2025 & 2026 Reading Challenge discussion

This is where we will discuss the book after we start reading it in December.

Please remember to mark spoilers by using spoiler tags: [spoiler]...[/spoiler], but replace [ by < and ] by >

This is your space to chat about this month's book selection with other readers. There is no set schedule to follow, and no discussion leader is assigned. Everyone should feel free to post comments, share pertinent articles or interviews, ask questions, share likes or dislikes, etc. Most importantly, enjoy reading together!

What character or ideas do you relate to the most and why?
Do you have any favorite quotes or scenes?

Hello, I'm just under 50% already after a sleepless night!

I really connect with Martha as a character. The fact that she sticks to her opinions and doesn’t shy away from uncomfortable situations resonates with me. I especially appreciate the idea that you don’t have to be “exceptional” to show courage — that everyday conviction and integrity can make a difference. Knowing the story is based on real events gives that theme added weight; it’s powerful to think about a real woman navigating a world that constantly tried to limit her voice. Martha’s quiet insistence on being heard feels both historically grounded and surprisingly relevant.

I’m also enjoying the dynamic between Martha and her husband. Their relationship feels grounded and healthy, which is refreshing to see. That partnership, built on listening and trust, contrasts so effectively with the broader social expectations around them, and I find that incredibly compelling.

Hello everyone. I’m just 1/3 of the way in, but I’m really enjoying this book, while at the same time, it is excruciatingly frustrating. I really struggle reading about all the violence, especially against women, because I always empathise with the victims so much and find it affects me for days after reading. Although it is really important to read about it, I think, for me. I just really want the bad guys to get their punishment.
I love Martha, her strength and intelligence.

I'm just 21% done so far. I am really liking the characters. It's always an adjustment to imagine what a character might think or feel in the context of a completely different time period. For example, like LinaVer, I get frustrated at the "place" women have. So far, the laws are bugging me because of how powerless women were according to the law.
Still, I find it fascinating to imagine how someone might live in a time when they had no awareness of the modern world.

Oh, and I did find a quote I really liked!
"I have lost my train of thought, cannot recall what I meant to find in the diary. This is the trouble faced by any woman who sets pen to paper in a busy household. I am never guaranteed the certainty of quiet, much less a solid length of time to chase my thoughts and bind them together."