Never too Late to Read Classics discussion

Patrick is feeling under the weather. Here is your February Horror read!!

The Collector is a 1963 thriller novel by English author John Fowles, in his literary debut. Its plot follows a lonely young man who kidnaps a female art student in London and holds her captive in the cellar of his rural farmhouse.

Divided in two sections, the novel contains both the perspective of the captor, Frederick, and that of Miranda, the captive. The portion of the novel told from Miranda's perspective is presented in epistolary form.

Who is up for this read of obsessive love--the story of a lonely clerk who collects butterflies and of the beautiful young art student who is his ultimate quarry--remains unparalleled in its power to startle and mesmerize?

I am. I cannot resist a story of obsessive love!

We read this book in a Grade 13 English class way back in the 1970's. I still remember it!

I've started this.

It's interesting that her dialogue is in quotes but his isn't. I think it's supposed to make you identify with him more.

Also it's kind of crazy how unafraid she seems.

Book Nerd wrote: "It's interesting that her dialogue is in quotes but his isn't. I think it's supposed to make you identify with him more..."

In the intro:
'The portion of the novel told from Miranda's perspective is presented in epistolary form.'

Bernard wrote: "I am. I cannot resist a story of obsessive love!"

Let us know your thoughts on this read, sounds like a totally....!

Interesting things to think about while reading...

1. How close could this story have been to Disney's The Beauty and the Beast?

2. Pay attention to Frederick and how he views women. Could he be gay trying to be straight?

3. Usually the captor has dominance over the captured. How is this playing out in the story?

Patrick
Interesting spins on this!

I recently finished Ernesto Sabato's 'The Tunnel', and feel hesitant to start on another book about an obsessive personality almost immediately after that. How long may we have before you close the discussion, Lesle? I can start by the end of Feb and finish by mid March.

We don't close the discussions, Mbuye. You can comment any time and some one will respond.
I find that after a book like The Tunnel, I need some light reading like P.G. Wodehouse.

I finished.

Was she supposed to be more hateable than him? He's crazy but reading part 2 she's so obnoxious!

(view spoiler)[It seems like the whole thing was her as a butterfly in his killing jar. It's odd that a twenty year old would just get sick and die so quickly. Maybe there was literally some kind of gas seeping into the basement?

And the ending was definitely the scariest part. (hide spoiler)]

Pat the Book Goblin wrote: "Interesting things to think about while reading... "
1. There are similarities but the beast was redeemable.

2. I doubt it. It's more about how he objectifies women and thinks of them as something he can collect rather than sex objects.

3. He doesn't have the strength to dominate. But it's interesting how it shows what power the captive can have.

Rosemarie wrote: "We don't close the discussions, Mbuye. You can comment any time and some one will respond.
I find that after a book like The Tunnel, I need some light reading like P.G. Wodehouse."

That's exactly what I did, Rosemarie! Cleared my mind with the cow creamers in The Code of the Woosters!

Mbuye wrote: " How long may we have before you close the..."

The thread will remain under the topic thread for sure through March. So no worries Mbuye!!

Good morning! I finished The Collector and liked it. Frederick was a weirdo, who was, I think, a volcel (voluntary celibate) that thought he wanted a human butterfly, but I liked Miranda. She didn't let Frederick dominate her.

The thing is he didn't keep butterflies, he killed them. And ultimately he killed her.