ANA Book Club?

[leapyrtwins]

(Nice word, brougham. Let's use it on Jim sometime.)

It's a plan 

You are MUCH more perceptive than I am, which is kind of why I asked your opinion - I figured that you would know.

I think you are right!  (And I don't say that to people very often) LOL

Jan

[Kaybo]

Sounds like a good time line to me...


OK, the whole incest thing really bothered me...why do you think that she (I forget her name - twins Mom) let her brother do, & continue, to do that to her??  AND if John Dig and the Missus knew about it - why did they let it continue...especially if he wasn't all there??

K

[sgerrard]

Isabelle was her name. The whole family was left over 19th century aristocracy, living the old way to  the very end. I think there were some bad genes floating around among the aristocracy, probably due to a few too many uncles marrying their nieces, and other such inbreeding practices. Do you remember it started when Charlie led her out to some abandoned hut, and she watched him cut himself, and took the wire and cut her own arm? She was into it, I think, for some twisted reason. Thinking about that made me realize that Charlie was Adeline's uncle, which partly explains why Adeline was such a terror. As Hester would say, Missus and John Dig were "staff," and not in a position to stop Charlie, who was the master of the house.

Steve

[leapyrtwins]

Ah, but was Charlie Adeline's uncle? or was he her father? 

Wasn't a part of the whole mystery trying to figure out if Charlie and Isabelle were Adeline & Emmeline's parents or if Isabelle and her husband were?

The incest thing was a little disturbing, but to give the author credit, she didn't really get into too many specific details - which I for one am thankful for 

I think the Missus and John Dig just denied what was going on.  It reminds me of that recent story in the news about the father who kept his daughter locked in the basement and had children with her.  How could his wife (the girl's mother) have no idea what was going on?  IMO it was a pure & simple case of denial.  She didn't want to deal with the situation, therefore she chose to delude herself.

Jan 

[Kaybo]

I thought that in the end, it pretty much implied that Charlie was the father of all three -- remember that they looked EXACTLY alike AND it talked about that poor farmers didn't have the means to "take care" or such things as that.  I think it was talking about how Charlie would run wild over the countryside and take advantage of whatever girl he wanted...

K

[leapyrtwins]

K -

thanks for reminding me of that.  After I said that I figured Charlie was Adeline & Emmeline's father, I thought that maybe I had read something into the story that wasn't there    There was just so much to pick up on in this book; I feel like I missed a few things.

Jan

[cindyj]

Know what you mean, Jan.  Still feel like I want to read it again just to try to catch everything and put all the 2 and 2's together...if that's possible.

Good point earlier about the details given for the relatively minor characters of John Dig and the Missus (that relationship was strange also...).

Steve, you're right about the whole aristocracy inbreeding thing - seen historically many times.  I'm reading a book right now about Cleopatra - her mother and father were 1/2 brother and sister and that had been the "policy" for centuries for that branch of rulers...

[MaryBKAriz]

Steve,

I think your point about the inbreeding of the aristocracy was insightful. That would explain a lot of their failings.

I am really enjoying reading everyone's perspective. So many things to ponder.

Mary 

[leapyrtwins]

Steve -

got any more questions?

Jan

[sgerrard]

Nope. Are we done? Got another book lined up?

Steve

[leapyrtwins]

I have no more questions either and could suggest a million books - big sale at Books a Million yesterday 

I'll save my suggestions until we hear from the others.

Anyone else have questions or comments?  Or should we move on?

Jan

[cindyj]

I'm good w/ whatever everyone else wants to do...always ready to read!

[sgerrard]

How about we read "Friday Night Knitting Club", and continue discussing 13th Tale in the meantime?

Steve

[MaryBKAriz]

I am fine with moving on....I will look forward to reading whatever is chosen.

Mary

[leapyrtwins]

How about we read "Friday Night Knitting Club", and continue discussing 13th Tale in the meantime?

Works for me, if it works for the others.  I think we still need to hear from Kaybo (I think she's still in Branson) and Soundy.  Anyone else I'm missing?  Do you know if Kate's in or out this time around?  And any word on OMG?

Jan