YA Buddy Readers' Corner ♥ discussion

Rita Hayworth and Shawshank Redemption--the most satisfying tale of unjust imprisonment and offbeat escape since The Count of Monte Cristo.

Apt Pupil--a golden California schoolboy and an old man whose hideous past he uncovers enter into a fateful and chilling mutual parasitism.

The Body--four rambunctious young boys venture into the Maine woods and in sunlight and thunder find life, death, and intimations of their own mortality.

The Breathing Method--a tale told in a strange club about a woman determined to give birth no matter what.

Are you still reading this Dannii?

Karen wrote: "Are you still reading this Dannii?"

Hi Karen, I am but had some bad family news so it might be a few days until I pick this up. I'm so sorry, I will get to it this month though

Sorry to hear that, Dannii. I’m struggling to read as much as I’d like at the moment - if you get to it, drop a line here. I’ll hold off a day or so.

Thank you Karen. I hope everything is okay with you. I'm hoping to catch up with a few other BRs I'm behind on and start this on the 21st, if that would suit you? Feel free to start earlier if you'd prefer and I can catch up with your thoughts :)

Oh it's only a buddy-read? Darn I had this book from the library since like forever and I was looking forward to reading it with some people

Elizabeth ♛Smart Girls Love Trashy Books♛ wrote: "Oh it's only a buddy-read? Darn I had this book from the library since like forever and I was looking forward to reading it with some people"

I'll still be getting to it this month Elizabeth :) I'm hoping to start in a few days but if you want to start early I can catch up with your thoughts. I tend to power through King's writing :)

Great. I’ll try to start tomorrow, depending on how the return to distance teaching goes.

Karen wrote: "Great. I’ll try to start tomorrow, depending on how the return to distance teaching goes."

Good luck!!

I don't mind waiting a few days

Elizabeth ♛Smart Girls Love Trashy Books♛ wrote: "I don't mind waiting a few days"

Okay, great :D I'll aim to start on the 21st :)

Okay!

Just starting :)

Rita Hayworth and the Shawshank Redemption: (view spoiler)[I've always loved the movie, and honestly the short story wasn't much different. It's very heart-warming and I love how little details are dropped throughout leading up to Andy's escape without the reader really knowing. (hide spoiler)]

I’m starting now too! I’m excited!

Rita Hayworth and the Shawshank Redemption - (view spoiler)[I really loved the narrative style of this. It just flowed in such a conversational tone and I was hooked from page one. I must have seen the film but can't recall anything about it so everything that occurred here, bar the prison setting, came as a surprise. (hide spoiler)]

Abby wrote: "Rita Hayworth and the Shawshank Redemption: [spoilers removed]"

The ending came up as such a surprise to me!

Just about to start - think this might be where my head is at now.

Rita Hayworth and Shawshank. Just reading this immediately has me recalling the movie. Andy is very sympathetically presented by our narrator.

Karen wrote: "Rita Hayworth and Shawshank. Just reading this immediately has me recalling the movie. Andy is very sympathetically presented by our narrator."

I couldn't remember the movie, although I'm sure I've seen it. I'm definitely going to try and find a copy online after this though

Rita Hayworth and the Shawshank Redemption

I've never actually seen the movie but my mom has and read the short story so later I'm going to ask her to compare the two. But until then, (view spoiler)[ I liked the story just fine. Even though the actual writing style was solid, it wasn't my cup of tea. I'm not really into stories like this however I do think it'd be fun to reread it again at some point because of all the subtle hints given to the reader about the escape that you don't realize at first what they are and think they're nonconsquensial. I liked how the actual escape was carried out too, like a sort-of 'destroy them right at their core from your insider knowledge' or something like that. I've always liked stories like that. (hide spoiler)]

So, Rita and Shawshank...a deceptively hopeful story, given its setting. I always wondered at the truth of Andy’s story - but if that was the case then his ending is more than fitting.

Well it is called Hope Springs Eternal

Apt Pupil...not the subject I was expecting.

Elizabeth ♛Smart Girls Love Trashy Books♛ wrote: "Well it is called Hope Springs Eternal"

missed this bit!

Elizabeth ♛Smart Girls Love Trashy Books♛ wrote: " Rita Hayworth and the Shawshank Redemption

I've never actually seen the movie but my mom has and read the short story so later I'm going to ask her to compare the two. But until then, [spoilers..."

This is definitely a story I'll return to as well, now I know the closing twist.

Karen wrote: "Apt Pupil...not the subject I was expecting."

Same here! I'm half way through and IT IS SO DARK! Not sure what else I expected from King, though!

Apt Pupil was definitely uncomfortable reading. The old guy had a cunning side to him but it was the character of Todd who really got under my skin. The golden boy hiding the ugly inside...and exposing a real darkness. When I read things like this it makes me wonder what goes through King’s head.

Karen wrote: "Apt Pupil was definitely uncomfortable reading. The old guy had a cunning side to him but it was the character of Todd who really got under my skin. The golden boy hiding the ugly inside...and expo..."

Todd made me shiver. I've still got a little way to go in the story but he seems like a total psychopath so far.

Danni, that story certainly raises questions about what makes someone commit awful actions. I was reading open-mouthed at times.

Opening of The Body evokes that typical small town mentality and a sense of otherness that seems to form the backdrop for King’s stories.

Apt Pupil: (view spoiler)[One of the darkest Stephen King stories I've read and he gets pretty dark sometimes. Dussander's nature really seeped into Todd. This shows just how much one person can influence another. (hide spoiler)]

Karen wrote: "Apt Pupil was definitely uncomfortable reading. The old guy had a cunning side to him but it was the character of Todd who really got under my skin. The golden boy hiding the ugly inside...and expo..."

Yes! Sometimes I wonder if King is in the right mindset because his stuff is so warped.

The Body: (view spoiler)[Stand By Me is such a classic movie and I was glad to see it was basically the novella without any changes. I love how Gordy's stories are sprinkled into the narrative. It makes it unique. (hide spoiler)]

Oh man, I'm behind because I never got any notifications for this. I'll finish both Apt Pupil and The Body tomorrow

Karen wrote: "Danni, that story certainly raises questions about what makes someone commit awful actions. I was reading open-mouthed at times."

Same here! Kids in horror or crime books always feels more impactful, especially when they seem to pure and good to their parents and school teachers like Todd. It's chilling to think of what lies behind those blue eyes and blonde hair.

Abby wrote: "Apt Pupil: [spoilers removed]"

That's interesting! (view spoiler)[I felt like their impact was the other way around. Dussander was obviously a horrific individual, but his old age and drunkenness meant he wasn't a threat to anyone anymore and seemed to show some early regret hat his past, until Todd rekindled his memories of the war. (hide spoiler)]

Apt Pupil - (view spoiler)[What a story! It was so initially dark and only continued to get darker! This gave me everything I loved about King and learning about Germany's horrific past in an American setting made for an interesting story. (hide spoiler)]

The Body The conversation between Chris and Gordon is so sad. I wonder when people lose that filter to say what they know to be true.

The Body - marks a momentous moment in their shared history, but also lies at the heart of so much trouble.

Strange idea for the last story - some weird set-up, but I can’t predict where it’ll go.

Completed. Review on home page. Macabre, dark but utterly compelling. There were nods to other stories in some of these short stories.

Abby wrote: "Apt Pupil: [spoilers removed]"

I couldn't help but see Todd as pivotal in developing something in Dussander that had stopped. Does that mean it was inherent?

The Body - (view spoiler)[
Another incredible read. The body from the title was discovered by one of Gordie's friend's older brothers pretty early in the story and a lot of pages were spent with the boys making plans and journeying there. I loved the slow pace, learning more about the boys and their horrific home lives, and how it gave no clue to how events were going to play out. I thought there was going to be some sort of horrifying ending and was surprised when there was not.

The part where they were travelling across the train track was super intense but I struggled to picture how it was set out. Was that just me? (hide spoiler)]

Karen wrote: "The Body The conversation between Chris and Gordon is so sad. I wonder when people lose that filter to say what they know to be true."

I loved how much was shared about these poor boy's lives throughout this one.

The Breathing Method: (view spoiler)[This story seemed so normal and I found myself wondering why something crazy wasn't happening. And then it did and I was like WTF. That body continuing to give birth gave me chills. (hide spoiler)]

Dannii wrote: "The Body -
Another incredible read. The body from the title was discovered by one of Gordie's friend's older brothers pretty early in the story and a lot of pages were spent with the boys making p..."

Have you watched Stand By Me? The train scene is laid out very well there and is actually one of the most iconic movie scenes ever.

Abby wrote: "Dannii wrote: "The Body -
Another incredible read. The body from the title was discovered by one of Gordie's friend's older brothers pretty early in the story and a lot of pages were spent with th..."

Ooh no I haven't. I'll check it out. Thank you! :) I got the concept of what was happening but couldn't picture the setting at all.

Do any of you watch Castle Rock? A lot of the characters are from The Body and Rita Hayworth and the Shawshank Redemption. I hadn't realized until I read them.

Abby wrote: "Do any of you watch Castle Rock? A lot of the characters are from The Body and Rita Hayworth and the Shawshank Redemption. I hadn't realized until I read them."

No, I've not seen it! I feel I'm missing out now, lol.