Well, after much deliberation, hesitation, frustration, and aggravation...Adrien has decided that we will be reading "The Graduate" for our November book club meeting.  If you have seen the movie years ago, try the book to refresh yourself. 

Precious and Fragile Things

Well, Gilly survived and Todd is dead...

I think that's about it. 

Just kidding.  There was the incest and the weird 'Hobbit-like' children's names. 

So, we met in May to discuss the first publication from Megan Hart that was not rated NC-17.  This was my selection and I think it was a good one for discussion.  But that's just me.  Really.  I think I was one of the few that actually said they "liked" it.  Overall, the book itself got a 3 out of 5 from the club, but more for the scenario than the story.

I chose this book because I could relate to the character of Gilly and the fact that when carjacked while driving her children, she made a shocking decision.  After rescuing her children from her would-be captor, she chose to stay with him when given the opportunity to run.  ??????  Who does that?  No one.  That's why it made for a good book.  Who has entertained the thought of some outside force removing you from your daily existence against your will and getting a break from the monotony?  Almost every woman alive, though some would never admit it.  We read enough romance and see enough movies involving heroines that the prospect of an adventure is appealing.  So, the fact that I got to go on this adventure with a woman named Gilly who chose to live in the moment instead of calculating the pros and cons of the effect her decisions would have on everyone else, was exciting. 

I'll admit that if this is a book and we are going to go so far as to run away with the captor...let's run away with the captor!  I found myself anticipating a romance from the get go and knowing full well that by the end of this book I would feel guilty for wanting this family ripped apart by a selfish, crazy impulsive decision made by a worn down mother of two.  But it didn't stop me from hoping. 

However, as I got further into the book and realized the emotional scars that the character of Todd was dealing with, I decided that it would never work for them and that he didn't need a romance as much as he needed to be loved.  So, in the end, I think that Gilly got what she needed, a break from her life.  Todd got a break from life, too, a long one.  Eternal.  But I'm not sure that's what he actually needed. 

For her first attempt at something other than seemingly soft-core porn, which is an assumption based purely on the provocative image that grace her mass of books, I think Megan Hart did a decent job.  The character development and the complexities of their lives was disturbing to say the least, but it felt pretty true to what real life can be.

Extremely Loud and Incredibly Confusing

We met on an April night. It was one hundred dollars. Apparently, I have a terrible mother who lets me wander the streets of New York City upchapparoned.  My grandmother gives me explicit recollections of her sexual encounters with my grandfather aka the renter even though I am only 12, I think.  I have a terrible secret that causes me to abuse myself and I like to find creative ways to curse.  I experienced something unimaginable on 9/11 and I needed to find a way to hang on to my father's memory in order to cope.  I am bent, but not broken.  "I'm ok."  The discussion gave me heavy boots.

So, we actually did meet on an April evening to discuss this book.  I think overall we each pulled something different from the chaos of the story.  The story wasn't terrible and in some ways even enlightening, but the story was written in such a fashion that it was hard to get through, making it less than enjoyable.  Flashbacks and journal entries mixed with the monologue of a child that suffers from what my limited knowledge would lead me to categorize as  high functioning autism or Asberger's syndrome, which I no doubt misspelled, made a recipe for confusion. 

I was drawn to Oscar's perspective of the world and the way he dealt with it, but I was put out with the mental aerobics it required to seperate the here and now from the then and where.  As a group I believe we agreed that the book earned a 3 out of 5 star rating solely for the subject matter and the depth of the characters.  Having said that though, I wouldn't recommend it.  Just rent the movie.  It is easier to follow and takes much less commitment.

The Games of Hunger, Not Completely Satisfying

So...what did you think? We didn't get to discuss after the movie and I want to know your thoughts!!!

I would give the movie 4 1/2 out of 5 stars. Now having said that, I'm about to pick it apart...

First of all...District 12...?!?!? I didn't like the looks of it. The story is being told in the future after the government has seized full control of Panem the country "once known as North America". Why did District 12 look as if the Mayflower just docked? Honestly, I hope they didn't spend a lot of money on the set because they could have driven to Hazard and filmed those same people and structures. Katnis stood out like a sore thumb. Her hair was dark and her clothes were fairly modern-a leather jacket a black top and form fitting pants with combat boots.

Everyone else looked like the children oof the corn

with their near Amish apparel. What is that about? They should have all looked practical in their attire, not as if they had survived the Holocaust.

But the Hob is what hurt me the most. I had always envisioned it to be something like an abandoned tobacco warehouse with a bar and a black market/flea market sort of set up. Some toothless vagrants and leathery old drunkards the patrons. If that old lady was Greasy Sae, why didn't she get introduced to the audience? She is in all three books. Her role was big enough to at least acknowledge who she is.

Okay, onto the Capitol. I thought it was spot on. The vibrant colors and the air of arrogance from everyone. I loved the host, played by Stanley Tucci. I can't think of the characters name, but I thought he did a great job. My fave from the Capitol though, had to be Effie Trinkett. Her costuming and make-up were great. Elizabeth Banks played her perfectly. You thought she was shallow and vain, but you liked her anyway. She seemed to mean well.

Woody Harrelson was the perfect Haymitch. He was just sarcastic enough to make you understand Katniss' distaste for him, but genuine enough to make you see why Peeta cared about him.

Overall, I think the movie stayed true to the book and I did notice that Suzanne Collins was credited in part with the screenplay, so she had a hand in trimming the "fat", so to speak. The last comment I will make, which I know has you on the edge of your seat (LOL), is that the lighting of the film could have been better. Remember the Twilight movies? (LOL, like you could forget) They had a certain dark quality to the coloring of the actual film. A blue/gray tint, almost. I think to convey the darkness and hopelessness of this story, they could have darkened the film a bit. It just seemed to have the brightness of a home video or romantic comedy instead of a gritty drama/action film. As colorful as Transformers is, it still has a dark tint to the film to indicated the peril of the situation. Sorry, if you don't get what I'm saying...I just found it a little lacking in expression.

Now, I write these things and no one comments!!!! Please comment. This is OUR blog. If you ever want to post something, like a review or pics, let me know. But PLEASE comment. Let this be an open forum for our discussions when we can't physically be together.

"You love me. Real or not real?"

Thanks to Kristy, for hosting our second Book Ends meeting. She did a fabulous job of putting together a Hunger Games themed spread. Breads and cheeses and cookies were all represented from various Districts and characters!! So exciting.

(You may ask yourself, "How does she do it? She's got a newborn baby, not to mention two other small children, a husband and a career AND she is back in her normal clothes..." Well, I won't go into it, but my theory on the negotiation that took place between the devil and Kristy over the sacrificing of her soul can be further explained on my new blog entitled 'She Makes Me Sick, But I Still Love Her'.) LOL

Anyway, we ladies met, we drank, we discussed (the books and a whole lot of other things!), we laughed, we... well, we just had a marvelous time. At this point you should be EXTREMELY upset that events and/or circumstances in your life kept you from this gathering of intelligence and beauty. It is rare to find both of these in one place, but miraculously enough, there they were. Where were you?

Ahhh. Don't be sad. We missed you. We wondered what could possibly have kept you away. No excuse will ever suffice, but what's past is past.

All joking aside, we really did have fun. Everyone had a good time recalling their favorite parts of the last two books. And we all agreed that though Gale made sense, Peeta was the ONE. Logically speaking, Gale was right for her. He liked to be in the woods, pickin' berries and chasin' wabbit, but Peeta, ah Peeta. He gave Katniss a peace that she had never known and never could know with Gale. We all agreed that everyone in the Capitol was nuts and Katniss had no choice but to kill Coin. She was one crazy be-otch. Nothing would have changed under her rule and Katniss would not have survived.

So...MOVIE TIME!!! Everyone is planning to see the film on Saturday at 12:45 in Georgetown. If you can come...come.

May the Odds Be Ever in Your Favor

Well, I wish I knew how to upload music to this stinkin' blog. I downloaded "Safe and Sound". This is the theme song to the upcoming Hunger Games movie. Taylor Swift who I can't say I love, but definitely respect and the Civil Wars, whom I can say I love, collaborated on this song. The video is BORING. It doesn't have any footage from the movie, just TS and the CW in a cabin in some remote seemingly deserted place. I guess the video is trying to make you feel one, that they are alone, perhaps after District 12 is demolished and two, that even after it's all over, there is nothing left to go home to. At least, that's what I got from it. However, I was just waiting for snippits of the movie during the whole dang thing and perhaps the feeling of desolation was one I projected myself.

Anyway, it's almost movie time!!! We will be meeting at Kristy's on the 16th, I think, and then the following weekend is the movie. We can discuss arrangements at the meeting. So, how are you feeling thus far? For those of us who are re-reading the trilogy, are you finding things you missed the first time around? For the newbies, have you been emotionally impacted in a way that you possibly can't put into words?

I have a friend at work that borrowed The Hunger Games upon my suggestion. She loved the Twilight series that I twisted her arm into reading and assumed that I would be right on this trilogy. Of course I was. ;+) I don't see her everyday, but when I do, she is overwhelmed with the roller coaster of emotion that the book is taking her on. The last time we spoke, she was near the end of Mockingjay. I can't wait to hear her reaction to the final book. As well as all of yours!!!

See you soon!!!

The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins

First of all, thank you Daisy for hosting our first ever Book Ends Book Club meeting. I think I can speak for everyone when I say that we had a wonderful time.

We embarked on our first venture, well everyone except Jessi I believe, into book clubdom. Our expectations were low, but how bad can it be when you get 12 friends together to discuss an AWESOME book? It was great!

We started our discussion by each naming our favorite character and though there were some varying reasons, I think the top three vote-getters were Katniss, Peeta and Cinna. Katniss was loved for her strength, Peeta for his unwavering love and Cinna for his subtle presence and loyalty.

Questions were found through various internet sites and divided up among the ladies for discussion. The questions led to a wide variety of discussions including homeless people in America, the perception of the media and the empowerment of youth.

While the tone of the book was one of despair and hopelessness, the overall impression of the main character, Katniss, was that of strength. She experienced love, loss, inexplicable violence and the realization of her own mortality all while trying to survive in a game she seemed destined to play.

Though we didn't actually take a vote, I think I can say with a clear conscience that everyone loved the book. The Book Ends give the book 4 1/2 out of 5 stars!!!