I hope you have all had a chance to read the book, as it was very good. The story itself was also very different than Robin McKinley's usual style, and I loved how she weaved the modern world into the world of dragons. And because there was never a time set, it meant it was something that could take place next year, or 100 years from now. I have a few questions to start the discussion, but if you have your own, feel free to add it and I'll respond to it as well :).
What did you think about the book's point of view? And did you like it?
I'll start off by saying, that I was very surprised when I first started the book, as this was very different from what I am used to from Robin McKinley. That said, I found that I enjoyed it a lot, and although there were times when Jake seemed to ramble on and on, it actually made it more convincing that the story was really an autobiography of his experiences.
Did you have a guess as to what his headaches might be?
From the very start I knew that they were important, and I remember being annoyed with Jake for not telling anyone about them. At first I thought that maybe his mother had somehow imprinted her presence on him, and later I realized that maybe it had to do with communicating with the dragons.
Did you like the way that the author portrayed dragons?
I actually really like the fact that she portrayed them as intelligent, nurturing creatures, rather than the killers that they are usually shown as. I kept contrasting the book to the movie, "Reign of Fire" with Matthew McConaughey. It also put dragons in the modern world, they had been hiding out for centuries, etc, but in the movie they almost destroy the human race. I much prefer how she made them out. I also loved that each had a distinct personality, and my favorite had to be Bud.
What scene in the book was the most vivid to you?
My favorite scene in the book had to be when Gulp picked up Jake and Lois to save them. I could see it vividly and it had my heart racing as they flew off to escape. It was such a huge leap of faith on both Gulp and Jake's part, and it was also the first time they really communicated with each other.
I hope you enjoyed it and can't wait to hear what you think :).
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4 comments:
Hi Lisa - thanks for leading off the discussion! Here are my answers:
1. It was a fun point of view, but his voice was a little distracting sometimes. Meaning, he rambled so much that I would loose focus on what we were talking about in the first place. But I do think it must have been very challenging to write like that.
2. I haven't finished the book - but I know they MUST be significant. At first, I though his headaches were caused by the heat of the baby dragon. But after you added the dreams into the equation I know it has something to do with communication. (but like I said... I'm still not done!)
3. I can't answer this all the way, cause I"m not done - but I love how she set up a "dragon story" for the future. And I love that they have more depth than the dinosaurs of Jurassic park.
4. I"ll let you know this answer after I finish.
What does everyone else think?
I am glad we are finally discussing this book. It's a good and interesting book at the same time, with ups and downs to it. So here goes:
1. What did you think about the book's point of view? And did you like it?
I was confused by the books point of view at first, it took me a while to not get distracted and wander in thought. The rambling was a bit much, in vocal conversation I can follow, on paper it gets a bit tedious, though I don't know how the story could have been told without it.
Did you have a guess as to what his headaches might be?
I had a feeling about the headaches, the intensity and all the time was a clue. Also, how close he and Lois were...I was glad to know all his hard work and worrying paid off with being able to "talk" with them.
Did you like the way that the author portrayed dragons?
I did, I enjoyed the in depth personalities we got to know and care for. I enjoyed them all and am glad they were smart and not portrayed as mean, stupid creatures.
What scene in the book was the most vivid to you?
The birth, the fact that he was able to be there and that they loved him and thought so highly of him to let him be there. I have others, but maybe since that one is so close to the end it sticks with me.
Thanks for picking this book Lisa, good choice. I don't think I would have read it otherwise, well stuck with it as good as I did.
I had a hard time with the narration, but the 1st person POV was necessary for a proper telling of the story. Sometimes I had a hard time with his vernacular, his sentence structure got all tangled up and confusing. If he had been 14 almost 15 and writing this story, his crazy way of talking would make sense. But he was 20 and then 22 and still talking like a punk kid who was completely immature. It got hard sometimes to continue reading.
The headaches I figured to be a dragon pressence of sorts. After being zapped and them all those dreams, I knew it was the dragons.
I liked how they were smart. lives with a purpose and that they were nonviolent, only attacking in self defense.
Lois' mom's death was the most vivid to me. The dead poacher, little gooey dragonlets, her pain knowing she was dying and so were her kids, except Lois.
I thought the story was great, just the telling left a little to be desired.
I tend to agree on the story telling. I thought it was so effective as a 15-16 year old boy, but a little too effective as it was distracting. I also felt a lack of growth in the main character. I agree with melissa however, that it would be super challenging to write like this.
I didn't pay too much attention to the headeaches, at first I felt that they were in the way, but I really liked how she tied them in and I loved the scene where he reaches over and touches Gulp and imagines all that he wants to communicate to her.
I too liked her portrayal of the dragons as intelligent, nurturing, peaceful creatures. I loved the idea of a midwife at a dragon birth. That was cool.
My favorite scene... probably the scenes in the meadow with Gulp, and the dragon birth. I also liked the character Grace for some reason. I liked the descriptions of her home and how open she was to having Lois there.
Good story~
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