Friday, January 30, 2009
Lace Reader
Beverly, I just read your post and it sounds as if that sense of confusion may get worse as I go along. I haven't read much yet (only to page 121) because I didn't get the book until late. So far, though, I'm not annoyed. Seems almost as if I'm supposed to be confused! I'm reminded of the feeling I'd get as a kid if I went in the house of mirrors at a carnival.
Lace Reader
I am fascinated by this book! I have been reading very carefully because of all the warnings from the rest of you, and I don't think I have misread anything or overlooked any important connections. And yet, I constantly have the feeling that I'm missing something - that there is something going on beneath the surface that I haven't figured out yet. I can't wait to get back to it!
Mimi
Mimi
Tuesday, January 27, 2009
Do, Beverly!
I enjoyed reading your take on LACE and agree. It wasn't a total loss, since the novel did provide some memorable scenes (such as the well-endowed statue) and inspired one of our best-ever "bookfeasts."
My overall impression was that if she could self-publish THAT and do so amazingly well, surely each of us should get cracking on a book!
Best to all,
Amy
My overall impression was that if she could self-publish THAT and do so amazingly well, surely each of us should get cracking on a book!
Best to all,
Amy
Monday, January 26, 2009
The Lace Reader
Obviously, I had not been to our blog page in some time. Even at this date, I enjoyed going back and reading what people had posted about the Kingsolver book. Amy must be the most faithful of us all, as she is the only person who wrote about DEWEY. Though I'm a dog person at heart, I like cats too and enjoyed DEWEY but really didn't have anything to say about it.
Now THE LACE READER is a different matter. I'm a good reader, but I felt confused early on, and by the time I got to the end, I felt duped. The experience was similar to reading Toni Morrison. (I've read every one of her books and have not understood any of them.) I wonder how my reading experience would have differed if I had done a chart of characters because I kept feeling that I needed one. Angela is planning to do one when she reads it, as several of had mentioned that we thought it would help.
I thought the twin issue was well established and had even made a mental comparison to THE THIRTEENTH TALE. However, once here are some things that bothered me:
Towner says she hates her mother (May), yet why is she so obsessed in looking for May's lights?
There was a mention that May and Emma were half-sisters. What?
Towner talked about how she and Lyndley grew up separately, yet there were many, many accounts of them playing the game together and spending what sounded to me like massive amounts of time together.
Reference to Cal and Emma not allowing Lyndley near May (p. 242) Why not?
Reference to Towner being Eva's grandniece (p. 285) What? I thought Eva was Towner's grandmother.
Then toward the end Emma is referred to as Auntie Boynton.
It may be that I'm totally confused and didn't really understand the book, but on the whole, it did not resonate with me, and I wanted it to. There were many characters and ideas that I liked, but Barry's writing is not in the same league with Setterfield or Kingsolver. Do you really think Towner could have dragged Angela by the hair while swimming? The book just felt like a rip-off. Okay, at the end we just wrap it up with a mentally ill narrator--almost like saying, "I woke up, and it was all a dream."
One last interesting note. This week's TIME magazine had an article about how publishing is changing. THE LACE READER was originally self-published but went on to a $2 million deal with a publisher.
Now THE LACE READER is a different matter. I'm a good reader, but I felt confused early on, and by the time I got to the end, I felt duped. The experience was similar to reading Toni Morrison. (I've read every one of her books and have not understood any of them.) I wonder how my reading experience would have differed if I had done a chart of characters because I kept feeling that I needed one. Angela is planning to do one when she reads it, as several of had mentioned that we thought it would help.
I thought the twin issue was well established and had even made a mental comparison to THE THIRTEENTH TALE. However, once here are some things that bothered me:
Towner says she hates her mother (May), yet why is she so obsessed in looking for May's lights?
There was a mention that May and Emma were half-sisters. What?
Towner talked about how she and Lyndley grew up separately, yet there were many, many accounts of them playing the game together and spending what sounded to me like massive amounts of time together.
Reference to Cal and Emma not allowing Lyndley near May (p. 242) Why not?
Reference to Towner being Eva's grandniece (p. 285) What? I thought Eva was Towner's grandmother.
Then toward the end Emma is referred to as Auntie Boynton.
It may be that I'm totally confused and didn't really understand the book, but on the whole, it did not resonate with me, and I wanted it to. There were many characters and ideas that I liked, but Barry's writing is not in the same league with Setterfield or Kingsolver. Do you really think Towner could have dragged Angela by the hair while swimming? The book just felt like a rip-off. Okay, at the end we just wrap it up with a mentally ill narrator--almost like saying, "I woke up, and it was all a dream."
One last interesting note. This week's TIME magazine had an article about how publishing is changing. THE LACE READER was originally self-published but went on to a $2 million deal with a publisher.
Monday, January 5, 2009
Where's our editor?
I reread my last post and was appalled by the subject-verb error in the last sentence. Somebody needs to remind me not to blog before breakfast...
Amy
Amy
Saturday, January 3, 2009
Reading the Lace
Okay, Janie, where is it? You promised a blog, and I've been waiting with bated (baited?) breath!
Teasing, but I am eager to hear anybody's take on READER besides my own. I finished it in such a rush that she caught me completely by surprise with that twin thing. I had to go online and read every review/reaction I could find, and most of them agreed with me, as in "Huh?"
It'll be great fun to enjoy Angela's show and tell with her personal collection of lace. The curry sounds appetizing, too.
Happy January, All! I'm all happy about not having to go back to school on the Monday after Christmas break. Twenty-two of those was enough.
Amy
Teasing, but I am eager to hear anybody's take on READER besides my own. I finished it in such a rush that she caught me completely by surprise with that twin thing. I had to go online and read every review/reaction I could find, and most of them agreed with me, as in "Huh?"
It'll be great fun to enjoy Angela's show and tell with her personal collection of lace. The curry sounds appetizing, too.
Happy January, All! I'm all happy about not having to go back to school on the Monday after Christmas break. Twenty-two of those was enough.
Amy
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