Choices...

Ok, since our vote of choices 3 months out won...how about we continue with the order we have but, Nat, myself and Becky will bring our first 3 choices to the table at the September review??? And then following that, the person assigned for the 4 month out will bring their choice to the consecutive review and so forth.  Does that make sense?  So September's review will be House Rules (which is super great!!!, if you haven't read it yet, get on it!), October review will be Innocent Traitor, November review will be whatever Nat picks, December, is my pick and Jan is Becky's pick... Then in October, Andrea will bring her pick for February's review.  I also had one other thought which everyone can say yeah or nay too...We could make December a free read month, since its a hectic time of year, and basically our review for that month we could each  tell each other about the book we chose to read. Anyhow, just an option as we are still sorting this bookclub out. Let me know your thoughts! Thank you!

Poll Again...

Ok I went ahead and did one more poll since the 6 months in advance choice won, but it was also suggested to do just 3 months out, but since I was unable to change the poll midway, I just decided to post the second. It's a 2 day quickie poll then we'll figure this all out :)

August Book of the Month...

My pick for August is "Innocent Traitor" by Alison Weir.
This book is a fictional portrait of Lady Jane Grey, the great neice of Henry the Eighth. It follows her turbulent life against the backdrop of Tudor power politics and religious upheaval , from her youth, to her nine day reign as Queen of England , to its tragic aftermath.

The Poll...

Ok the Poll is posted to the right, please place your votes. Regardless of what happens, Suzi still has has next months choice and if we change, we will change after that.

Update...

Ok the idea was brought up that maybe we should choose the books a year in advance to give everyone time to get them? Or we could do 6 months and 6 months? What is everyone's thoughts? Suzi has the next choice, after that the rotation starts over or we could start our advance thing and everyone come in September with some ideas???? Thoughts?

Review of The Haunting of Hill House

Claire says:
 k, i have a question i didn't post to start with.
 did you think it was scary
Rani says:
 Not really, I thought in parts it was going to get scary, but then again I like to read Steven King...
Leslie says:
 Not really. It felt like a Stephen King. Strange but not scary
Natalie says:
 I did!  I love a good old school ghost story without all the blood and violence
Rani says:
 It reminded me of the old Alfred Hitchcock movies
Claire says:
 i read some stephen king just before reading it...
 yes  rani
 its like a rebecca type book
Rani says:
 totally!
Leslie says:
 What's the rebecca book?
Rani says:
   it's really good
 you should read
Natalie says:
 Yes, like Rebecca!
Leslie says:
 Is it a Stephen King?
Claire says:
 and then - the other question I had - did you guys like ANY of the characters?
Rani says:
 Rebecca by Daphne DuMaurier
 old classic
Claire says:
 my fav of all time I think
 and the alfred hitcock movie is really good too if you like old movies
 ok - so did you guys like any of the characters...
Leslie says:
 I'll have to get it. The characters really bugged me how they turned on Eleanor. I thought they were totally mean
Claire says:
 i thought almost all of them had annoying traits
Rani says:
 Yes I have to agree... there wasn't one that I loved. SOmething kind of creepy about all of them
Claire says:
 ya
Natalie says:
 I agree!  creepy
Claire says:
 i thought that must have been her writing style.
 ok...
 Discuss the differences in the methods Dr. and Mrs. Montague use to study the paranormal. Which approach, if any, do you believe is most successful? Why?
Leslie says:
 The relationship between the girls was really wired. It was a like a love hate things.
Claire says:
 totally
Leslie says:
 I think it was making the point that when looking at the two approaches that most of the time it's in our head.
Claire says:
 (I had to search hard for these questions so bare with)
Natalie says:
 you can make up your own if you want Claire
Rani says:
 yup it was... I thought their approaches were kind of funny. Especially Mrs. Montague. I don't know definitely seemed archaic. Although, dr. montague at least was trying to measure temperature and stuff
Claire says:
 i made up a few... kindof
Natalie says:
 
Leslie says:
 I think when Mrs. Montague joined the tone of the book changed.
Claire says:
 how so
Leslie says:
 Since she was not scared on the life forms around the house you seemed to think that nothin
 Oh, wait, I didn't mean to do that.
 I am having a hard time forming my thoughts. Still waking up.
Natalie says:
 I know, you are hard core Les.  
 
Leslie says:
 On some level it made sense that she was not afraid of them.
 Since the life forms were hanging around in the house it was as if they had a message to tell and she was just trying to figure out what that was.
 It was like they could not move on because there was unfinished business.
 And, it almost seemed logial that she was trying to communicate with them instead of being scared.
 I don't know, just a thought.
Claire says:
 ya
 i almost thought she was the most annoying...
Natalie says:
 I know, me too!
Claire says:
 Did Eleanor intentionally let her mother die, or is she merely suffering from bereavement and a mistaken feeling guilt?
Rani says:
 Yup I agree...I also thought just as the book might be getting creepy/scary she came and wasn't afraid and therefore it made me not afraid. I also thought she was the most annoying too. I didn't want her to be there!
Leslie says:
 I don't think she intentionally let her die. As hard as it was I think it gave her purpose.
Claire says:
 ya, and i can't think of elenor as mean
 maybe hystericall, and insecure - but not mean
Leslie says:
 Her mother loved her. The whole book you got the feeling she was just looking for aceptance.
 And someone to lover her
Rani says:
 OH good question... I agree I don't think it was intentional. But I do think with her insecurities she did feel guilty
Claire says:
 ya
Rani says:
 Not that she should feel guilty
Claire says:
 i agree.
Rani says:
 but I think she blamed herself somewhat
Leslie says:
 If it was more progressive, I was almost waiting for her to make a move on the other girl. Sorry can't remember her name right now.
Rani says:
 theodora
Claire says:
 ya - well and i feel that way all the time, even though i really shouldn't feel i did something wrong, i feel guilty...
Natalie says:
 I know!  I felt like there was some sort of lesbian connection there
Rani says:
 totally, i'm the same way
Claire says:
 it is speculated there was lesbianism there
Leslie says:
 It was strange right?
Claire says:
 in the 2000 movie version her character is bi
Natalie says:
 really?  funny
 there is a movie?
Claire says:
 there are a bunch
 they are all bad though
Leslie says:
 funny
Rani says:
 agreed.   serious, that is hilarious
 is it called something else?
Claire says:
 catherine zeta jones is theo
Leslie says:
 Is there really a movie?
 what?
Claire says:
 there is an old one that is old but truer to the story called the haunting.
 that is the best
Leslie says:
 I'll have to look it up. w
 What's the movie from 2000 called?
Claire says:
 then catherine zeta is in one with the same name... and I think there is another newer one called hill house or something
Natalie says:
 is it good?
Claire says:
 no
 i mean
 MAYBE worth watching... but probably not
 Why does Mrs. Montague believe that a loving attitude is more effective in a haunted house than a fearful one? Why do you think no paranomal events happen to her, who perhaps wants them the most?
Natalie says:
 probably because she wanted them to happen to her
Leslie says:
 Right, and how much of it is in our heads?
 When you are scared your mind plays tricks on you.
Claire says:
 i think even though she was annoying... she was also almost the most grounded or level headed... and since it was in other peoples heads as much as anything she wasn't able to scare herself into it...
Leslie says:
 agreed
Rani says:
 Agreed.  I guess I've always tended to think those types of things choose the person, and maybe they want someone that is unsuspecting or scared.
 Just because I don't believe in good paranormal activity
Natalie says:
 Have any of you guys seen the movie Paranormal Activity?
 seriously so scary
 you really don't believe in it Rain?
Leslie says:
 No.
Claire says:
 no but now i will
Rani says:
 yes i do, it totally exists
Claire says:
 i LOVE scary movies.
Leslie says:
 I love and hate them
Rani says:
 do i believe in hauntings NO, but I totally believe in paranormal events and think that people are totally capable of opening the door to them, but I think its more satan
 I have a love hate relationship with scary movies too. Although Paranormal Activity was too freaky and realistic for me to finish, as I was attempting to watch it by myself.
Natalie says:
 you guys have to see Paranormal Activity..scaries movie I've ever seen
 never watch it by yourself!!
 you are crazy
Rani says:
 um ya
Claire says:
 ok last question group...
 Do you think the haunting is real or in Elenor's mind - since most of the events happen to her and no one else?
Leslie says:
 ok, I'll have to try and get it
Rani says:
   good question, I didn't think of that...
Leslie says:
 same.
Natalie says:
 ok I am signing off so it's not ruined for me
 thanks for the pick Claire, I like it!!
Leslie says:
 bye Nat! See you soon. Before you get off do you know if Suzi has choosen the next book
 I guess she is gone
Rani says:
 Maybe it isn't now that I think of it...and that she is just mental. It would make more sense to me. I haven't heard about Suzi, but I can email her.
Natalie says:
 no I am here
 Rain, send Suzi a reminder for her book choice
 Bye girls..see you in a few weeks Les!
Leslie says:
 See you soon!
Rani says:
 bye nat
Claire says:
 leslie where do you live again?
Leslie says:
 Paris
Claire says:
 nice.
Natalie says:
 Yes, I am making you all jealous
Claire says:
 yes
Rani says:
 very
Leslie says:
 Rani you need to get out here!
Natalie says:
 sorry I am going to miss you this week Rain..lets get together next time you are in town
 bye bye!
 
  Natalie has left the conversation.
 
Claire says:
 ok
 so when I read it I didn't think it was...
 just in elenors head..
 but maybe it is a combination of elenore being the most vulnerable to the house???

Rani says:
 Right, good point, cause clearly it had previous similar events
Leslie says:
 Yes she seemed to be the most vulnerable. I think they all experienced elements of what she did.
Claire says:
 what did you guys think of the ending
Leslie says:
 What do you think lead to her death?
Claire says:
 i think the house wanted her... but that she wanted to stay with the house...
Rani says:
 I thought the ending was very predictable
Claire says:
 so she either thought she was doing what the house wanted... or something like that.
Leslie says:
 right.
 Why do you think the house wanted her?
 Do you think it was the young girls from the past?
Claire says:
 good question
 idk
 it would make the most sense to be some connection to the people who lived there in the past...
Rani says:
 hmm that is a good question... that would make sense
Leslie says:
 Rani what do you think?
Rani says:
 I was initially assuming cause she was the most lonely and vulnerable
Claire says:
 maybe because she had no where else to go... she could belong to the house?
Rani says:
 it seemed like she didn't feel like she had anything to go back to, and she was so desperate to belong to someone or something
Claire says:
 ya
 
Leslie says:
 You just wonder why the house was they way it was. It must have something to do with the people that lived there before.
Rani says:
 It is weird, or I always think of the polterguist thing, and wonder if it was built on a graveyard or something
Claire says:
 well thanks for reading it and discussing! I love it - I think it is a classic worth reading...
 ya
Rani says:
 Yes good pick, I love reading stuff that is different, it was fun to read something creepy for a change
Leslie says:
 Thanks for picking it. It's good to read different stuff.

Discussion Questions for tonight.

Discuss the differences in the methods Dr. and Mrs. Montague use to study the paranormal. Which approach, if any, do you believe is most successful? Why?




Do you believe Eleanor was justified in feeling resentful towards the others for treating her like a hysterical female? Or do you believe the others in the party saw something in Eleanor that alarmed them?



Did Eleanor intentionally let her mother die, or is she merely suffering from bereavement and a mistaken feeling guilt? Cite examples from the story that support your point of view.



Why does Mrs. Montague believe that a loving attitude is more effective in a haunted house than a fearful one? Why do you think no paranomal events happen to her, who perhaps wants them the most?

Do you think the haunting is real or in Elenor's mind - since most of the events happen to her and no one else?

The Haunting of Hill House

Hey all-- I'm sorry I realized I forgot to post when our next review is, so I just did, but I want to make sure we are settled with the date being the 2nd Monday of the month??? So basically our review will be next Monday, August 9th at 9:30 MST. I think its important that we try to stick to a date. I realize not everyone will always be able to make it, but I think more people will be able to make if if we stay consistent withe the review date.  Thanks you. Also we forgot to post the last review of Snow Flower and the Hidden Fan. I don't have my IM set to save, however if Nat or Andrea do, do you guys want to see if its in your history and post it??? The default is to save your messages, so it's very likely one of you have it.  By the way, it was  a great book. If you didn't get a chance to read it, I highly recommend it!!!