Around the Year in 52 Books discussion

This will be my 2018 week 3 read - A book from the 2017 Goodreads Choice Awards list

Mine too. I'm just getting started on it.

I read this book for the AtY 2018 challenge, prompt 11 (a literary fiction). It tells a complex, painful, haunting, beautiful story, with a spark of hope embedded in the pain. It is an important, necessary book. I am still reeling from the author's incisive depiction of the victims of racism in our society. I will not soon forget this book, and I'm looking forward to reading other works from this author.

I just started reading this because it was chosen as the group's pick for the October Book of the Month - A ghost story. My hold at the library came in so I started it a little before October.

So far I'm really enjoying it, but I have to say, I'm disappointed that it was chosen for the "ghost story" topic as book of the month. It's a great story so far, with realistic and raw characters and excellent writing - but the part so far that has dealt with the "ghost" (view spoiler)[is actually a drug induced hallucination (hide spoiler)] so it's not really a ghost story at all. I think that may be altering my enjoyment of the book a little. Maybe something more will happen, but so far, it doesn't seem to fit this topic at all and it's been bothering me.

Aside from that, I really am enjoying the story.

I am curious about if this book is a second book in a series. My question is because in the description of the book, it says Bois Sauvage #2

Peter, in response to your comment, it's definitely not what you might traditionally consider a ghost story, like with a scary element, but (view spoiler)[there are more ghosts as the book goes along, and I would consider them actual ghosts, seen by different characters (hide spoiler)].

Silvia, I am not sure how it is linked to Salvage the Bones. I only read this one & it definitely reads as a standalone.

Silvia wrote: "I am curious about if this book is a second book in a series. My question is because in the description of the book, it says Bois Sauvage #2"

Q&A on the books page here says that its not really a sequel, both books take place in the same town but with completely different characters, and so you won't miss anything.

Thank you for your answers, Katie and Tracy! 😊

Katie, it looks like I just hadn't gotten far enough into the book :)

I'm nearly halfway through and I see what you mean now. The chapter I'm currently on changed things a lot. I agree with you, definitely not what I thought of as a "ghost story" but it's not what I originally thought.

I'm actually really surprised at how much I'm liking this book. It's waaayyyy outside what I normally read and something I most likely wouldn't have picked up outside of this group.

I'm glad you're enjoying it! Based on what you normally recommend/talk about, it did seem outside of your usual picks, so I was excited to see you give it a try.

I loved it when I read it last year because I find the characters achingly real and the writing beautiful. I'm debating on whether to reread it for the book of the month.

Peter wrote: "Katie, it looks like I just hadn't gotten far enough into the book :)

I'm nearly halfway through and I see what you mean now. The chapter I'm currently on changed things a lot. I agree with you, d..."


This post surprised me too Peter. I love to see when people pick up something out of the norm and find that they really enjoy it :-)

I have this checked out from the library right now. Had no idea it was a planned group read. Excellent. I'll start it right away.

Read it, really didn't like it. I tried to tell people it wasn't a ghost story. Oh well.

I'm about 75% through the book now. While I agree it is definitely not a ghost story in the traditional sense of a spooky, supernatural or horror book I can definitely understand why it was suggested for the ghost story prompt now. I would even say it's a "ghost's story"; It seems things are building towards hiw the past relates to the present. The author has used ghosts and magical realism to bring the past alive. The ghosts in the book seem to be intended to metaphorically link the characters to the "ghosts of their past". So definitely non traditional, but it's actually really well executed because of how subtle it is.

I'll admit that I voted for it more because it's on my list than because I saw it as a good fit for ghost story. But it's good to hear that people are enjoying it. I have a few books to finish but am hoping to start it soon.

That was a really great book. The only reason it didn't get 5 stars from me is because the symbolism in the second half of the book got to be really heavy handed; to the point that I lost the story a few times while trying to decipher what the symbolism meant and had to go back to remember what was going on. There was a similar issue with a few of the conversations where one character would say something and the POV character's thoughts would go on for so long that when they gave their response I couldn't remember what they were responding to.

Aside from that, the story itself was really, really great, and I loved the use of ghosts to link the past to the present and the way the "ghosts of the past" were both literal and metaphorical.

I was a little bit confused by the ending, so perhaps someone here that's read it can maybe shed some light on it for me.

1(view spoiler)[Not really the ending, but I didn't quite get the "scaly bird" or what it represented. (hide spoiler)]

2.(view spoiler)[I get that the city Ritchie sees and hears is supposed to be the afterlife where he wants to get to and that he doesn't understand the song because he needs closure to be able to move on, but why once he got his closure was he still not able to go? (hide spoiler)]

3.(view spoiler)[The spirit tree at the very end. I get the idea that the spirits there are stuck because they lack closure from their violent deaths, and I understand the symbolism in the tree and how that relates to lynchings and the violent racism that exists - but why do the spirits gather in that tree specifically? Ritchie seemed to be stuck in Parchman until he could find a path to closure through meeting Jojo. Why aren't the other ghosts stuck in their own locations waiting for closure there. Are they seeking out people who can see them intentionally? Does this mean Jojo, or Kayla are meant to help them find their closure? (hide spoiler)]

Overall, I really enjoyed this book. It's one of the best books I've read all year, and it's definitely outside my comfort zone. This is the first book of the month I've actually jumped on board with and I'm really glad I read it despite it being a book I likely wouldn't have picked up otherwise. I read it a little early for the October book of the month because my hold came in sooner than expected, but I'm looking forward to the discussion threads in October.

As a final note, I listened to this book on audio narrated by Kevin Harrison Jr, Rutina Wesley and Chris Chalk. They did a killer job, and I highly recommend the audio version.

I read this for ATY 18, #37 (Women's Prize for Fiction winner or nominee - it was a 2018 nominee (and won the National Book award in 2017).

Ward is an impressive writer. I loved Salvage the Bones, and this was advertised as a sequel (which it isn't really, but set in the same town - as has been mentioned above).

The story is compelling, and I moved right through it. I loved the characterization (though I don't think one is meant to really like many of the characters - with their flaws and complications, but oh how well does she make them sing).

I really enjoyed the 'ghost' element, and I fear the criticism above is a genre misunderstanding. This fits in the tradition of Toni Morrison, and a lot of Southern and African-American traditions of telling stories unable to be told of the past, and with the magical realism tropes at work, but not blatant (nothing in this story is strictly magical - but the presence and ability to talk to the ghosts (or work out one's history, complicity, pain - through the medium of confronting one's own story) drives the story for me. Richie and Pap/Riv's story will haunt me for a while. Can't praise her enough - looking forward to her unearthing more of the Bois Sauvage.

Read for Week 16. A book told from multiple perspectives

Three perspectives were used:
1. JoJo, the son
2. Leonie, his mother
3. Richie, a ghost

Sad story. I hope there is hope for this family.

Just finished this book for prompt finalist or winner for the National Book Award for any year.

Enjoyed the book and look forward to reading another book by Jesmyn Ward for the 2020 prompts!