This month, my gal Carrie shares our Moonglow book club chat thoughts with her savvy pro-reader take, and, as always, I’m honored to share this book club gig with her!
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Our Moonglow Book Club chat:
So, I think it’s time we discuss something that can be quite controversial. I’ve certainly been grappling with this over the last month or so. I’ve been reading about it and listening to podcasts about it and I think it’s time we finally discuss the elephant in the room. *deep breath*
I’ve abandoned a book.
Ok, ok! Everybody calm down!! Don’t all speak at once! SIMMA DOWN NOW!
I know, I know, but seriously, guys, I just could NOT get into this month’s pick, Moonglow. I tried. I tried really hard! Like, 81 pages hard. And the worst part? It was MY pick! In my defense, it’s been on every must read list lately and it has a 4.01 on Goodreads and a 4 out of 5 stars on Amazon!
You know what, though? Life’s too short (my excuse for everything lately … like eating 3 donuts and never working out). Yes, this sounds like a total cop out, but I have 171 to-be-read books on my Goodreads account as of right this second. By the time you finish reading this post, it will probably be up to 2,000. And there are soooo many good books out there! Books that are right for me. And they may not be the same books that are right for you! Clearly a lot of people loved Moonglow. (And I don’t understand those people AT. ALL. … I am totally just kidding!)
I’ve been listening a lot to the Modern Mrs. Darcy podcast, What Should I Read Next, and if you are a crazy book nut like me and haven’t been over to her site, you must! She asks people three books they love, one book they hate, and what they are currently reading. Based on that information, she gives them specific books that she thinks they will love. (This is why my Goodreads to-be-read is currently at 3,246 … I know, that fast!!) Anyway, my point is that she and her guests often talk about books they’ve abandoned. There are a myriad of reasons why … the book is too long, too hard to read, it’s a busy time in the readers life, and so on and so forth …
So back to our Moonglow book club…
It sounded super interesting. A deathbed confession, a grandson searching for answers, WWII, the space program, love and retirement villages, jail time and mystical cards … what’s not to love?! But honestly, and I’m not trying to garner sympathy comments of “not true!” here … but I began to feel like I wasn’t smart enough to read this book. Chabon’s writing is impeccable, but I found I had to really focus on what I was reading. That sounds lame, I know. I mean, the guy is a Pulitzer Prize winning novelist. His stuff is good. I actually listened to a podcast reviewing the book and the people on it were so incredibly pretentious smart that I thought, yeah, not my kind of book. I want a book to get lost in. A book that makes me crazy to get back to it. A book where I keep saying “one more chapter” until I’m literally falling asleep on it.
I do think I will finish this book. I don’t think it’s the right time for me. (Listen to me, trying to redeem myself) Or maybe I can read it while reading other books? Taking a chapter here and there when I feel like it?
Have you ever abandoned any books? Or do you feel like you need to finish what you start? I want to hear all of your deep, dark confessions on this topic! Because it’s so, so juicy.
Moonglow book club discussion questions:
I am truly curious about what you guys thought of Moonglow. Did you enjoy it? Did you struggle like me?
What did you think of the fact that Chabon never named his characters (i.e. it was always “grandfather” and “grandmother”)?
Personally, I hated it. I always struggle a little with keeping characters straight and this just added confusion for me. (Did I mention I’m not smart?)
What did you think of the odd mix of topics?
I’m sure by the end of the book, Chabon wrapped everything up, but I was feeling like we were all over the map between his grandmother, his grandfather’s younger days, his grandfather and the space program, and his grandfather in the retirement village. And then that creepy encounter with the prostitute? I mean, I’ve read Fifty Shades and this was creepier.
Did you find the grandfather likable?
This was another problem for me. I just was not connecting with the characters. Especially the grandfather, who threw a cat out at I don’t remember how many story window when he was young just to see what would happen–and I don’t even like cats!
Did you finish it and feel I should give it another go?
I’ll be honest, I almost gave up on The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo. Those first 50-75 pages were brutal, but I am so glad I listened to everyone and kept reading. That’s one of my favorite books!
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So now that we’ve got that Moonglow book club off our chests (and I mean I’ve got that off my chest), let’s dive into our next book club pick!! This time we’re going with a little YA that’s turning into a Netflix series! Our next pick is Thirteen Reasons Why by Jay Asher and I cannot wait to start this one!
Grab your copy HERE and read with us!
Here’s the synopsis from Amazon:
You can’t stop the future.
You can’t rewind the past.
The only way to learn the secret . . . is to press play.
Clay Jensen returns home from school to find a strange package with his name on it lying on his porch. Inside he discovers several cassette tapes recorded by Hannah Baker—his classmate and crush—who committed suicide two weeks earlier. Hannah’s voice tells him that there are thirteen reasons why she decided to end her life. Clay is one of them. If he listens, he’ll find out why.
Clay spends the night crisscrossing his town with Hannah as his guide. He becomes a firsthand witness to Hannah’s pain, and as he follows Hannah’s recorded words throughout his town, what he discovers changes his life forever.
While I’m not overly anxious to dive into teenage suicide – as I have two teens myself and enough worry on my plate to make any person both rationally and irrationally insane – I’m hoping this book provides some good insight and much needed conversation.
As always, we are giving away a copy to one of our readers here. Enter by leaving a comment on this Moonglow book club post before 2/10/17 at 5:30am EST. As long as you are 18 or older and live in the continental United States, you are eligible to win.
Grab a copy HERE and read with us! We always love hearing your thoughts!! Happy Reading!!
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Amy Mayo says
I abandoned Girl on the Train. And Fifty Shades of Grey. And Portrait of a Killer: Jack the Ripper, Case Closed by Patricia Cornwell.
I found Girl on the Train predictable, and I could not in anyway relate to any of the characters. I had such high hopes for it, but I’m in the minority. As for Fifty Shades? Sometimes fan fiction on the internet, should remain Fan Fiction on the Internet …or at least be written by someone who has a better handle on synonyms and knows how to use a thesaurus. (And really? Laters, baby? ugh)
As for Patricia Cornwell’s book Portrait of a Killer? I usually love her books, I’ve read just about everything else she’s written – but this one felt (and read) as more of a “HAHAHA I SOLVED IT” than a well-researched and documented investigation. She slapped a “he’s the killer” label on a suspect that had been ruled out, based on her own opinions and beliefs. I stopped about 1/2 way through, when it was crystal clear that she was just being repetitive regarding her ideas.
A reviewer on Goodreads puts it way better than I can “This book makes me wonder if she decided on a suspect, then focused purely on gathering all the little bits of evidence that could lend credence to her ideas, while eliminating from her work all the bits of evidence that disprove her theories.” https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/6538.Portrait_of_a_Killer
I haven’t tried to read Thirteen Reasons Why, because it hits really close to home for me; a girl I was friends with in school committed suicide shortly after we graduated. But I’m inclined to at least give it a try, as Emily creeps closer to teenage years.
Meredith says
Amy, I am SO with you on Fifty Shades–such terrible, crap writing! “Laters, baby…” makes me cringe! I did finish Girl on the Train, but I also agree about the unlikeable characters…not my fav book by any stretch. And I didn’t read the other two you mentioned, but I love that you evaluate and explore why things don’t work for you–the mark of a true reader! And knowing when to call it with a book is a smart gift–and a sign that you truly know what works for you!
I can image how Thirteen Reasons will be so poignant for you–only read if you feel okay with it. There are still so many books I can’t read because they just resonate too closely with my mom’s death. I get this…thanks for reading with us, Amy! And here’s to ENJOYING books 🙂
Janine Huldie says
I know exactly what you mean about wanting to abandon a book and probably should have done that with my recent read of Lucky You. Erika Carter as much as I pressed on was truly one of the worst I have read in awhile. That said, I hope if you do pick this one back up that it does prove you wrong and not the reverse. Happy reading!! 🙂
Meredith says
I have not read Lucky You, but good to know! You are such a super reader, Janine, and I love hearing about your picks. I trust your judgement–will give this one a pass and go you for calling it and bailing!
Christine Carter says
Oh there’s nothing worse than trying to get through a book that you can’t comprehend! I appreciate your honesty Meredith! You gave it a good hard try! Sometimes it does take time to get into the book, and other times- it’s time to close it up and move on. 🙂
Meredith says
Carrie was the one who read and wrote this, and I love how honest she was about how it was a flop for her! Here’s to knowing what works–and closing down shop on what doesn’t 😉
Liz says
I’m in that same “never abandon a book” club. But it’s also an OCD club! Life is short though so I should probably abandon books more. Moonglow is on my list. Finished Telegraph Ave a little while ago, and gotta say, didn’t love it. Kind of expected to because I loved Amazing Adventures of Kavalier and Clay and SO loved Yiddish Policemen’s Union. Telegraph Ave I just didn’t care and started feeling, enough with the long sentences already, we get it, you can write them! I would recommend Yiddish Policemen’s Union, but probably not too soon. Sounds like you have to get over this one first.
Meredith says
Ha! I love this, Liz–“enough with the long sentences already, we get it, you can write them!”. Sometimes it almost feels to me like author’s or showing off…not that I’ve ever written a book, so I really don’t know what I’m talking about 😉 And I haven’t read Yiddish Policeman’s Union–going on my list! Here’s to bailing on that OCD club when it’s called for! 😉
femmefrugality says
I recently had to do this–put a book on the back burner because it just wasn’t working for me. I don’t know why it makes me feel like I failed when really, the book probably just sucks. Or isn’t a good match. Or whatever.
I think I’m going to come back to it, too, though, because I don’t like feeling like it defeated me. Yes, I’m in a competition with a bunch of paper that’s sewn together.
Meredith says
I so get this! Somehow I feel like I failed if I don’t finish, which cognitively we get isn’t true, but…”Yes, I’m in a competition with a bunch of paper that’s sewn together.”–love you, babe! 😉
Meredith says
I’ve already read your pick this month; yay me! I can participate when it gets reviewed.
I will never, ever, slog through a book I’m not enjoying ever again. I did it with White Oleander and absolutely HATED the book and forced myself to finish. I, literally, read the last page and threw the book at the wall and vowed, “NEVER AGAIN!”.
Meredith says
LOVE that you know what works for you well enough to call it! And so happy you read Thirteen Reasons Why–I just finished it. We are definitely chatting this one!
Lisa M. says
It’s the night before my actual book club meeting and I’m only halfway through Moonglow. I, too can’t get into it. I particularly dislike books that are set in Nazi Germany. Although, obviously, the whole book is not centered there, I don’t want to read about war. Ugh. That said, parts of the book are lovely. Still – 200 pages to go… yeah, I’m not going to finish in time. (or sure if I really want to). I have another big ole abandoned book, The Goldfinch, hanging around. Yeah, that’s probably not something I’m ever going to finish either. Oops!
Meredith says
Lisa, I love that you shared this! We aren’t the only ones who felt this way then 😉 Would love to know what your book club has to say about it. And The Goldfinch! I checked it out of the library, let it sit by my best for 3 weeks, then just returned it. I read The Secret History by Tartt and did not like it AT ALL. I realized forcing myself through another of her books would be wastefully painful! Enjoy book club tonight and thanks for checking in here!