. (Was he seriously like this in real life?)

Dislike present Faye, and think she isn't really the same person as the old Faye. Same with Periwinkle(view spoiler)[/Sebastian. Like the past character and not the present one. (hide spoiler)]

Pwnage & Laura: what did they add to the story, really?

Michelle wrote: "Even with 2/3 of the way into the story, I can't say I really like or love any of the characters, though Faye is interesting, once you get into her background and story. I wasn't thrilled with her ..."

Finally catching up on the early discussions!

I enjoyed your mid-book character review. And, it is interesting because right around halfway through the book Bishop disappears, Samuel stops crying, and it becomes all about characters that are not in the first part of the book!

Joe wrote: "Periwinkle: Awesome. I don't know what to say other than that. He was brutally honest and unforgiving. (view spoiler) :shrug:."

Matthew, that image makes me want my request to come more quickly than anything I have actually read about this book!

Kandice wrote: "Matthew, that image makes me want my request to come more quickly than anything I have actually read about this book!"

Muah ha ha ha! :)