Today's Noontime Chat is happening right here today! So WELCOME! Yesterday over at J. Kaye's we talked about the beginning few chapters of the book. Also we talked about Joon's personality and the structure of the book among other things.Today I have a few questions that take us a bit further into the book. I personally really liked the chapter, Club Orchid. In Club Orchid Joon gets a job working at a erm... Not sure exactly what you would call it. But there are a whole bunch of new characters that are introduced including one named Lana whom Joon seems to take an instant liking to. Why do you think that is? Joon the person who sort of just goes along with everything gives up her room for the night to stay with Lana.
In the chapter, Knowledge we get to learn a bit more about the character Knowledge. Including the fact that she almost robbed a bank for her boyfriend and then decided against it partially because he didn't know how to spell the word money. I like the character of Knowledge and find her rather humorous (the whole exchange with the lady and the wallet). Do you like Knowledge?
I don't really have a specific question but thought maybe we could talk a bit about the section in the chapter, On the Bus where Joon goes out with the rink guard.
Ok that's what I got! Time for some chatting!
Monday: J Kaye's Book Blog
Tuesday: Right here, Pop Culture Junkie
Wednesday: Presenting Lenore
Thursday: Worducopia
Friday: All of us!
It's still early yet, but I am guessing she likes Lana for the same reason as Knowledge. Lana is a very strong character. Also, She (he) stands out as different. That seems to be another attraction she has.
ReplyDeleteJoon's job. I didn't know they still have such a thing. I knew in the 50s, there were dance halls. This sounds like those but with benefits...lol.
About Knowledge - love her. I loved the scene where she tracked down the thief and then took the wallet because the lady was rude.
The descriptions in this story are amazing. But let me ask, are you worried about this ending badly? We know know about Knowledge's ending and some of Joon's. It doesn't look promising, does it?
Yes her job was sort of interesting. Almost cleaner than what i imagined well, unless they went into the tv room. I was proud of her- how she stood up for herself and left.
ReplyDeleteYes- I love how she just took the wallet back and walked away and no one cared! That on top of the Christmas tree part from the beginning, great character!
I've read the ending so I won't answer that question! :P
Ali told me via twitter she's trying to comment and blogger is being stupid- hope it gets fixed soon!
Have you read the whole book or did you skip to the end to find out?
ReplyDeleteFinished it this morning on the bus :D
ReplyDeleteLet me see if this will post for me...
ReplyDeleteThe Club Orchid thing reminded me of the dance halls, too. Like you, J. Kaye, I didn't think those still existed, but it works well in the story.
I'm finding the book more depressing as it goes along. I still like the way language is used, but Joon is sliding so far away that it's hard for me to know how to even root for her anymore.
Yes! I'm in!
ReplyDeleteOK, the rink guard. I thought this scene was really telling: we see that Joon's character is getting less and less rational as the book progresses.
The funny thing about the rink guard, i totally didn't even guess as to who that was and assumed Joon was right. So I was like whoa! When I found out who it was really. She goes back and forth from doing nothing to doing too much.
ReplyDeleteAlea ~ YOU ARE FINISHED!?! I am so jealous...lol! I want to bad to ask you how it ended...I won't...but I want to.
ReplyDeleteAli ~ Yes, it did work well...so much of what this author did worked very well with the story.
Hahah, we'll talk about it when we get there! I so want to spill but i won't spoil it for anyone. I'm definitely glad I have you guys to talk about it with though!
ReplyDeleteAlea ~ This is a good book to share. I'd hate to be reading it alone and no one to share it with. And that happens too often to me.
ReplyDeleteYes- I really don't know what to make of it now that i'm done!
ReplyDeleteOne thing I like about doing this one as a week-long book chat is I'm forcing myself to slow down, and I think a slower pace works well for me with this one. (Though it can be hard to stop!).
ReplyDeleteHehe- I'm a worry wart. Figured I would somehow get put off schedule so I started way ahead of time.
ReplyDeleteAnd I'm more afraid that I'll get confused if I read too far ahead! LOL!
ReplyDeleteSometimes i start to forget sections... :P
ReplyDeleteI'm with Ali. I'd have read this in one setting, but these Noontime Book Chats cause me to slow it down and enjoy the writing more. Personally, I think Mun's way of describing certain things is intense.
ReplyDeleteI can't read anything in one sitting. I used to be able to but I'm too all over the place now! I definitely read for longer on the bus though.
ReplyDeleteSorry I couldn't join in until now...work thing, ugh!
ReplyDeleteI was kind of shocked at how violent Joon had become in the rink guard chapter - hit first, ask questions later. She seemed so meek in the first part of the book. I agree that it is getting harder to like her...especially since SHE was the one who chose to run away and live on the streets (her situation at home was not ideal, but I would argue that it is preferable to hooking and getting beat up).
Well, Lenore, it's not much past noon in my time zone... :-)
ReplyDeleteThe violence is due to the drugs, I think. But also, there is just something not quite right about Joon. Given that her mom must be mentally il and her dad's an alcoholic, it's not surprising that she's a little out of it.
What did you guys make of the part on the bus after the crash with the guy that told her to come with him? It's interesting how the lines of reality are starting to blur.
ReplyDeleteI wasn't sure if he really said that or if she imagined it. But the part with the little girl she thought was an angel was definitely creepy.
ReplyDeleteIt totally was creepy! For awhile I wondered if that guy on the bus was the same guy that helped her up after she got beat up and almost raped. For some reason I thought their physical descriptions were similar but i might be totally wrong. So I figured if she was imagining him on the bus that's where she had gotten the idea of what he looked like- from before. I'm probably totally wrong though. I watch to many crazy movies LOL :P
ReplyDeleteI think the author does a great job with making those lines hard to distinguish without making it frustrating for the reader (at least, this reader). Confusing, but not frustrating.
ReplyDeleteI wondered if the little girl was there at all.
I also thought it was sweet/odd that she would give up her hotel room to hang out with Lana, this person she didn't even know - especially considering what she went through to get that money.
ReplyDeleteI'm back. Sorry, but I hadn't gotten to the skating rink yet. That 24 hour sleep took me out of the ballgame. :( I caught up last night.
ReplyDeleteBy this point, she was addicted to speed. If so, she should be having more angry outburst than just this. I have a problem with realism...either the author has purposely omitted because this is for YAs or she's never experienced this for herself and I am betting it's the latter.
I didn't think this was a YA book? Was it? To me based on her bio on the back it sounded like it could possibly been autobiographical- at least as far as her having a few similar jobs as Joon. Hopefully we can talk more about this today :D
ReplyDeleteThere's an interview with her here (no spoilers) where she says about 1% of the book is autobiographical.
ReplyDeleteI agree that to be realistic there would be more outbursts like that, but the way I see it, this book isn't supposed to be a realistic account, the way a memoir would be.
I guess I should be saving my thoughts for Lenore's blog, today!
Thanks for that link Ali! I'm going to try and read it before our chat! :D
ReplyDelete