Barney's Online Book Club -- November 2009 Discussion

Welcome to the fourth discussion post of Barney's Online Book Club! This month we are discussing The Help by Kathryn Stockett. Below are some questions to help start the discussion, please feel free to raise your own questions in the comments section. Please note that the questions and the comments may include spoilers. So if you haven't read the book, then read at your own risk!

Let the discussion begin!

1. The Help is written from multiple points of view. Did you enjoy the different points of view? Was there one character you enjoyed reading about over the others?

2. Hilly is definitely the villian of this piece yet the author paints her as a good mother. Was it hard for you to reconcile these two opposite pieces of her personality? What do you think drove Hilly to treat the help (and eventually Skeeter) in such terrible ways?

3. Miss Skeeter has some rough relationships throughout the novel. What are your impressions of her relationship with her mother? What about Stuart?

4. What do you think was the eventual motivation or reason that the maids stepped forward to help with the book?

5. What are your overall thoughts on the novel?

So get typing and don't forget to come back throughout the day and reply to other members' comments!

Review -- Stolen

Stolen: A Letter to My Captor
Lucy Christopher
**I bought this book in England while on vacation and did not realize that it hasn't been published in the U.S. yet. There was no publisher or page numbers available on the Internet. (Sorry!)

Summary: Gemma is kidnapped while on vacation with her parents. Her captor, Ty, takes her into the rugged Australia outback where she must fight for her life.

Review: Stolen is an interesting read. The story is written completely from Gemma point of view as she relays her side of the story to her captor and tries to make sense of what has happened to her. A young adult novel, it was an easy read and had some very intense moments. My only concern with the novel is that Ty's character is still a mystery at the end. I would have loved rotating chapters by both Gemma and Ty so the reader could understand both characters motivations for their actions. Well written and entertaining, I would recommend this book. Rating: *** out of 5.

Review -- Testimony

Testimony

by Anita Shreve

Little, Brown, and Company, 2009
352 pages

Summary: Testimony is the story of a sex scandal that breaks out at a small New England private school and shows the repercussions through the eyes of the students and their parents.

Review: An intense novel that tackles a difficult subject through multiple characters, Testimony is a fantastic read. It is hard to feel sympathy towards many of the characters whose actions are met with the deepest consequences, but the author delves deep into each character so the reader can feel their emotion and understand their intent. At times a slow read, the book leaves the reader to contemplate how one act can change so many lives. Rating: ***1/2 out of 5.

Barney's Online Book Club -- Discussion Reminder!

Just a quick reminder that Barney's Online Book Club will be discussing The Help by Kathryn Stockett this Sunday, November 29th! All are welcome to join the discussion. Please email me if you have any questions and I will 'see' you on Sunday!