Austenesque Lovers TBR Pile Reading Challenge 2016 discussion

For this month the book is For Darkness Shows the Stars by Diana Peterfreund.

All you have to do is leave a comment that you plan to join the group read, then take the month of November to read the book.
Feel free to make comments or ask questions here in the Group Read Discussion along the way.
Then at the end of the month or whenever you finish, feel free to leave your final thoughts.

If your thoughts or questions might be spoilerish then just designate the top of your comment as such.


This is not mandatory for the challenge, but just a fun option within the challenge.

Also: There is a short prequel novella, but I am told it is supplemental and not necessary for those who just wish to dive into For Darkness Shows the Stars. That said, if you wish to read both for the group read and discuss then feel free.

Yep! I'm in. This has been on my shelf for-ev-er. ;)

I planned to read this in 2015! It might be fate that I join in :)

I already own a copy, and planned to read it this year. I think you are right Ceri fate is at work.

I just reread Persuasion. I'm in too!

I've requested it from the library. Hopefully it will arrive in time!

Count me in! They have it on Thriftbooks.com for about $4 (US).

I read it last year. I'll pop in to read your comments! :)

Is it too late to jump in? I was just on Amazon and Among the Nameless Stars was $0.99. Just saying. I think I will do like Kirk did and reread Persuasion real quick before the Nov read gets underway.

J. W. wrote: "Is it too late to jump in? I was just on Amazon and Among the Nameless Stars was $0.99. Just saying. I think I will do like Kirk did and reread Persuasion real quick before the Nov read gets underway."

Definitely not too late. We don't start for a few weeks. :)

BTW, the GR group Jane Austen is doing a group read of Persuasion starting Oct 22. Might be interesting to piggy-back this onto that one if you're so inclined.

Debbie wrote: "BTW, the GR group Jane Austen is doing a group read of Persuasion starting Oct 22. Might be interesting to piggy-back this onto that one if you're so inclined."

Good idea, Debbie!

That sounds like fun. Have not read P for quite a bit.

Forgive me for asking a dumb question...but where is the Jane Austen group? Is it under Community, Groups, Discussions, or where? I have looked everywhere... except the correct place, apparently.

J. W. wrote: "Forgive me for asking a dumb question...but where is the Jane Austen group? Is it under Community, Groups, Discussions, or where? I have looked everywhere... except the correct place, apparently."

Here you go, Jeanne: https://www.goodreads.com/group/show/...

Thank you Sophia...you are the best.

I'll be opting out of this one guys. It's not my cup of tea at all and it's too pricey for me at the moment.

Teresa,I'm with you on this one. Apologies,but it's not my cup of tea either.
Looking forward to reading everyone's thoughts on it.

Glad I'm not the only killjoy!!!

It's not that I wouldn't participate if I thought I'd actually like the book,but having read its premise,I know it's just not for me! Horses for courses,as they say,I'll happily choose another!

Nope. I'm skipping this one too, as Sophia already knows. I AM interested to read comments about it, though. Who knows? I may change my mind.

Stranger things have happened,Debbie!!

I feel better about not taking part now I know the two of you are passing on it as well. I only skip group reads if I'm really strapped for time or I know for definite I wouldn't like it. I miss all the chat and feel left out :( Aaah woe is me!

Teresa,start off a different strand of conversation and if I'm online I'll happily chat with you!!! Anytime!!

Hey gals!

It's completely fine that this one isn't your cuppa. Never feel that you have to feel guilty that a book isn't your thing or feel pushed to read it. No Book Shaming Zone, here. :) I like that, Mary, - horses for courses.

You are absolutely welcome to discuss and ask questions as we go. More the merrier.

Thanks Mary. Off to read some more NA while I have half an hour!!

I totally get it if you are not into it, and no book shaming. I did not participate in the July group read because it didn't look that appealing to me. I would have taken a chance, but I was already behind on my reading for the year.
I am already a scifi, fantasy, dystopia fan. Other than JAFF that is pretty much what I read. I am really looking forward to a mash up of both.

I ordered my copy. I'm kind of hot and cold on sci-fi / dystopian novels, but I'm hoping the Persuasion elements will make this a good one.

I'm still hoping that FDSTS will come in at the library for me in time to participate - but a couple of other titles just came in for me, and a couple are likely to come in about the same time FDSTS will, that I'm REALLY excited about. There just won't be time for them all before they're due! >_< It will all come down to timing, I guess!

FDSTS - For Darkness Shows the Stars - OK

ladymurmur wrote: "I'm still hoping that FDSTS will come in at the library for me in time to participate - but a couple of other titles just came in for me, and a couple are likely to come in about the same time FDST..."

Hopefully, one or two will be early or later so you can stagger them, Lady Murmur. But that's usually not my luck, either. The few times I've had the library get books for me they came right when I was in the middle of reading others.

@Sheila - Correct! Another group I'm in has adopted the practice of abbreviating the title of books, and I guess it has rubbed off on me.

@Sophie - Here's hoping! Sometimes my library reserves do come in neatly, one after another. I especially appreciate that with audiobooks, since they take so much longer for me to "read". When it works like that, it is truly lovely. More often than not, though, they all seem to land in my lap all at once.

Some I have no problem sorting out but I had to think about that one. Ironically I get messages wanting to know what ODC or even HEA mean...and there was a time when I had to go to the Internet to find the answer myself.

HEA, I know (happily ever after). But ODC is not one I've encountered in this context. What does it stand for?

Our Dear Couple and then there is ODG and ODB...Our Dear Girl and Our Dear Boy.

Ah! Now I see it. :-) Thank you, Sheila!

You're welcome.

Hi everyone! I don't think I'll be able to join in this time but I was so intrigued by Ceri's post about this book on her blog, that I've managed to track down a (hopefully) decent secondhand copy on Amazon and it should be here in a week or so. Persuasion is my second favourite Austen novel and this premise of setting it in a post-apocalyptic world sounds so intriguing.

I have to say, I am really enjoying the book so far. i'm already on chapter 10. As I said, I am a little hesitant when it comes to sci-fi/fantasy books, so I wasn't sure what to expect or even if I would finish the book.
I'm finding myself reaching for the book when I have a few minutes to spare and can squeeze some reading in. I like the "Persuasion" elements in the book. The fantasy/dystopian future is not so overwhelming that it becomes a distraction. I just can't handle books that are so deep in the fantasy world that everything is something new to understand.
I also like that the Reduced people in the book are using sign language to communicate. As an American Sign Language Intepretation major, I am learning that the need to communicate is universal and will express itself in many ways.

Are we still talking about For Darkness Shows the Stars?

That's what I'm reading. Is that right? I didn't see that the book had changed.

Yes, we are reading For Darkness Shows the Stars.

Wow, I love your First Date summation, Amanda. You covered what I wanted to pose for our first group question. Woots!

I can't get started on it yet, but I love that it is so good that you want to pick it up whenever you are free. And that's interesting about the Sign language that is used in the book and how it connects to real life for you. Great to have someone with that perspective. :)

DISCUSSION STARTER QUESTION

It's the beginning of November and already many have started and even finished our group read, For Darkness Shows the Stars so I wanted to quickly insert the first of the question sets to generate some discussion. Amanda is a mindreader and already covered what I was curious to know about your beginning impressions. :)

Blind Date
What did you think of the book before you started reading? How did you first hear about it? Blurb/Genre/Author/Cover art impressions?

First Date
How did the opening pages grab you? Early impressions of the world building and characters? Are you excited or cautious about proceeding forward?

For Darkness Shows the Stars has been on my radar from before it even released, but not because I realized it was connected to Austen's Persuasion. I heard about it through several friends who read Young Adult and were buzzing about a series that would mash up a dystopian world with the classics (book two brings in elements of The Scarlet Pimpernel). That's when I got truly excited to read it. I hadn't read a dystopian story at that point so I was curious. Never got around to it and FDStS has sat on my shelf ever since. But now I'm ready to give it a go.

Haven't started yet so I'll have to respond about First Date impressions later.

Oh. My. I didn't know this was the first book in a series. That makes me happy.

Amanda wrote: "Oh. My. I didn't know this was the first book in a series. That makes me happy."

Oh yes! Two novels each with their own prequels and maybe more since I last checked. :)

Sophia wrote: "DISCUSSION STARTER QUESTION

It's the beginning of November and already many have started and even finished our group read, For Darkness Shows the Stars so I wanted to quickly insert the first of ..."
I was a bit concerned about the book but saw several good ratings. Until Sophia selected it, I hadn't heard of it.

Umm, I had read it a couple of wks ago so I don't remember the beginning. Definitely cautious as some elements concerned me.

Kirk wrote: "Sophia wrote: "DISCUSSION STARTER QUESTION

It's the beginning of November and already many have started and even finished our group read, For Darkness Shows the Stars so I wanted to quickly inser..."

Hey, glad I could point out an unknown. I don't blame you for the caution. I'm vastly curious about how it all blends together.

I finished FDStS today while I waited for my daughter during a high school theater competition. I'm holding my thoughts until other people are done and ready to discuss.

I read the first 100 pages or so last night. So far I love it.

I became aware of this book, because our wonderful host Sophia found out I like scifi/fantasy & dystopia and recommended it to me. I bought it last year, and it went on my literal tbr shelf. I always meant to pick it up, but never got around to it.

How the author set up the class distinctions, and why there are class distinctions is really cool. I like that it is more post apocalyptic so society is more rural rather than technologically advanced. I think it helps blend Jane Austen's Persuasion with this story.
I really like that the main character's name is Elliot, I think it is cute. This is the fourth dystopia book I have read with the name Kai, definitely over used, but I like that he picked his new name as Captain Wentforth.

@Amanda I liked that they used sign language too. That's cool you have a personal connection to it.