MoFo Book Club - March '22

There is a lot of missing humor in the book. Once it was clear she doesn’t have any of the skill sets needed for these advanced vocations or even the emotional vocabulary for an intimate life, I thought he was setting up a comic romp. The serial sequence of her being a wrecking ball, sabotaging life after life would have been hilarious. You are complaining about this life? Look at the destruction you are leaving behind. I was also expecting the killer chapter, where she sits down to dinner with her young family and after several double takes and pregnant pauses . . . everyone puts down the knives and forks and stares at her. Okay, who are you? You obviously have no clue what we are talking about. What have you done with my wife? Yeah, you’re not my mommy! You’re a body snatcher! Not to be.

The rock star chapter is illustrative of how completely passive the writing was. She jumps into the superstar life after the concert and only has the encore to sing; what if she had been drop kicked into that life stepping out of a private jet the morning of, then finding out she had to fake the entire concert later that night . . . now that would have been dramatic. Also returning afterwards to her hotel and the penthouse suite and discovering a boyfriend (her famous movie star/philosopher boyfriend) was lounging on her bed waiting for her, now that would have been much more compelling. Instead, we get an uninteresting phone call after their fling and he is just calling her to check-up on how she is coping with their break-up. Weak.

The intrigue was almost nonexistent. Essentially, this is a woman who goes to work, is fired, goes home, has a bottle of wine, mixes in a handful of pills, then passes out for what . . . 87 seconds? Then waking up . . . Oh good grief! Did I just swallow a handful of pills? I better call 911 . . . she drops her phone and loses it and has to stumble next door dramatically (the author doesn’t even do this right, she should have passed out the lawn or on his porch steps . . . with the realization she was totally screwed) then she wakes up in the hospital, the neighbor having miraculously discovered her just in time. The revelation she wants to live doesn’t come from all those jumps, but the overdose scare.

The Midnight Library —★ 1/2

@thracian dawg ... You were a little more blunt than I was, but you said it better. Totally agree. Still can't explain the hundreds of thousands of great ratings, though!

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Given the glowing reviews, what I find interesting is that all of us panned this book save one.
I've had good luck with numerous Goodreads Choice Awards winners in the past. I just can't explain the appeal of this book to so many people.

@thracian dawg

I hope you will become an active member of our little book club. Your insight is appreciated.

I think that sometimes when a book gets good word of mouth and momentum, there is a kind of pressure to agree with that acclaim. Like, this was a Good Morning America book.

At the risk of sounding horribly snobby, I'd imagine that someone who doesn't read much would probably like this book a lot more than we did. What we find to be recycled elements might be fresh to a less prolific reader. And frankly, the way that the author keeps spelling out his message via easily-digestible 4-paragraph speeches means that you don't have to do any inferencing about what it all means, so this isn't a book that risks a reader feeling like they don't "get it". Burn your book of regrets. Live a better life starting now. It's green. It's still green.

Yes, @Takoma11, I think you have something there. Even as I was reading it, before people in this thread starting posting their opinions, I was thinking, "What's the big deal about this book? Is everyone else loving this story? It's not grabbing me." I was relieved to start reading others here who felt the same way. Maybe I've been reading too many 1,000-page novels lately. Those don't have to be in a hurry to tell you ANYTHING.

I do think there is a large amount of this happening. A form of 'peer pressure' if you will. No one wants to be seen as being negative despite the whole point is to give your 'honest' opinion.

There is some of this as well, I'm sure. But given the almost one million glowing reviews between Amazon and Goodreads I'd have to think it is a small percentage overall. Especially among the Goodreads crowd. But who knows.

Wait, isn't this the book snob thread?

Of course we are all snobs. That's why we show up!

Are we just diving right into the next book at this point? No need to wait until April if all are ready...

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LOL. I was trying to be clear that it's more about the quantity that someone has read. For example, I've seen kids totally captivated by pretty inert Harry Potter knock-off books and then I suddenly realize, oh, this is the first time they've encountered the idea of "normal kid suddenly learns they are special and is taken away to a strange school."

I'm done with Six Wakes and ready to discuss it whenever.

Wait, is Six Wakes officially the next book then?

Someday we'll discuss a book I already own.

Yes. As a result of the tie in voting.

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I think most of us here now are avid readers that have no problem reading 3, 4, 5 or more, books a month. Generally speaking that makes us the minority imo. Most people, due to other responsibilities (marriage, children, work, time, desire etc.,,), just can't/don't want to read that much. I would hate to exclude them from the club by making them feel they can't keep up or causing them to just give up.

For those reasons I'd prefer we just stick to one book a month.

BUT - It's not my call, this is our club and not mine. I'd like to hear from everyone on this issue so we can arrive at a consensus.

I really don't mind waiting. While I am a passionate reader, this year I have woefully overcommitted myself at work and until this book club started, I was reading about 10 pages a night, meaning it was taking me like a month to get through a single book. The last three books I've read have gone fast because they are more like page-turners and on the shorter side (just about 300 pages).

I also don't want anyone to feel left behind or like they have to work at a pace that sucks the fun out of things or that makes them feel like they aren't a "real reader" if they can't keep up.

Maybe we could keep the April date, but get a declaration from everyone who intends to read the book. That way if everyone is done we can discuss a bit ahead of schedule. The only thing that doesn't make sense to me is if we are waiting on people who aren't actually planning to read it.

My only issue with getting a 'declaration' is, quite simply, 'Life Happens'. I don't want to add any pressure or guilt to someone who had a family emergency the day after making that declaration. Nor do I want them to feel awkward about returning to the club after the dust settles.

I have no problem with early discussion when all have reached various milestones. Perhaps members could post "Halfway through" or "Finished" so we can more easily know when we could have early discussions.

ETA: Also, it would be helpful for members to post "Move on without me" if they're unable to finish for any reason.

Okay, I'll go grab Six Wakes. I also prefer we stick to one book a month... because I'm always reading multiple books at the same time. The books we read here are always just one in the pile.

Not at all. I don't mean people have to be locked in, just that it would be good for us to get a sense of who is in for each round of the club.

I don't think any of us would hold it against someone who said they'd read a book then had to come in and say, "Hey, this last month has been a doozy and I won't get it read in time."

But I do think it's good to know who is on the "currently reading list". If everyone who plans to read the book is done early, it seems silly to wait for a due date.

That's a fair point, even if I am one of those married with a small child types! :P

I am more of a slow and steady wins the race type of reader, making time to read every single day.

Anyway, I am fine with one discussion per month, even if i am reading more than that!

<female computer voice> Consensus achieved </>

Now all you have to do is set up a regular monthly selection process.

For instance, the first week of the month: suggestions and nominations.

The second week choosing the sucker.

Then two weeks to find a copy and read it.

This way, while discussing the latest, you are setting up the next book in the pipeline.

We actually do the nominations and voting before the month starts. That way on the first everyone can be ready.

My copy of Six Wakes arrives on the 29th. I opted for print because it was actually cheaper than the Kindle edition (!), so I have to wait till it arrives.

No problem! I won't post the April thread until the 1st.