Jacob > Recent Status Updates

I'm loving every word of this

Absolutely thrilling thus far. Terrifying. And touching.

It's always a joy to get students in engaged in one of your favorite novels. TPODG is a cautionary tale in so many ways, but the relationship between DG and Sybil Vane is fascinating. Our lesson early in the year about yearning in poetry has led to an engaging lesson about the negative side of admiration. DG's "love" for Sybil is purely based on her performance, instead of her core, which is not how it should be.

I am ready and willing to make the first move, but I don't want to screw this up. How do you want me to proceed? I want to do this right.

Great stories about holidays & love thus far. One important holiday question though that nobody is asking: “I see what you’re going through and I care about you. How can I help?”

I think so much of the Craig/Raina miscommunication is based in Craig not seeing Raina’s situation. If he’d just acknowledged her tough situation and told her that he still wanted her within those constraints, it would have given them both so much relief

This is where the "bro are you actually listening to her" elements of the book intensify. I swear. I don't think the "nice guy" trope existed yet in 2003 but there's a lot of it here.

The ending of chapter 2 is touching, but dear god, Craig, you're killing me here. Maybe it's because I know the ending pisses me off but Craig, sweet as he is, kind of sucks throughout the book. Raina is imperfect but honest. Also holy shit I forgot how triggering the Christian camp sections of this book are. If you were lucky enough not to experience this check out the Jesus Camp documentary, it's real lol

It’s bitterly cold outside and it’s about time I actually read this in the winter (not July like last time lol). I have a few problems with this book that I’m sure I’ll ramble about here but before we get started, justice for Raina

I know it’s not always perfect, but I really appreciate how much Abby tries. Despite all she’s been through, she truly tries for Ralph and everyone else around her. How could you not love a person like that?

All of its horror aside, this book is truthfully about the importance of never giving up on the person you love and loving them for who they are. I love it.

I was just thinking I’m probably going back to romance novels after this but this kind of *is* a romance novel. Yes, Abby is struggling but her love for Ralph is so sincere. Give my girl some love and stop contacting your dead mom bro

Ralph seems concerned about passing down his mother's cluster b personality, but I think fetal alcohol syndrome is a more pressing concern at the moment lol. I like Abby and Ralph, though. They both desperately need a vacation to Aruba or something get the hell out of that house

Hogarth is really talented at writing stream-of-consciousness prose. Everything about this is delightfully absurd.

Didn't read as much as I wanted today; exhausted from the rest of this weekend. Will hopefully get more time tomorrow given the snow/virtual day. I'm beginning to think Rooney is effectively a millennial Thomas Hardy. She is so fascinated by the dynamics of love, class, betrayal, redemption, and their intersection that I can't stop thinking of Alicia's Diary. Rooney is exceptional at writing shitty male characters.

Reading in my Airbnb: I really don’t like Nick’s pattern of pretending he’s cool with Frances’ independence only to then use it against her and make her seem manipulative. It almost seems unconscious?

“…if I lash out at you it’s just because you don’t seem very vulnerable to it.” Goddamn was this intimate (pages 192-193). Nick did not fully appreciate this from her but Frances please never change

I stand by my previous statement that this book is insane but the characters are more likable than my last read. Nick is preferable to Frank just because I can laugh at him for saying unintentionally stupid shit. Having this through Frances’ POV is great. Rooney thinking it’s good to emulate fucking Cormac McCarthy is not lol

I am cackling at what a master of clandestine affairs this Nick guy is. Dude cracked under pressure instantly lmao

Still taking suggestions on where to go next but until I figure that out, I’m going to finish this one I started in the summer but put down because it’s insane lol

I’m grateful to be back doing these updates. It’s held me accountable and made me love reading so much more.

A getting ice water dunked on him was a good moment. C hearing Zoe say “I won’t leave you. I won’t go anywhere. You’re safe.” shouldn’t have been revelatory but I understand given how much F and A both really stink.

Thank god she finally let him have it. Ch 13 is just proof in every line that this didn’t work because Frank refused to listen and shut her out. CM tries to both sides their issue a bit but her affair with Anders stems from this core problem. Frank spent their whole relationship trying to manage her instead of loving her