Tournament of Books discussion

Bracket is up! http://www.themorningnews.org/tob
Round 5: Sing, Unburied, Sing v. The Book of Joan
Round 6: Pachinko v. So Much Blue
Round 7: Exit West v. The Animators
Round 8: Goodbye, Vitamin v. Idaho

I am amazed The Animators is a 4th seed - it's one of the first books (actually, along with Exit West) I was really aware of in 2017 when it arrived annotated in my Bookriot box. There were a ton of raves in publications in the first quarter of the year as well.

There was at least one person who proposed an Alzheimer's/losing-memory play-in round over in the predictions thread... That's essentially Round 8 now!

Amy wrote: "I am amazed The Animators is a 4th seed - it's one of the first books (actually, along with Exit West) I was really aware of in 2017 when it arrived annotated in my ..."

I thought the same thing about The Animators!! That’s my favorite book in the competition. As you can see, not one I’ll be judging unless it makes it to the championship!

Amy wrote: "There was at least one person who proposed an Alzheimer's/losing-memory play-in round over in the predictions thread... That's essentially Round 8 now!"

I was just thinking about that too. Talk about two opposite ways to treat this topic! I'm excited ffor the round, but sad that one of these will have to lose.

If there was one match up where I was reasonably sure I knew the outcome, it's tomorrow's, and thank goodness for that. There's no way I'll be able to even peek at the think until the afternoon.

I don't know, there are a few people who LUUUUVVV Book of Joan. This seems ripe for another upset.

If there's another upset tomorrow I will well and truly believe we are in the upside-down ToB.

And I adored Book of Joan (yes, I really did) but Sing, Unburied, Sing is better and could go all the way. And by saying that, I've ensured the upset. Thank you and goodnight.

If you asked me a week ago, I would've blithely assumed Book of Joan wouldn't stand a chance, even knowing there were huge fans of it. Even though I still think Sing, Unburied, Sing is the safest of the #1 seeds, I'm still steeling myself for tomorrow's verdict. I REALLY didn't like BoJ!

It's up.
https://themorningnews.org/tob/

Woke up this morning braced for another upset. Wasn't sure I could emotionally handle it as I'm still licking my wounds over White Tears. But oh happy day! Sing, Unburied, Sing rides onto the next round!

Oh thank goodness. I love SUS. I agree with the judge that The Book of Joan needed more head, and I agree with the commentator that The Book of Joan needed more heart. I just needed more. I expected to like it way more than I did (but was willing to entertain that I missed something because I read it in eARC form, on the plane to where my Dad was put in hospice, and might have missed it because I was distracted!)

Static link for today; https://themorningnews.org/tob/2018/s...

I was no fan of Book of Joan, but even if it had worked on me the way I think the author had intended, there was just no contest. There isn't a clearer-cut bracket in the tournament this year.

Whew! What an amazing book. I loved the narrative distance. I loved the crows. I loved the haunting nature of the book overlaid on the very real problems of racism, drug abuse, and mass incarceration. The judge says:" If the supernatural element adds just a bit of the fantastical to the novel, then the remaining majority is realistic enough to shatter." I agree.

For once since this tournament started, I agree with the judge. Jesmyn Ward is a literary force I hope we'll continue to admire.

I really enjoyed the alternate universe fan fiction feel of Joan, but Sing is by far my favorite book of 2017.

Has anyone pointed out all the ToB characters named Leon(i)e? And then imagined them in their own tournament...?

1. Leone (Book of Joan) -- Badass
2. Leonie (Sing, Unburied, Sing) -- Bad mom
3. Leonie (White Tears) -- just Bad

I did notice. But then I kept thinking I was imagining it. How odd. I've actually never met someone named Leonie in my whole life.

becka wrote: "I really enjoyed the alternate universe fan fiction feel of Joan, but Sing is by far my favorite book of 2017.

Has anyone pointed out all the ToB characters named Leon(i)e? And then imagined them in their own tournament...?

You're a genius. I never figured that out. I knew one Leo in my life and he was a real jackass. As in Staten Island, NY bad guy who throws a single mother with four kids' shit out on the lawn after her husband leaves for not paying rent kind of bad. The authors must have picked that name for a reason. I'm googling it.

Well, the root is "lion"...I've known a Leon, and talk about a jackass....

Very interesting....I know a Leona....she's 4 years old and one badass little toddler.

Leonie means Lion. It's not a popular name in the US. It's very popular in Austria, Switzerland, and to a lesser extent, France. So the name embodies the characteristics of a lion. "Bad ass, bad mom, and just bad" fit.

lots of interest in the tourney to know what the judge had in mind for most 'overrated' of the shortlist. She suggested we DM her but I have never direct messaged on Twitter. I just followed her so I'll take tips if folks want to know the answer to the mystery!

Amy wrote: "lots of interest in the tourney to know what the judge had in mind for most 'overrated' of the shortlist. She suggested we DM her but I have never direct messaged on Twitter. I just followed her so..."

...grrrr ya gotta be followed back. We'll see if I warrant!

Keep us posted, Amy! I'm one of the clueless lot who didn't know what she meant by "DM". *[hangs head in shame]*

I went to Twitter but didn't see a button to DM her. Thanks for clearing that up Amy.

I follow Judge Kreizman on Instagram, so I sent a DM on that asking about the overrated novel. Waiting for a reply...

I thought that she was referring to Exit West.

We need to run a quick book Amy.

Amy wrote: "lots of interest in the tourney to know what the judge had in mind for most 'overrated' of the shortlist."

I think Lincoln backlash is in full effect after the early 2017 media blitz and lit world swoon. I'm sure it's that.

Jason wrote: "Amy wrote: "lots of interest in the tourney to know what the judge had in mind for most 'overrated' of the shortlist."

I think Lincoln backlash is in full effect after the early 2017 media blitz a..."

me too. gotta be, right? (especially since I agree)

Ace wrote: "I thought that she was referring to Exit West.

We need to run a quick book Amy."

I thought Exit West at first too, until I remembered that it was a Book of the Month selection. She's queen of BOTM! So it can't be Exit West, The Animators, Sing, Pachinko, Goodbye Vitamin, or Manhattan Beach

Lincoln or Idaho I assume!

Lauren wrote: "So it can't be Exit West, The Animators, Sing, Pachinko, Goodbye Vitamin, or Manhattan Beach.."

Righto. I'm changing my bet to Lincoln. I also thought it was over-rated.

Sing Unburied Sing was one of those books where I allowed expectations of greatness to shade my evaluation. There was just no way it could be as good as everyone said it was. If it had been some indie thing no one had heard of I would have been amazed by it. So I'm just owning up here that my reading experience is influenced by environmental factors that should have no effect, but do.

Lauren wrote: ""I thought Exit West at first too, until I remembered that it was a Book of the Month selection. She's queen of BOTM! So it can't be Exit West, The Animators, Sing, Pachinko, Goodbye Vitamin, or Manhattan Beach ..."

you're blinding me with science!

If it's truly the book that didn't deserve to be in the brackets, it'll be Lucky Boy. But I'm not sure it even qualifies as overrated.

Jason wrote: "If it's truly the book that didn't deserve to be in the brackets, it'll be Lucky Boy. But I'm not sure it even qualifies as overrated."

Yeah, I didn't even hate Lucky Boy the way a lot of people seem to have, but I have no idea what it's doing in the tournament. There were way more interesting books to talk about.

My favorite line from someone here back when the brackets were first announced: "Book of Joan is toast."

"Nozlee: I love the idea of the Rooster as one big, month-long book club."

I believe she knows it's a year-long book club right here.

Jason wrote: "If it's truly the book that didn't deserve to be in the brackets, it'll be Lucky Boy. But I'm not sure it even qualifies as overrated."

I will always take a chance to mention the book that got robbed to make room for lucky boy: long list novel IN THE DISTANCE by Hernan Diaz. One of the most unique books I've ever read.

Bretnie wrote: "My favorite line from someone here back when the brackets were first announced: "Book of Joan is toast.""

That was Janet! :)

Lark Benobi wrote: "Jason wrote: "If it's truly the book that didn't deserve to be in the brackets, it'll be Lucky Boy. But I'm not sure it even qualifies as overrated."

I will always take a chance to mention the boo..."

you know, I think I forgot to mention that one in the 'robbed longlist' convo. I'm only half-way through (but will pick up as soon as i finish 2 more of the shortlist this weekend) but it has been a sleeper giant. The prose and the narrative are amazing.

I will always take a chance to mention the book that got robbed ...."

I automatically thought of Augustown as the book that should have been in the tournament.

Michelle - another one I need to pick up again! (The audio format didn’t work for me so I’ll pick up print the next go-around).

Lark - I am with you on two counts here. Firstly, having just finished In the Distance I totally agree it was robbed by not making the shortlist ( a charge we could perhaps level to several books ).
Secondly, I will also admit to my reading of SUS to suffer greatly under the weight of expectations. I thought it was great in many respects but it didn't totally sock me in the gut like either White Tears or LITB.

I am absolutely convinced the judge was referring to Saunders book as I think it absolutely is suffering a sort of "Tall Poppy" syndrome effect as well as the sin of being written by an older White Male

Lark Benobi wrote: "I will always take a chance to mention the book that got robbed to make room for lucky boy: long list novel IN THE DISTANCE by Hernan Diaz. One of the most unique books I've ever read."

I will always support you in that assertion! I was rooting for IN THE DISTANCE and REFUGE.

In reference to the comment about most overrated book this year...Ace wrote: "I thought that she was referring to Exit West." Lauren wrote: "I thought it was Exit West too..."

STOP! I'm going to cry.

Tina wrote: "In reference to the comment about most overrated book this year...Ace wrote: "I thought that she was referring to Exit West." Lauren wrote: "I thought it was Exit West too..."

STOP! I'm going to cry."

All the love for Exit West (although I'm reading Animators now... yikes tough fight!) - I listened to it which always makes me more forgiving but I found it beautiful and of the moment!

Lark Benobi wrote: "Jason wrote: "If it's truly the book that didn't deserve to be in the brackets, it'll be Lucky Boy. But I'm not sure it even qualifies as overrated."

I will always take a chance to mention the boo..."

Couldn't agree more about Distance - just an amazing reading experience for me.

Tina wrote: "Lark Benobi wrote: "I will always take a chance to mention the book that got robbed to make room for lucky boy: long list novel IN THE DISTANCE by Hernan Diaz. One of the most unique books I've eve..."

I SO loved Refuge

Amy wrote: "Michelle - another one I need to pick up again! (The audio format didn’t work for me so I’ll pick up print the next go-around)."
There were quite a few books on the longlist that were better reads than the contenders this year. I have to revisit it as soon as I get my ARC list down to a manageable number.

Lauren wrote: "Ace wrote: "I thought that she was referring to Exit West.

We need to run a quick book Amy."

I thought Exit West at first too, until I remembered that it was a Book of the Month selection. She's ..."

She also had a "2017 Empathy Reads" shelf on GR and that she tweeted out, which included a lot of these... and So Much Blue, so I'm going to guess Lincoln is her overrated read from her as well...