I hope you all loved this book as much as I do. It was my second time reading it, and I loved it just as much, and maybe even a little more. Here were some of my thoughts as I read:
1. I was drawn into the book within the first page. Did any of you feel the same way, and why?
2. Charlotte feels responsible for her entire village. Do you think this feeling is justified? Why or why not?
3. What did you think of Uncle Wheeler? Did you have any clue, until the end, that he was also involved with Jack Spinner?
4. I liked Randall Woodstone from the moment he first appeared in the story. How did he contrast to Charlotte's uncle? What did you think of his engagement gift to her (the plate that said "Great Courage Breaks Ill Luck")?
5. I found it interesting how the mill seemed to try and communicate with Charlotte, like when it showed its disapproval of Jack Spinner. What did you think about this?
6. When she finds herself in desperate straits, Charlotte makes some extraordinary choices about who she can trust to ask for help. Do you think she made the right decisions, or could she have turned elsewhere for assistance? What would you have done?
I hope you enjoyed it!!
And just in case you didn't know, February's book will be "Hanna's Daughters," by Marianne Fredrickson.
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4 comments:
1. I was drawn into the book within the first page. Did any of you feel the same way, and why?
I felt drawn in immediately, because within the first few paragraphs, I found myself drawn into Charlotte's plight and hoping to help her somehow. I thought the author did a fantastic job of getting me introduced to and attached to Charlotte so quicky.
2. Charlotte feels responsible for her entire village. Do you think this feeling is justified? Why or why not?
Although the feeling was justified, in that they relied on the mill for their livelihood and support, i felt like she took it all upon her shoulders, instead of sharing the burden. Rosie even commented to her about this once in the story.
3. What did you think of Uncle Wheeler? Did you have any clue, until the end, that he was also involved with Jack Spinner?
I was surprised that he was involved with Jack Spinner, but not at all surprised that he was a creep. i didn't like him from the start. I thought it was interesting, that before Charlotte even really knew his true character, she was already repulsed by the scent of lilacs because of him.
4. I liked Randall Woodstone from the moment he first appeared in the story. How did he contrast to Charlotte's uncle? What did you think of his engagement gift to her (the plate that said "Great Courage Breaks Ill Luck")?
Where Uncle Wheeler was snobbish, lazy, and distant, Randall was open, hardworking, and likable. He was not filled with the contempt and pride that poisoned the uncle's personality. And I loved the engagement gift he gave Charlotte - to her it meant more than anything he could have given her, and was what made her have the courage to marry him.
5. I found it interesting how the mill seemed to try and communicate with Charlotte, like when it showed its disapproval of Jack Spinner. What did you think about this?
I found that this even more sense when we found out it was his son's ghost that was haunting the mill. What was even more interesting to me, was that as tensions ran higher, Charlotte comunicated more and more with the mill, even to the point at the end where she spoke to it directly.
6. When she finds herself in desperate straits, Charlotte makes some extraordinary choices about who she can trust to ask for help. Do you think she made the right decisions, or could she have turned elsewhere for assistance? What would you have done?
I was so angry at her for not sharing her troubles and worries with Randall. I don't think she made the right descision, because although it turned out okay in the end, I think it would have been easier to bear with the support of her husband. I found it ironic that she alienated him to protect him, which only hurt him more than the curse ever could.
1. I really liked this book. I don't ever read the inside flaps or backs of books so that I am surprised. I wasn't sure what this book would be about when I first started but I was intrigued.
2. I fell that she was justified in worry about everyone. Her mill pretty much ran the village so it would make since that if the mill failed everyone would have to leave to survive. The few people that did leave that she saw working at the other mill were miserable too, so that weighed on her more.
3. I didn't like Uncle Wheeler. He gave me bad vibes from the beginning. I thought it was a good twist to make him involved with Jack Spinner.
4.I like Randall and had a feeling that he would be a main character. I even had a feeling he would marry her, especially once I realized what this story was about, i knew she would have to have a baby and she had to high of morals to shack up with someone. I loved the wedding gift and I knew it was important to the ending.
5. I enjoyed that the mill tried to communicate to her. It made the magic of Jack Spinner more real to me.
6. I wish she would have turned to her hubby. I think it would have been more romantic. She really should have trusted him.
1. I was drawn into the book within the first page. Did any of you feel the same way, and why? I read this book last year and LOVED it. It is one I eventually want to add to my collection. The way the story is woven entangles the reader immediately. I really enjoyed it!
2. Charlotte feels responsible for her entire village. Do you think this feeling is justified? Why or why not?
I understand her feelings. I think it is interesting how we as women in particular tend to take the responsibility for others on our shoulders. The mill definately was the heart of the community. I can see where she would feel the weight of responsibility, but I think she felt it so much that she came close to losing all that was dear to her. (Husband and son and even sister) It's a good reminder to take a look at our own lives and make sure that we a placing the most important people in our lives in their rightful places.
3. What did you think of Uncle Wheeler? Did you have any clue, until the end, that he was also involved with Jack Spinner?
Uncle Wheeler is a leech. I felt worry for him, but felt that his punishment was enough. I had high hopes that he would be humbled and would be willing to change his life, but I guess some people just choose the hard road. I was surprised that he was involved with Jack Spinner. I thought it was really neat how she tied all the lines together!
4. I liked Randall Woodstone from the moment he first appeared in the story. How did he contrast to Charlotte's uncle? What did you think of his engagement gift to her (the plate that said "Great Courage Breaks Ill Luck")?
Loved it! Loved him! He is such a likeable character and so willing to love Charlotte through her walls. I loved how he trusted her and believed in her no matter what. He's a good mix of Mr Darcy and Mr Bingley!
5. I found it interesting how the mill seemed to try and communicate with Charlotte, like when it showed its disapproval of Jack Spinner. What did you think about this?
It took me a while to realize it was communicating. I think the mill was trying to protect Charlotte as it knew the outcome from the years of lost babies.
6. When she finds herself in desperate straits, Charlotte makes some extraordinary choices about who she can trust to ask for help. Do you think she made the right decisions, or could she have turned elsewhere for assistance? What would you have done?
I liked how the decision was taken out of her hands. She would not allow anyone to help and I loved how she was given their help without asking. I really touched me to have all the Stirwaters family there to help her out in the end. I think we so often act the Martyr in that we feel that we need to do it all on our own, when in reality there are so many people there to help us bear our burdens and to help us realize that we need their support. I'm glad the book was written with Charlotte fighting to do it all on her own, because it made the end so much more beautiful when she realized the support and love she needed to give her the strength to accomplish her task.
1. I was drawn into the book within the first page. Did any of you feel the same way, and why?
I definitely was. I was excited to read it from the very beginning just because I had a good idea what it was about, and the fact that it was Rumplestiltskin (spelling?) story intrigued me right away.
2. Charlotte feels responsible for her entire village. Do you think this feeling is justified? Why or why not?
Yes, I believe it was justified. They all depended on those jobs to survive, and she was the one providing those jobs. What a heavy burden to bear.
3. What did you think of Uncle Wheeler? Did you have any clue, until the end, that he was also involved with Jack Spinner?
I thought he was shady right away. The author did a good job with that, but I had no clue that he was involved with Jack Spinner. I thought that he would be involved somehow, but not necessarily in that way.
4. I liked Randall Woodstone from the moment he first appeared in the story. How did he contrast to Charlotte's uncle? What did you think of his engagement gift to her (the plate that said "Great Courage Breaks Ill Luck")?
I REALLY liked Randall from the moment he was introduced in the story... he was steady, he was interested in how things worked at the factory (even though he represented the bank) and how to keep it working. He also believed in Charlotte, which her Uncle did not.
5. I found it interesting how the mill seemed to try and communicate with Charlotte, like when it showed its disapproval of Jack Spinner. What did you think about this?
I liked it. Especially since it links it all in with Jack Spinner... at first though, I wasn't sure if it was communicating in a good or a bad way... especially since they would try to fix things, and then it would go back to how it was.
6. When she finds herself in desperate straits, Charlotte makes some extraordinary choices about who she can trust to ask for help. Do you think she made the right decisions, or could she have turned elsewhere for assistance? What would you have done?
Personally, I think that she should have relied on Randall to help her, rather than drive him away.I actually was extremely irritated during that part of the book... However, I loved the message that the author was putting across. Charlotte, refusing help and trying to save her loved ones, and then realizing that she wasn't alone, and didn't need to go it alone either. She had people who loved and cared about her, no matter what.
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