You'll love this one...!! A book club & more discussion

Sandra and I are going to buddy read To The Bright Edge of the World in December. All are welcome to join us.

I have this marked down as my second book to read in December, so I could start Dec 8th. I'm fairly flexible if that doesn't work for you, Sandra.

It works for me, Janice. Thanks for setting up the thread.

I'll add it to the Buddy Read calendar. I'm really looking forward to this book. Did you read The Snow Child? I read it back in 2013 and gave it 4 stars.

I keep thinking: huh? who's this new member posting? I have to get used to your new pic Janice, but I like it!

I absolutely loved this book. If I didn't have several other things to read in December I might have joined you for a reread. I'll check in every now and then to see how you're doing :)

Please do check in and comment, Peggy.

Janice wrote: "I'll add it to the Buddy Read calendar. I'm really looking forward to this book. Did you read The Snow Child? I read it back in 2013 and gave it 4 stars."

No, I didn't read it. I remember having it in my TBR, but it's not there anymore. I am not sure if I deleted it or not.

Peggy wrote: "I keep thinking: huh? who's this new member posting? I have to get used to your new pic Janice, but I like it!

I absolutely loved this book. If I didn't have several other things to read in Decemb..."

That would be great, Peggy!

I also loved this story! Same as Peggy, same as Peggy, I would join you except that my december dance card is full! I might lo9k in from time to time though.

I will join you. I loved The Snow Child! I need to finish my current book ffirst but then I'll jump in.

Great, Sarah!

Margo, stop by and commeny on what you remember. :)

Hi. I would like to join this buddy read. I am a member but haven't been active in long awhile. Saw the newsletter.
I read the snow child (twice). One of my favorites. I am a fan of Alice Hoffman (read many of her books) and enjoy a hint of magic in the story. For me the snow child had that same type of feel. Keeps you a little unsure if all things are truly real or not. I Liked how snow child was loosely based on a fairy tale told in the story.

Great, Rich. The more, the merrier.

We're happy to have you join us Rich! We'll be starting next weekend.

I also read The Snow Child a few years back and really enjoyed the style of writing and the ambience that it created. I'm looking forward to this book.

Ok sounds great. Just found it online at my library, so I am ready to go.
Looking forward to it.

I've just finished my current book so I'm going to get stwrted with this one. I hope that's ok starting a little earlier.

Go ahead, Sarah. I hope you enjoy it.

Go for it Sarah!

I am going to get started too. I finished my last book as well.
Is there any format to the buddy read? I haven’t done one in awhile. I remember something about putting spoilers hidden some how behind a link?
Is it just sharing thoughts as you go? Or at certain break points?
Sorry it’s been awhile.

Rich, the only thing we try to do is using spoiler tags so we don't ruin anything to anyone. Other than that you can just share your thoughts whenever you want. Some people prefer to do it as they finish a chapter, or something like that, but we don't have specific rules about that. So for example, a comment might look something like that:

Chapter 20 (view spoiler)[ comment on chapter 20 you want to do (hide spoiler)]

To know how to create spoiler tags, you can take a look at the link on the upper right corner of the comment box (it says something about html) and it will tell you how to do it. I am in my phone so I am limited in what I can show you, but you will see that you create the tag typing spoiler between <> before your comment, and the typing /spoiler between <> after. If I write it myself you won't see the code, but the tag, sorry. Take a look and try. If it is still no clear let us know and we will explain it better.

I'll be starting tomorrow afternoon. I probably won't have too much time to read because I have a full evening.

Rich, it also helps to tell us where you are in the book. Sandra prefaced her spoiler with "Chapter 20". That way, we know not to peek at the spoiler if we haven't reached that far in the book.

Other than that - give your observations, thoughts, feelings, etc.

Test(view spoiler)[ I started reading (hide spoiler)]

Rich wrote: "Test[spoilers removed]"

There you go. :)

Perfect! Also, note that GR has a glitch nicely evidenced by Sandra's reply to you. If you hit reply when that person's spoiler is open, it includes it or part of it in the reply so watch out for that. It's very frustrating .

No chapter numbers annoyingly but diary entries witth dates coukd be used to mark where we are i guess.

It seems there is an epigraph then 6 parts.

Ok Sarah I will keep glitch in mind.

I am on page 38.
That old eyak man is a fun character. He is driving the soldiers crazy, haha.

I'm up to the beginning of Sophie's first diary entry. (view spoiler)[ I think the assignment is going to be treacherous. They've barely begun and they're already experiencing the harshness of the elements. (hide spoiler)]

Janice wrote: "I'm up to the beginning of Sophie's first diary entry. [spoilers removed]"

I think I'm just about to start that section too (around page 16).

I'm listening to the audiobook and with no chapter numbers in the book, it's going to be difficult to state where we're at unless we go by the dates of the diary entries. Or maybe percentage in?

I'm at about the 15% mark. It appears that Sophie's diary entries are earlier (February) and Allen's is later (April). I wish they'd be more simultaneous.

Allen, to April 10, 1885- (view spoiler)[I like that the book is steeped in the legend and lore of the natives of Alaska. The old man is believed to turn into a bird and that his body rejected a bullet.

The old woman's story about killing her husband because he turned into an otter and had an otter wife and family, was quite interesting. It must have been strange for the soldiers to hear these tales.

I wonder how much trouble the one soldier will be. I can't think of his name, but Allen was pretty much forced to take him along in spite of his drinking problem. (hide spoiler)]

Sophie to Feb 15, 1885 - (view spoiler)[ It appears that Allen is somewhat older than Sophie and there's much about him that she doesn't know. Apparently, he has a volatile temper.

Sophie is pregnant and not allowed to go to Alaska. Her doctor is a bit of an ass. His attitude towards women is infuriating, like we're too stupid to understand the changes in our bodies and that we don't need to know about it anyway. Grrrr! I chuckled that she ended up "borrowing" a book in spite of the fact that he wouldn't lend it to her. She's quite independent. (hide spoiler)]

I probably won't get much read over the weekend since I'll be at a quilt retreat starting this morning.

I am at 10%. The story jumps around quite a bit. Hard to get a feel of the overall story. Enjoying what I have read.

I'm away over the weekend so I'm unlikely to get very far at all as I'll have no chance to read.

Have a great weekend Sarah!!

Rich wrote: "I am at 10%. The story jumps around quite a bit. Hard to get a feel of the overall story. Enjoying what I have read."

I agree. We're jumping between Allen & Sophie's POV, and they are months apart. I've heard people say that it was a bit slow at first but that it picked up.

I didn't have time to read at all today.

I am at 15%. Not much going on as of yet.
(view spoiler)[ Sophia is pregnant. Trying out this spoiler thing lol (hide spoiler)]

Rich wrote: "I am at 15%. Not much going on as of yet.
[spoilers removed]"

Your spoiler worked! :)

I just finished the book I was reading. I am starting this one now.

Janice wrote: "Rich wrote: "I am at 15%. Not much going on as of yet.
[spoilers removed]"

Your spoiler worked! :)"
🙂

17%/page76.
(view spoiler)[if Sophia has the baby while Allen is away. Who is going to help her with it until Allen returns?
Fun fact: I lived in Oregon for four years. Loved the mountains and things to do there but my wife missed her family in New York. So, back we came. Nice the reminisce that was 25 years ago (hide spoiler)]

23% page 97. (view spoiler)[ the soldiers are moving down the Wolverine river. Finally some adventure crossing a frozen river. Interesting to see if Boyer’s Indian lover is real or not?
Sophia s story is still pretty uninteresting for me... (hide spoiler)]

26% page 110.
Interesting that the times of when Allen and Sophie say they fell in love were very similar in the setting, being up in a tree.

13%, page 54. So far I like what I've read, but it is obviously a slow burn story.
(view spoiler)[I like Sophie already, and I can feel her disappointment for not going to Alaska. She is very interested in photography, it seems. I wonder if she will have the chance of trying it by herself.
Rich, You are right. The Eyak old man is driving the men crazy. I like him.
At this point I want to know more about Alaska, and hear more Indian stories like the otter one. (hide spoiler)]

Sandra. Agree the story is a slow burn but does pick up in the action. I like Sophie as well, a positive thinker and person. Looking to learn how to do stuff, like that. Like Allen too, he has quite the crew around him. Poor guy lol.

I'm at about 31%, the beginning of Part 2. - Last date was Allen, April 20th.

This is tricky because the diary entry dates jump back and forth. I thought it was just that Sophie's entries were back in March and Allen's in June, but now Allen's has jumped back to April?? I'm not sure what purpose it serves to jumble them up like that.

(view spoiler)[That was a tense moment when Tillman slipped into the water tethered to the sled. The current could have pulled them both in and he would have drowned. It's a shame they lost those supplies.

I remember reading a book about circus "freaks" when I was expecting Alan (my Alan... hahaha). I even took it to the hospital with me and recall the doctor asking me what I was reading, and him replying, "What a book to be reading at a time like this!" It didn't bother me at all to read about Siamese twins, bearded ladies, 7-ft tall men, etc. Poor Sophie though is having regrets about reading the medical text. The doctor was really annoyed that she had taken it and read it.

Ravens - I love the lore the book is bringing out. Interesting that Sophie's comb was stolen by the raven, but it was recovered and shown as an artifact in modern times. Yes, we're now switching between a 3rd time frame.

Allen - April 16th: Tillman drunk and fighting with the dog. Funny! Maybe Allen won't have to worry because I believe the liquor is all gone.

Allen - Jun 5: I liked his story about how he fell in love with Sophie. What a shame that the Indians ruined the photographs. Hopefully the letter telling Sophie how he fell in love with her isn't lost and that she will receive it.

Allen - Apr 20: The dog (Boyo) has fallen into the river and presumably is lost. That would really upset me if we had to walk away listening to the dog cry out. (hide spoiler)]

I'm at about 49%, the beginning of Part 3

I'm finding reading and discussing this book a little difficult. I just want to power through without interruption. It's not that the story is so captivating that I don't want to stop. It's more that the back and forth in POV and time frame is disruption enough. Plus, it's difficult to determine position in the audiobook. Oh well, stop complaining, Janice!

Geese - (view spoiler)[ I really enjoyed the story of the geese and the women. Where did these women come from if they weren't the geese? I love that this book is steeped in the lore and legends of the north. (hide spoiler)]

(view spoiler)[ The old woman and the dog found their way back to the soldiers. I was happy that the dog survived.

I was sad that Sophie lost the baby. It just occurred to me that there is a great juxtaposition between Sophie & Allen's points of view. Allen has left for the wilds of Alaska and it's like he's a dream, in a dream world of legend. Whereas Sophie is grounded in the real world, experiencing the day to day trials of being an independent woman in a man's world.

The old man reappears and has Sophie's comb. Wasn't he reported to change into a raven? Was he the raven that stole her comb? It's interesting that the Russians in the 1700's (nearly 100 years earlier) reported an old shaman with the same features and characteristics. Logic says that it's not possible. But the story is moving more and more towards the supernatural that it makes me feel that he is the same person.

Speaking of supernatural - as Sophie loses her baby, Allen witnesses a baby born of the earth. (hide spoiler)]

I'm so behind. I've read the first 39 pages. I have to admit, I'm finding it a bit slow. I'm hoping things will pick up a bit.

It is slow to get going but it does pick up.