Fairy Godreaders discussion

At least it is so far. I have a feeling it's going to turn lyrically grim. Thanks for letting us know about this, Don. It's a great discovery. I won't need to borrow yours though. After reading the sample that I got from Smashwords, I went out to Kindle to get a copy. All traces of the book and author are gone from SW. Maybe it's been a victim of KDP's exclusivity requirements?

(Sorry, Faerie: I know I'm a traitor to the cause of digital access and openness. I try not to buy anything that would support K's exclusivity rules which restricts some books to its own format and venue. But since I believe in having as much access to books for myself, and I want to support writers who had to make tough choices to get to readers, I did download the Kindle app to my tablet a few months ago. And I swear that I always check to see if a book is available in other venues and open formats first before going the K route. You're going to have to forgive me and walk on.)

Traitor! But it's getting harder and harder to avoid.

Faerie wrote: "Traitor! But it's getting harder and harder to avoid."

Be that as it may, borrow Don's copy or mine when I'm done. It's good and I want to talk about it. But maybe I should do that in the Uncounted Reading Challenges group. I just can't decide whether to put it under the Weird and Wonderful section there or Striking Characters. Why? Because two of the characters are the protagonist's former self and his late girlfriend. They live in his gut, metaphorically perhaps, but perhaps not. I can't tell yet. They take over his consciousness when he's not vigilantly suppressing them. Don mentioned a lot of drug use, but I haven't seen much yet other than pot. The author's name (pen name?) is Stoner though. So, I'm not sure yet if what's going on is reality altered by grief, emotional breakdown, or stoner stuff.

I just read the description of the book and it sounds like it's the 'shrooms. I'm almost done with the other book. I'm glad we're going from one English author to another. I'll tell you why in the thread on Diana's book.

Oh, and as you said to me about Michael's book, why don't you ask Mr Stoner to join this group, at least while we're reading? It sounds like he'd be a blast for the Writers at the Party section. And hell no, don't go cheating on us in this group to go posting somewhere else. But if you do, have the decency to do it here first.

Faerie wrote: "I just read the description of the book and it sounds like it's the 'shrooms...."

Unless it's going to be brought up in one of the flashbacks, he actually hasn't gotten to the 'shrooms yet. But that might explain why his backpack occasionally falls asleep. :-)

P.J. wrote: "Faerie wrote: "Traitor! But it's getting harder and harder to avoid."

Be that as it may, borrow Don's copy or mine when I'm done. It's good and I want to talk about it. But maybe I should do that ..."

Glad to hear you are enjoying it so far P.J. Look forward to your comments. I think it would be interesting to discuss too.

I have to say that I was a little wary about it at first. I was afraid it was going to be mainly about wasted self-absorbed/oblivious expats or perhaps a Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas kind of thing: written well, but ultimately uninteresting to me. But not so with Jalan. Even though a little of all of the above is there, there is so much more. It really is nicely done.

Perhaps it's because this week marked the 40th anniversary of the sudden death of my younger brother, but I'm really identifying with the narrator's sense of loss, dislocation, and the inability to grasp reality as usual. Not that I experienced it in that way, but everybody who loses someone close - especially unexpectedly - struggles with that, I think. I'm rather envious of Newbie sometimes. I keep thinking as I read: you're lucky in a sense; she's not just suddenly, completely, and irrevocably gone. Keep the fragments while you can. (But maybe that's still the stunned grieving child/old-me who got stuck in time and lost too.)

I like Laura's character, dead though she may be. I loved her ideas of time and pebbles in one of the earlier flashbacks. The expat "friends" are still rather caricatures and stereotypes, but I'm not quite halfway. Maybe they evolve. Thanks again recommending this. It really is the perfect book for me now.

P.J. wrote: "...I like Laura's character, dead though she may be. I loved her ideas of time and pebbles in one of the earlier flashbacks. The expat "friends" are still rather caricatures and stereotypes, but I'm not quite halfway. Maybe they evolve. ..."

I just read the pebble and time part and thought it was it really cool. And yes, Kim is seriously annoying.

I finished Jalan tonight. I liked it, though some of the timeframe seemed a little rushed and confusing at the end. But then again, with the all the pebble-talk, maybe it was supposed to be? Or did he leave his teaching contract early?

Hey, no spoiling!

I wasn't. At least, I don't think so.

P.J. wrote: "I wasn't. At least, I don't think so."

I agree, the timing of the ending was a bit confusing.

Faerie wrote: "Hey, no spoiling!"

Have you finished yet? Are you close? I've got ideas bouncing for a review that I want to choose among. If you're done, I thought I'd bounce some off of you.

Have I finished "Jalan Jalan"? Almost Almost. I haven't read anything for the past few days, but will get going again SOON. Start jotting those ideas, but don't send them yet!

I'm finished finished, PJ. I've even written a review. Start bouncing ideas if you still need to.

And Don, thanks for the recommendation!

Faerie wrote: "I'm finished finished, PJ. I've even written a review. Start bouncing ideas if you still need to..."

Ah, you're shaming me, FG! I'm two reviews behind now. But I suppose I really don't need to review Death in Slow Motion: A Memoir of a Daughter, Her Mother, and the Beast Called Alzheimer's since it's not by an undiscovered author and has plenty of reviews already. But reading it while reading Jalan Jalan brought some interesting parallels and paradoxes to my thinking.

I'd planned to have something written and posted this weekend, either a combination compare & contrast review of both books, or one traditional for each. But it's been a week full of mortality reminders for me. Within a handful of days, no fewer than four friends or work colleagues have experienced the death of a close family member. Only one of those deaths was somewhat expected in the relatively near future: the good lady was just over 100 years old.

I also learned midweek that someone I've been close friends with for over 33 years has been diagnosed with a serious neurological condition that has already affected her ability to communicate and concentrate. So I'm wondering if I should delay posting anything until I'm in less of a funk. Or maybe the funk is good to have the right perspective?

I just got back from a funeral. Funerals are always interesting things in terms of culture and interpersonal dynamics. (Unless, of course, you know the person who died very well. Then they're just awful, they suck, they can't end soon enough, and all you want to do is find your own version of a hole to crawl in and cry.) It's interesting in both those books, there was no opportunity to have a ritualized, socially supported way to mourn.

On the way home, I happened to hear the Grateful Dead's Ripple. It's such a great song. I asked my family to play it for me if I die before them. I've decided to make it my life's theme song, at least for now. I suppose I'll change my mind over time and more experiences. But it's put me back in the mode to think of ideas for the review(s), so I'm going to give it a go.

Faerie wrote: "...And Don, thanks for the recommendation!"

Yes, yes, once again thanks, Don!

P.J. wrote: "Faerie wrote: "...And Don, thanks for the recommendation!"

Yes, yes, once again thanks, Don!"

Glad you both enjoyed the book, P.J. and Faerie. So sorry about your friend's illness and your loss P.J. The Dead truly are a comfort in hard times. The CD player broke in my car and wouldn't eject the CD in it so my daughter and I listened to American Beauty (Ripple is song 1, side 2) going back and forth to school for a year before I got it fixed. Now I regret getting it fixed. Did you watch Freaks and Geeks? Counselor Rosso was a wise dude: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fRHZr... Anyway, condolences and sympathy. A box of rain your way.

Don wrote: "...Did you watch Freaks and Geeks? Counselor Rosso was a wise dude: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fRHZr... Anyway, condolences and sympathy. A box of rain your way..."

Yes, we loved that show and hated to see it canceled. Thanks for the memory!

And by the way, that's one of my favorite albums ever, so a Box right on back to you, Don!

Good news for all of us concerned about keeping digital access to books as open as possible. I sent a copy of my review to the author yesterday and got a lovely response today. He reports that he's already made plans to come off of the Kindle exclusivity program and going with another option.

To quote Monty Python: "And there was great rejoicing!"