November 2020 book of the month club

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rubysmama

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It's the 21st, so we can finally start discussing the book. :yess:

So, I loved it. I didn't re-read the book description before starting, so I didn't know there'd be a murder. Didn't even know the names of the characters.

Poor Kya. Can't believe everyone in her family deserted her. She would never have survived if not for Jumpin' and his wife. They were just lovely people.

I did think it was a bit unrealistic how quickly Kya learned to read, but maybe it happened over more time than it seemed in the book.

And the murder, I guess she felt she had no choice, and that if she didn't stop him, Chase would stalk and harass her indefinitely. It did seem a bit convoluted the way she worked out her alibi, and I did wonder if she did it or not. And I totally fell for the fake out with Tate.

Just a few thoughts to start the discussion. Looking forward to seeing what everyone else thought.
 

verna davies

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I have just finished it and I loved it. Not a book I would have chosen but so glad I read it.

I found it hard to believe that a child of 6 could be capable of doing so much after her mother and Jodie left but maybe it is possible. Loved the rich descriptions of the feathers and surroundings.

Disappointed in Tate for leaving her the way he did but he came good at the end. Chase was a rat.

Surprised at the ending, I thought Tate had killed Chase. One thing that puzzled me, Kya didn't have the red hat when she was going out with Chase so the fibres couldn't have been for there for possibly 4 years. As Kya came across as totally honest, I couldn't understand why she didn't say anything during the trial but all became clear at the end. I would have liked her to have lived to a ripe old age.

Loved the characters of Jumpin' and Mable and of course Sunday Justice.
 

Grayson’s Mummy Julia

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I really liked this book and like a few people have said - not one I would have chosen myself.

I loved Kya and Tate.

Jumpin and Mable tho - they tugged at my heart strings with their kindness to Kya.

I adopted my daughter 9 yrs ago now and the thought of a child alone breaks my heart.

On a practical note I couldn’t help but wonder why child services gave up on Kya so easily. But it was a different time and era.

I loved the detailed description of the marsh and it made me look at how materialistic the world that we live in today is!

I try to keep our lives simple and would love to swap for such natural surroundings in wildlife.

Really good book tho and my first since joining TCS.

May it be the first of many ❤❤❤
 

pearl99

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I'm finished with the re-read, and loved it a second time. I don't know if I'd have known about it before it being the book of the month book here, but my sister-in-law had given it to me last Christmas so I read it then the first time.
I loved the natural surroundings descriptions, and the lyrical writing (except the court scenes weren't very lyrical.) Being a nature lover I pictured everything vividly.

I hadn't remembered that Jodie told Kya about Tate and his earliest encounters with her toward the end of the book when she was wee little, when Jodie and Tate played together. I loved how Tate left the feathers in the stump at first to not scare her off.
Tate really good guy- but yes how he left her that July was rotten, but then it was 1960's and he was at college so can see that somewhat. I was so glad they ended up together for years and years.

I also felt it was a stretch that Kya's mom would leave a little daughter with that father and never come back. When she was going to her family, not like she'd be all on her own. It was explained about her mental illness and dad's abuse but still, a 6 year old. But it's fiction.

My favorites were Jumpin' and Mable also. And Sunday Justice knew just what to do, like kitties do.
I'm a little confused about the red hat too. Was she wearing it when she pushed him? And had a tussle?

I think she didn't say anything about Chase and the assault because she was raised/raised herself so isolated and with basically no parents or siblings so I'm not surprised she would not trust law enforcement or authority figures or lawyers or anyone, and this was in the 1960's. So not any way to learn about strong women and rights. She was afraid of anyone outside of her world, except for Jumpin', Mabel, and eventually Tate. I think she felt she had no choice and could not say anything. And that was why she killed Chase, he'd have kept coming back for sure.
 

verna davies

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I loved the natural surroundings descriptions, and the lyrical writing (except the court scenes weren't very lyrical.) Being a nature lover I pictured everything vividly.

Like you,. I could picture the area clearly, such a well written book.


I'm a little confused about the red hat too. Was she wearing it when she pushed him? And had a tussle?

I presumed some fibers had caught on Kya's clothing when she and Tate were throwing it back and fro when he gave it to her and that one had fallen off when she killed him.
 
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rubysmama

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Back when we answered questions about the book, instead of just a general discussion, one question was Did you learn anything you didn't know before?

Usually, I had to think about it, but I would have had a quick answer this time, as I didn't know female fireflies could turn into praying mantis type mates. :disturbed:
 

gilmargl

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I'm afraid I disagree on a lot of things people have said - I think I would have chosen this book. The blah on the paperback cover would have convinced me that this was a book for me.

Having finished reading it, I have to admit it had everything one would expect from a present day film: a beautiful, natural, ecologically acceptable background (The Marsh) as setting, an unfortunate very attractive girl/woman, Kya, three handsome young men (Tate, Chase and Jodie), a politically-correct, charming and helpful Jumpin' and Mable, a limited number of other players, a rape, a murder, a court scene and even a cat. Have I forgotten something? It was as though all subjects covered by best sellers in recent years had to be included in this book. There's something for everyone!

Unfortunately, I found it all too much. The information on the marsh and its wildlife was a welcome relief to the antics of the one-dimensional characters. I guessed as soon as she first came across Tate in his boat, that either Kya or Tate had killed Chase - although I did sometimes wonder whether her father would suddenly reappear.

A fairy-tale which could make a good film, with the relatively few main characters and a beautiful background - but not for me!
 
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rubysmama

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Having finished reading it, I have to admit it had everything one would expect from a present day film:
It's funny you said that, as one of the online reviews I read said basically the same thing, particularly that the court room scenes were set up in a way that would be perfect for film. Who knows if the author wrote it with a screenplay in mind, or not, but I do think it will make a good movie.

I guessed as soon as she first came across Tate in his boat, that either Kya or Tate had killed Chase
That fake out with the police had me convinced Tate was the murderer.

although I did sometimes wonder whether her father would suddenly reappear.
Wonder what happened to him. Maybe killed in a bar room brawl?
 

verna davies

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I also convinced myself that Tate had killed Chase because he was so protective of Kya and knew Chase had hurt her so finding out Kya killed him was a surprise.

As you wondered gilmargl gilmargl I sort of expected the father to reappear. I also wondered what happened to the other siblings and if they would put in an appearance.
 
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