Book Group: Oct 2014 Big Brother - Discussion thread
33 watchers
Nov 2014
10:12pm, 3 Nov 2014
7,551 posts
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Bazoaxe
I finished the book earlier on. I enjoyed this more than The Humans, but some parts irritated me. Some of the writing was rambling and hard to follow ,usually those that were off the main plot like the joint custody stuff. I had to re-read some bits a few times as they seemed light on explanation, like the flood which happened without being properly announced The ending seemed to happen all of a sudden and a few years passe din no time compared to the rest. Overall though I did find the plot interesting and enjoyed reading it Small Gods starts tomorrow and as I am off all week I should be done by Thu/Fri |
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Nov 2014
10:21pm, 3 Nov 2014
7,552 posts
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Bazoaxe
OK, I have read the first few pages of reviews and I need to go back and re-read a bit as I clearly missed the dream part - clearly she had lost me at that point !
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Nov 2014
10:39pm, 3 Nov 2014
7,553 posts
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Bazoaxe
It does though explain a few of the oddities I noticed towards the end. I must have completely switched off and missed that dream part - how odd
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Nov 2014
11:21pm, 3 Nov 2014
7,784 posts
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Diogenes
Lol. Not so much a dream as a imagined section, a "what if..." bit. Earlier I was thinking that I quite liked Edition, then I remembered I only like him in the imagined section. Finally I realised that I'd also made judgements on other characters based on their behaviour in that bit, in which we only learn about Pandora. |
Nov 2014
8:11am, 4 Nov 2014
19,244 posts
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Bintmcskint
That's a very good point, Dio.
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Nov 2014
8:28am, 4 Nov 2014
7,554 posts
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Bazoaxe
So. I have just gone back to read what I missed and I had to read it quite closely to properly follow what she had done.. It is very odd writing much like the flood bit I commented on. I think she is just trying to be clever and it has changed my view of the book
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Nov 2014
5:02pm, 4 Nov 2014
5,403 posts
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Columba
Bazoaxe, I think the "Joint Custody" bit, though not contributing to the actual storyline, is essential to understanding some of the characters' life choices and interrelationships. Dio - yes, I hadn't thought of that; that everything that happens in the "imagined" bit sheds light on no-one but Pandora. |
Nov 2014
8:37pm, 8 Nov 2014
4,986 posts
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Autumnleaves
Ok. I've finished. I think it was an interesting read and made some good points about our relationship with food, eating and exercise. Some of her comments certainly hit home for me. I wouldn't have believed a 'happy ending' but the 'I don't really know how to end this' was annoying. I wasn't entirely convinced by the explanation for Edison putting on all the weight in the first place. I did actually quite like Pandora and I found both kids convincing. I felt all the characters, including the awful Fletcher, represented a viewpoint on obesity from judgemental through to accepting and points in between. What I thought a pity was that ultimately nothing was really resolved and she therefore shied away from really challenging things.
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Nov 2014
9:18pm, 8 Nov 2014
5,429 posts
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Columba
You mean, Pandora shied away from really challenging things? Or, the author (Lionel Shriver) did?
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Nov 2014
9:21pm, 8 Nov 2014
6,038 posts
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Sharkie
Challenging what exactly AL?
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