I just finished this novel, and I had a lot of trouble with it. Not because of the writing or the story, it just still felt too soon / too close to the pandemic to read about it. For me personally, I had trouble immersing myself in the story. I kept wanting to insert my own covid-19 pandemic experience. There's always that question in art - when is it too soon to make art about current events? I don't actually think it's too soon; this book just made me realize that it's too soon for me to read about this pandemic. Curious if anyone else had the same experience?
I didn't care for the novel, but not because of the proximity to the beginning of the pandemic, maybe because I feel my experience is not reflected anywhere in media and I've accepted that.
My trouble was that I didn't care enough about the people the story focused on the most. I thought Ruby was the most compelling, and we were given almost no time to hear about the racism of her white friend assuming her name and identity after disappearing herself.
I would have loved more diving into some of the issues that get brought up and then put away just as quickly.
I'm really enjoying this novel after some ambivalence about its beginning. I'm new to the group, I'm 67, and the opening sentence of the chapter Daily Cleanse--"Mr. Parker takes sex in doorways" --induced a fugue-like state of anxiety. Will this be a novel about men referred to as Mr. having sex in doorways? Then I remembered that the name of this book club is The Audacity and not The Timidity, and I relaxed and began to enjoy the ride. I love the element of surprise Porter brings to her narrative. Part of that surprise hinges on the fact that she's writing about the early months of the pandemic--we all know how drastically the world changed, but the characters don't know that yet.
I started reading it and it sounds so much like what is happening in my life as the secret is hidden so we'll but think the husband or partner don't no is stupid I forgot one think the woman is a bitch cuz the guy she hides torment the partner and she lets it happen the guy hiding will die and horbbly the wife she ends up with nothing but sadness cuz she never thought she had a faithful man cuz the other fathers to the kids all cheated and treated her like shit so she has done the crapyest shit to the one man that waits hand over foot for her and still can't come to turms with being court out so the partner pays the price for being a loving caring kind respectful passionate out going man who loves his kids and hers but the man can't win as she nearly taken his life but he stands by her I think the husband deserves a break in life we're he can be happy and enjoy not being hurt after losing everything he worked for and her self to but no way should a man have to put up with something much and people need to be truthful to the husband and let him know so he can move on with his life not being dead at such a young age
I just finished this novel, and I had a lot of trouble with it. Not because of the writing or the story, it just still felt too soon / too close to the pandemic to read about it. For me personally, I had trouble immersing myself in the story. I kept wanting to insert my own covid-19 pandemic experience. There's always that question in art - when is it too soon to make art about current events? I don't actually think it's too soon; this book just made me realize that it's too soon for me to read about this pandemic. Curious if anyone else had the same experience?
I didn't care for the novel, but not because of the proximity to the beginning of the pandemic, maybe because I feel my experience is not reflected anywhere in media and I've accepted that.
My trouble was that I didn't care enough about the people the story focused on the most. I thought Ruby was the most compelling, and we were given almost no time to hear about the racism of her white friend assuming her name and identity after disappearing herself.
I would have loved more diving into some of the issues that get brought up and then put away just as quickly.
I agree with this assessment too. If the people had been more interesting, maybe I could have gotten over my pandemic issues!
I'm really enjoying this novel after some ambivalence about its beginning. I'm new to the group, I'm 67, and the opening sentence of the chapter Daily Cleanse--"Mr. Parker takes sex in doorways" --induced a fugue-like state of anxiety. Will this be a novel about men referred to as Mr. having sex in doorways? Then I remembered that the name of this book club is The Audacity and not The Timidity, and I relaxed and began to enjoy the ride. I love the element of surprise Porter brings to her narrative. Part of that surprise hinges on the fact that she's writing about the early months of the pandemic--we all know how drastically the world changed, but the characters don't know that yet.
I got this book yesterday and I can't put it down! The characters are deep and rich (ha!) and I can't wait to find out what happens to them all.
I started reading it and it sounds so much like what is happening in my life as the secret is hidden so we'll but think the husband or partner don't no is stupid I forgot one think the woman is a bitch cuz the guy she hides torment the partner and she lets it happen the guy hiding will die and horbbly the wife she ends up with nothing but sadness cuz she never thought she had a faithful man cuz the other fathers to the kids all cheated and treated her like shit so she has done the crapyest shit to the one man that waits hand over foot for her and still can't come to turms with being court out so the partner pays the price for being a loving caring kind respectful passionate out going man who loves his kids and hers but the man can't win as she nearly taken his life but he stands by her I think the husband deserves a break in life we're he can be happy and enjoy not being hurt after losing everything he worked for and her self to but no way should a man have to put up with something much and people need to be truthful to the husband and let him know so he can move on with his life not being dead at such a young age