Never too Late to Read Classics discussion

Buddy Read was suggested by Member Maria for No Name by Wilkie Collins from UK

Genre: mystery novel, sensation novel
The story is told in eight major parts, called Scenes.

Since the daughters are illegitimate, they have no name, no rights, and no property. Combe-Raven and the entire family fortune are inherited by Andrew's (the father) older brother, Michael Vanstone, who has been bitterly estranged from the family for many years. He refuses to provide any support for the orphaned young women. With the help only of their governess Miss Garth, they set out to make their own way in the world.

The free link is through goodreads reader:

https://www.goodreads.com/reader/4826...

The first page came up bury but the rest is okay!

Thanks for setting this up, Lesle, & thanks to Maria for suggesting this buddy read.

Thanks to you two, Lesle and Trisha.
I'm new to these buddy reads, so I reckon we should wait to see if there's anyone else wanting to join us (as Lesle said in the other thread) and then agree on a day to start reading?

No problem. If you have read Persuasion and would like another option, this might be it!

Who else might be in?

Good idea, Maria. I can start when you want, but agree we should wait to see if other people are interested too. I've added the book to my "currently reading" list so it's ready, but I haven't started it.

I am interested in reading this book as well.

I loved The Woman in White by Wilkie Collins, I am definitely interested. But what is a buddy read? I'm sorry, I am just unfamiliar with the term! Thank you!!

Jamie
Here is a link to What is a Buddy Read?

https://www.goodreads.com/topic/show/...

I would be interested, if the timing is not too fast.

I think the story sounds very interesting. By going through goodreads I was able to download a free copy for my Kindle. I have read Persuasion a few years ago on my own and simply had decided to read Sense and Sensibility instead to keep with the author of the month. I am about to start a new teaching job (along with always reading more than one book simultaneously), so I am not sure exactly how much reading time I'm about to have. I'm up for this one, though!

Congratulations on your teaching job, Samantha.

Welcome all!
Thanks for joining!

We'll have two months to read this book. I made a quick calculation and I think we'll have to read about 100 pages per week, is that ok for you all?
We can always add a little more time if we need to.

Also, we should agree on a date to start reading. I was thinking about starting this weekend (maybe on Saturday) but I'd like to hear your suggestions :)

Good luck with your new job, Samantha!

María wrote: "Welcome all!
Thanks for joining!

We'll have two months to read this book. I made a quick calculation and I think we'll have to read about 100 pages per week, is that ok for you all?
We can alway..."

Maria, that plan sounds good to me.

Welcome to the Buddy Read Claire and Samantha!

I agree Maria if the pace that is set is too fast for some (as they read others books, like Rosemarie does) we can always extend out by a couple weeks or so. I would not mind at all.

This weekend sounds good, but might want to wait till Sunday for the Members that just check in on the group over the weekend. (Just a thought).

Thanks Marie!

Lesle wrote: "Welcome to the Buddy Read Claire and Samantha!

I agree Maria if the pace that is set is too fast for some (as they read others books, like Rosemarie does) we can always extend out by a couple week..."

No problem Lesle! Sunday's ok for me too.

I'm in. Sunday is fine.

I will be joining in too. Sunday works perfectly fine.

Welcome SL and Queen of the Geeks to the Buddy Read!

Cannot wait till Sunday!

Thank you for the well wishes and congrats on my job!

I will do my very best to get started on No Name this weekend, although I foresee a busy weekend ahead. 2 months should be enough time, overall.

I will try to join in. Right now I am stressed over Irma

Celia from Melbourne FL

Amazon Kindle is Free

Sending good thoughts your way, Celia as well as anyone else who has to deal with these ordeals.

Celia wrote: "I will try to join in. Right now I am stressed over Irma

Celia from Melbourne FL

Amazon Kindle is Free"

Stay safe, Celia. Thinking of you!

Please be safe Celia!

My sister and her husband just bought a new home on Marco Island and they had planned to stick it out, but both are very stressed so I understand that your priorities are somewhere else.

Prayers for you and your family's safety.

Welcome all the new 'buddies'!

First things first, I hope you and your family stay safe Celia (and Lesle's family too)

Samantha wrote: "Thank you for the well wishes and congrats on my job!

I will do my very best to get started on No Name this weekend, although I foresee a busy weekend ahead. 2 months should be enough time, overall."

Don't worry ;)

Thank you Claire, Kathy, Lesle and Maria. I feel surrounded by love and caring.
It really surprises me that every coastal area of FL is impacted by Irma. She is quite the storm. My prayers are for your sister and her husband, too, Lesle.

Celia, They have left Marco Island and gone to stay with family in Orlando. Still will be bad, like you said I dont think anywhere is safe in the Keys, barrier islands and Florida itself.

Thank you for the prayers, will keep you in mine as well.
Take care

I have prayed for them already this morning. My step daughter and family are in Orlando. I have a friend whose daughter is in Tampa. Prayers for all are sooo appreciated.

Most definitely Celia, Prayers for your Step Daughter and her family as well as your Friend's Daughter in Tampa.

Good morning!

Today's the day!

Just a suggestion: we could write on top of our posts the chapter we're commenting in each one of them, so people who haven't reached that part can avoid spoilers (I saw they did so in the 'North and South' buddy read and I think it's a good idea)

Enjoy the reading!!

Good idea, Maria. Hope you enjoy the book.

Member Tony and I do that as well in our reads together. I think that is a very helpful and easy thing to do for the other members reading.

They can skip your comment if they are not at that chapter yet.
Happy Reading!

A query - if we read the free Goodreads version of the book, does anyone know how we can see the page numbers? The original suggestion was to read about 100 pages each week, but reading online I'm just scrolling through the text in a chapter without seeing individual pages.

Chapter 1:
I've just finished reading this chapter & thought it was a very clever way to introduce the characters.

On CHAPTER 1:

The style has caught my attention, it reminds me of theater somehow, it's as if he were describing a piece he's actually seeing together with the reader.

Trisha, I agree with you, I don't think I've ever read an introduction like this one.

Also, I like how the most important characters (the two sisters) are introduced last and how, from the very beginning, we can see the huge difference between Norah and Magdalen: while Norah is calm and shy, even a little distant, Magdalen is just a force of nature.

General comment:

Hi!

I've just realized that my last message doesn't appear in the discussion! I remember having problems with GR that day and maybe it wasn't uploaded because of that.

Anyway, there it goes:

Trisha wrote: "A query - if we read the free Goodreads version of the book, does anyone know how we can see the page numbers? The original suggestion was to read about 100 pages each week, but reading online I'm ..."

I don't know how, but maybe someone does?

If it helps, in the edition I've got, chapter 9 ends on page 99.
I can post the index as an orientation.

On CHAPTER 3:

Tell me I'm not the only one who needed a while to understand the relationship between Captain Wragge and the sisters. I needed to read that part several times until I got it!

Thanks, Maria. I changed to a Kindle version, as I found I wanted to be able to read without needing wifi.

Yes, I agree that Captain Wragge was very confusing - I guess the reason for the complicated relationship may be explained later in the story.

I'm enjoying the book, & think parts of it are quite funny, especially the descriptions of Mr Clare & his son.

CHAPTER 4.

I actually feel sorry for Frank. The way I see it, since his father is always mistreating him, he's ended up believing he's unable to perform any job. I think he just needs to find one he really likes and then he'll show himself and his father that he's not the incompetent everyone (including him) believe he is.

What do you think?

End of First Scene:
Well, whatever next?? I'm really enjoying this book.

Between the Scenes:
Another different way to make the story progress - he's such a clever writer.

Captain Wragge has been mentioned again - & I'm still not sure about all those complicated family relationships!

(End of first scene/between the scenes)

Trisha wrote: "End of First Scene:
Well, whatever next?? I'm really enjoying this book.

Between the Scenes:
Another different way to make the story progress - he's such a clever writer.

Captain Wragge has been ..."

Clever indeed!

It's so touching to see how the sisters deal with the tragedy they've lived and the future that lies ahead...

I've liked this quote from Norah:

"What change can the world, and the world's cruel laws make in our memory of the kindest father, the kindest mother, that children ever had!"

Those laws were so terrible, the girls are literally nobody!

About Captain Wragge: I'm intrigued about what his role in this story will be. I don't think I'll like him, but who knows?

Maria and Trisha
I sorry I am lagging so far behind. I have again started over. I think I was around 100 pages. Got side tracked. Now back again.

Reading on!

I'm currently about half way through the book, reading the 4th scene.

Just 2 general comments:
Maria, I don't trust Captain Wragge at all & don't like the way he seems to bully his wife - though perhaps she needs him. Mrs Wragge makes me laugh & I'm wondering if she really is as silly as she seems to be or if some of her behaviour is just a reaction to her husband's treatment.
I love the way Aldborough is described- I've not been there, but the descriptions remind me of parts of the Suffolk coast that I have visited.

Trisha
Just completed the part of Mrs Vanstone and Captain Wragge! (Chapter 3). I do not like him at all. How he thinks he is family is beyond me!??

I feel sorry for Mrs Vanstone and her news after 20 some years :( in the letter to Miss Garth.

I'm increasingly disappointed with the developments! Scene 4, I thought, was longer than necessary & I didn't like all the dishonesty. But I've read a lot further now & no longer believe anything that anyone says. Perhaps Magdalen felt cheated by events early in the story, but I don't like her behaviour which seems to be going from bad to worse - she seems to think any lie is acceptable just to get what she wants.

Lesle wrote: "Trisha
Just completed the part of Mrs Vanstone and Captain Wragge! (Chapter 3). I do not like him at all. How he thinks he is family is beyond me!??

I feel sorry for Mrs Vanstone and her news afte..."

Lesle, if you didn't like Captain Wragge early on, just wait until you read further!!!

Trisha wrote: Lesle, if you didn't like Captain Wragge early on, just wait until you read further!!! ..."

He has not even spoken a word! that's the sad part!

I know bad things are yet to come, so dreading that part!

Finished it today. I enjoyed the book on the whole, but thought parts of the story, particularly towards the end, were implausible & too melodramatic. But perhaps that was the fashion when it was written. Modern books often end in a way that allows the reader to draw conclusions, or let the author write a sequel. This book tied up absolutely every loose end - for me, this didn't work & weakened the effect.

Trisha wrote: "Finished it today. I enjoyed the book on the whole, but thought parts of the story, particularly towards the end, were implausible & too melodramatic. But perhaps that was the fashion when it was w..."

Wow Trisha! That's impressive!

I'm glad you've enjoyed it. I'm still on the Second Scene so I'll tell you about the ending when I come to it ;)

So does the play take over the story line? Wondering because your talking about Second Scene?

If so that would make sense why so much detail about the play and the first rehearsal.

Is Norah jealous of the supposed relationship between Frank and Magdelan that could be? Magdelan seems like a spoiled child so far.

Lesle wrote: "So does the play take over the story line? Wondering because your talking about Second Scene?

If so that would make sense why so much detail about the play and the first rehearsal.

Is Norah jeal..."

The book was divided into scenes & chapters- but it just seemed like a book to me, not a play.

I don't think Norah was jealous - I liked her much more than Magdalen. She seemed caring & much more responsible - I felt sorry for her in the way Magdalen treated her. I like your description of Magdalen as a spoilt child - I thought she was immature & a real brat! She would do anything to get what she wanted, regardless of the effect on other people.