21st Century Literature discussion

This thread is for discussion of the middle of the book.

I'm curious how others feel about the middle of the book. I found it rather hard to stay interested, myself. The story, and Hans, seemed to just sort of meander.

I just finished this section, and it does seem meandering and a bit lost, just like our protagonist. The stories of Hans and others about the DMV and Dept. of Immigration are alarming and I suspect not too far from reality, unfortunately. It's strange to learn about Rachel's therapist visits, and it leaves you wondering what else contributed to the demise of her marriage besides Hans' failure to openly love and be communicative. On that note, even when Hans is in London he fails to attempt to openly communicate with her. I felt so bad for the poor little boy, who dreaded daddy leaving but inevitably he always would. And Hans, for his part, starts to visit less frequently! Horrible. He lets his family, his work, everything all fall by the wayside for cricket. To me it seems the only place he has found any friendship, any sense of belonging in his life.

Dianne wrote: "I just finished this section, and it does seem meandering and a bit lost, just like our protagonist. The stories of Hans and others about the DMV and Dept. of Immigration are alarming and I suspect..."

It takes two to communicate Rachel made precious little effort. Her first attempt at it seems to have been to tell Hans she was leaving, no listening to his side at all and once there she just seems to have had other relationships. I have no idea why they split up or even why they got back together. The whole storyline is almost a non event

Late in the book, Han made an observation about his relationship with Rachel that I found interesting. (view spoiler)[ It was something to the effect of how, long after they broke up, they met again and got back together, but it was more like two strangers meeting and starting a new relationship that like "getting back together." (hide spoiler)]

Casceil wrote: "Late in the book, Han made an observation about his relationship with Rachel that I found interesting. [spoilers removed]"

I did scan the book and I remember having the feeling that parts of it were reminiscent of Sonali Deraniyagala's Wave, her experiences of surviving the tsunami in 2004 -- the discontinuities, the starting overs, ....

I'm up to 37% in the audiobook (which I approximate to page 95). I found the DMV chapter very true to life. If I judge the DMV by a smaller metro area of my hometown, I can only imagine how much worse it is in NYC. Our bureaucratic offices here like the DMV and the DSHS both have to post signs telling people not to abuse the personnel. (Now, if only they were told the same thing!)

Haven't gotten to the Immigration visit yet.

His conversation with Rachel was very true too. My sister felt much the same way of the Bush Administration at the time.

This book is growing on me. It's almost like we are privy to a journal. That, maybe, his therapist asked him to do this.

It is a bit like a journal, isn't it?

The more I listen to it, the more I think this is a journal or an account he is writing as part of his therapy.

It does have the flavor of a journal.