Should have read classics discussion

The children's group read for September.

I picked up my copy yesterday from the library and was surprised that it has quite a bit of heft to it. Can't wait to start though!

I'm about half way through the book now. I'm amazed at the details especially about the plants and trees, food, etc. This is great writing.

I am finished reading now, and this is still my favorite novel. Growing up and accepting responsibility can be so hard, and we can't protect our children from it.

I read The Yearling this month. It was really good, but it didn't feel much like a children's book.

Beth A. wrote: "I read The Yearling this month. It was really good, but it didn't feel much like a children's book."

Why would you say that?

The writing seemed difficult and the pace slow, especially compared to more modern children's books. And it had a pretty serious theme.

I'm not saying that it's not a children's book, because it has been considered one for "more than 50 years." It just felt very different from what I'm used to reading as children's literature.

Beth A. wrote: "The writing seemed difficult and the pace slow, especially compared to more modern children's books. And it had a pretty serious theme.

I'm not saying that it's not a children's book, because it..."

I was just curious since there are some books that surprise me when they are called classics. Maybe, now a days it would be considered a Young Adult theme book?

I am having difficulties reading this one; by reading the words I can't understand a good part of the dialog, I have to read out loud to guess what the words should be, otherwise I can't figure it out. I understand the purpose is to try to be as close as possible to the character's spoken language, but part of me can't help but find this annoying. It took me five minutes to figure out that injuns was really Indians.

Vicky, it's true. The dialect was pretty hard to understand.

And, Lisa, yes, definitely more of a Young Adult theme.

I find it hard to read Southern dialogue and certain Scottish and Irish dialogues. Sometimes it is easier to say the words out loud, although my hubby and kids find that strange even for me! :)

I'm finally finished, it was a long and difficult read for me between the difficulty of the dialog and the constant use of the dictionary required due to the detailed plant life, farming and hunting vocabulary (even though I wasn't born and raised as a city girl). The last part did make up for some of it but it's not something I'm likely to read again.

One of the things that puzzled me and that I had to stop and think about after I finished is the fact that right from the beginning, and all through the novel, I kept expecting, Penny, the father character to die. Weird hum?! Perhaps it has to do with the idealistic portrait that was painted of him, maybe I expected Jody's growing up having to do with trying to live up to the image of is father? I was totally off.

I thought this book was very well-done. I loved the descriptions of the setting, and it was hard for me to put down.