Book Snails Book Group discussion

Pien, Samaria and I plan to start reading World Without End by Ken Follett soon and we’d love for others to join us if anyone is interested! Just comment below!

I’ll keep our reading schedule posted here to help everyone stay on track. 😁

Reading Schedule
Aug. 19-25: Chapters 1-10 (115 pg)
Aug. 26-Sept. 1: Chapters 11-19 (118 pg)
Sept. 2-8: Chapters 20-28 (116 pg)
Sept. 9-15: Chapters 29-39 (109 pg)
Sept. 16-22: Chapters 40-48 (119 pg)
Sept. 23-29: Chapters 49-61 (117 pg)
Sept. 30-Oct. 6: Chapters 62-70 (108 pg)
Oct. 7-Oct. 13: Chapters 71-80 (111 pg)
Oct. 14-Oct. 20: Finish (113 pg)

I can have the book next week on Wednesday

Pien wrote: "I can have the book next week on Wednesday"

Great! Maybe we aim for a start date of next Friday?

It looks like the chapters in this one are much, much shorter than the last one. About how many pages per week are you both comfortable with? If we did 100, that would take us about ten weeks. If we did around 150, that would take us about 7 weeks. Or we could do it in 5 weeks if we aimed for 200, but maybe that’s pushing it? I’ll be doing the audiobook so I could easily handle any of those options.

If it’s okay by y’all, I’d prefer 100 or 150 pages a week!

Pien wrote: "If it’s okay by y’all, I’d prefer 100 or 150 pages a week!"

If I do a breakdown aiming for somewhere btwn 100-120 pages per week, do you think that would be ok?

Just posted a tentative schedule. Take a look and let me know what you think.

Looks great to me!

Pien wrote: "Looks great to me!"

🙌🏻🙌🏻🙌🏻

How do you feel about it Samaria?

I agree! It’s doable :)

Samaria wrote: "I agree! It’s doable :)"

Yay! We’ll go with it then!

Ready for take off? 😁 ✈️ I read a little but not enough to have an opinion yet. But quite shure it will be good again

I’m planning to start listening tonight during my evening stitching 😉
If not tonight, then definitely during my morning walk tomorrow!

Finished our first allotment! I dove straight into the audiobook instead of starting with the ebook first as I did with the last one. There’s definitely a lot of characters to keep track of and I don’t get an opportunity to pause each time one is introduced to fix them in my mind so it’s a little tough keeping them all straight. Hopefully it won’t be as difficult as I get farther into it.
But I am enjoying it so far. The writing certainly feels consistent with the last one. And I’m glad that, (view spoiler)[while we still have a selection of “bad” characters, none of them are yet as utterly vile as some in the last book. (hide spoiler)]

Looking forward to hearing your first thoughts ladies (and gents if any decide to join us…)

How’s it going for y’all? Is the amount of reading proving to be too much? My library audiobook was returned and I had to place a hold to get it back. It says “available soon” but not sure exactly when that will be. I might fall behind with our next selection, though I’m pretty sure I can catch up easily once I can check it out again.

Hi, I just wrote quite a text about how I felt about the book but it wasn’t saved somehow. And now I see your new message, Erin. Too bad you have to wait for your book! I wouldn’t mind taking a break until you have it back.
For me the amount of pages a week are no problem at all, I finished two days ago.
I’m not extremely enthusiastic, yet. I feel it’s so much like the last book in tone and atmosphere that I’m hoping for something new, different. Which is pretty weird of me, since this is a follow-up story of course! But I need to be taken by the story yet…

Pien wrote: "Hi, I just wrote quite a text about how I felt about the book but it wasn’t saved somehow. And now I see your new message, Erin. Too bad you have to wait for your book! I wouldn’t mind taking a bre..."

That stinks! ☹️ But yes, it’s very similar to the last one.
I still have a copy of the ebook so I went ahead and read chapter 11 yesterday so I won’t fall too far behind if I don’t get the audiobook back for the weekend. I think it was the first time I felt “shocked” by something in the story and I’m somewhat eager to see how it will play out.
Hopefully it will pick up for you soon Pien!

Just got the audiobook back!

Hurray! 😄

Hi guys haven’t been able to read I had dental surgery done and I have spent most of my days a sleep. I’m hoping that this weekend i start to feel alert and well and I’m able to start the book. :)

Samaria wrote: "Hi guys haven’t been able to read I had dental surgery done and I have spent most of my days a sleep. I’m hoping that this weekend i start to feel alert and well and I’m able to start the book. :)"

Oh no! Wishing you a speedy recovery. Let us know early next week how you’re getting on. 💕

Just finished chapter 14. The story has really picked up, in my opinion. I had a feeling that (view spoiler)[Griselda was pregnant by her ex-boyfriend. Her actions were too suspicious and the pregnancy announcement too sudden. (hide spoiler)]
Are either of you familiar with the parable about (view spoiler)[the man trapped on his roof during a flood who refuses rescue by a truck, and then a boat, and then a helicopter claiming he’s waiting for God to save him. And when he drowns and faces God and asks why God didn’t save him, God responds “I sent you a truck, a boat and a helicopter. What else could I do?” This story very much reminds me of that one in the way the monks keep pushing back against a reasonable proposed solution to the bridge situation… (hide spoiler)]

Oh Samaria, not nice! I hope you’ll feel better soon and that you’re getting spoiled now you are recovering! Get well soon! Do we have to wait for you a bit with the schedule?

I’ve only got one chapter left for this week’s reading 🙈
There were a couple that ended in cliff hangers and I’ve been eager to see how everything unfolds.
It seems to me that (view spoiler)[Gwenda is like the Aliena of this one. Severely wronged by a man, making me root for her. Though I don’t know that I’d go so far as to say I hope she snags Wulfric. While Annet doesn’t seem like the loveliest person, she also hasn’t done anything at this point for me to want Wulfric to cast her aside. (hide spoiler)]

I’m Starting to look forward to continue reading this book, Erin! I’ll make time for it tomorrow 😃

Is it Friday yet? I’m liking this so much more than 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea 😆
Were you able to read much today Pien? Has it picked up for you?
How about you Samaria? Were you able to get started?
I’m eager to keep reading 🙈

It’s getting juicy this story! 😄👍🏻
Yes, it’s definitely getting more and more interesting, Erin! I liked (view spoiler)[ most how Griselda was found out about her lies about the pregnancy (hide spoiler)]
I have two more chapters to go this week

Pien wrote: "It’s getting juicy this story! 😄👍🏻
Yes, it’s definitely getting more and more interesting, Erin! I liked [spoilers removed]
I have two more chapters to go this week"

Yay!

I’m taking a long walk while my daughter is in school today and I am super excited to listen to our next allotment. Have you been able to read much yet Samaria?

Finished the reading for this week already! 😆
I was so upset at (view spoiler)[Godwyn’s plan to trip Blind Carlus. And I felt like his plot to become prior was a little too convoluted and carried out too easily, that some of his arguments for convincing others to act certain ways were somewhat weak and unconvincing. Those two chapters actually dragged a bit for me. (hide spoiler)]
I also wasn’t surprised in the least that (view spoiler)[Ralph didn’t grant the land to Wulfric. I was actually kinda shocked that he genuinely seemed to be considering it before he got the bribe from Perkin. (hide spoiler)]
Looking forward to hearing your thoughts!

I’ve only read two chapters yet, snarling through it. Love your enthusiasm! I’ll get back to you in a few days 😉🐌
Are you feeling better Samaria? I hope so! 💐

Finished this weeks chapters!
Well I could say a lot, but I felt exactly the same, Erin! (view spoiler)[ it’s so frustrating that ‘the baddies’ get what they want, and Wulfrics land being taken from him makes me really angry. Historically it’s probably quite common… I very much hope that Gwenda starts to take smaller risks because if she goes on like this, she will be called a witch I’m afraid. (hide spoiler)] My favorite characters are Caris and Merthin. Like the names also. Maybe I should have two cats 😄

Pien wrote: "Finished this weeks chapters!
Well I could say a lot, but I felt exactly the same, Erin! [spoilers removed] My favorite characters are Caris and Merthin. Like the names also. Maybe I should have tw..."

Yay! 🙌🏻 I’ve actually got several audiobooks lined up now to help me pace myself with this one 😆 (The Death of Mrs. Westaway, Anne of Green Gables, and The Man Who Died Twice)

Also, one of my best friends here has a daughter named Caris. I can’t help but picture her when I’m reading even though she’s only 2 😂

Oh no! I have to renew my book’s reservation and someone has put it on hold. Now I have to bring it back and wait for my turn,which can take three weeks or more…

Pien wrote: "Oh no! I have to renew my book’s reservation and someone has put it on hold. Now I have to bring it back and wait for my turn,which can take three weeks or more…"

Oh no! Thank stinks! 😩 I think I may end up with the same issue with my audiobook, having holds placed and then waiting to get it back.

Should we maybe just tackle this one each at our pace, whatever works best around library holds? We can post our thoughts using spoilers along the way for whenever others get there?
I’d really prefer not to take a long break as it may be difficult to get back into the story when events aren’t so fresh in my mind. ☹️

In the meantime, I hope that whoever placed the hold has decided they don’t actually want it anymore and that you get it back sooner than expected 🤞🏻

It’s probably a very good idea to read at our own paces, I agree!
I’m not very optimistic, even if the next reader doesn’t like the book, he or she will have to go back to the library to bring it back. That will take a while, most of the time…
But well, that’s the risk of using the library for 1000pagers 😌

I’ll be back 😉

Just finished chapter 29. I am so (view spoiler)[angry and upset with Caris! 😭 (hide spoiler)]

Finished chapter 31… I wondered (view spoiler)[if Gwenda was pregnant with Ralph’s baby instead of Wulfric’s… What will happen when that comes to light?!? (hide spoiler)]

I just finished chapter 13. I’m really going at snail 🐌 pace. With my surgery and work and kids going back to school it has put me back. But so far I’m liking this book better than the last one.

Samaria wrote: "I just finished chapter 13. I’m really going at snail 🐌 pace. With my surgery and work and kids going back to school it has put me back. But so far I’m liking this book better than the last one."

So glad you’ve been able to pick it up and are liking it! Chapter 34 got a bit nasty so I’m happily taking a little break with The Man Who Died Twice. It’s delightful!
Even though we’ve put the reading schedule aside, I will still try to pace myself with this one.

Just finished chapter 38.
I’m shocked that (view spoiler)[Ralph was actually found guilty of rape. I thought for sure he was going to get off. Very interested to see where it goes from here… (hide spoiler)]

Done with chapter 41… it’s certainly getting nasty 😔
I’m definitely ready for a little break, though I’m disliking the audio for Anne of Green Gables.
I need to get another audiobook soon to divert my attention a little. 😏

Yay! The moment of The Return of the Book is here! 😉 I’ve missed Merthin and Caris the most. I’m halfway ch 30 now.

Pien wrote: "Yay! The moment of The Return of the Book is here! 😉 I’ve missed Merthin and Caris the most. I’m halfway ch 30 now."

Yay! That didn’t take too long! I picked up a couple more audiobooks so I’m still at chapter 42 on this one, though I should pick it up again soon. I find that I sometimes forget what all is going on because there’s so much going on 😆

Halfway through chapter 44… Do not read this one before a meal!!!
🤮

Maybe I’ll read it with my eyes closed?

Pien wrote: "Maybe I’ll read it with my eyes closed?"

😆 I was listening on a walk last night past sports fields with tons of people and I was not able to keep my composure. It gets very graphic!

Got up to chapter 50 this morning. I was aiming to stick to the pace from our schedule but got mixed up and read an extra chapter 🙈

How is everyone doing? Where is everyone at with this one?

My time expired and the library took it back :( so I’m waiting for it to come back to me.

Samaria wrote: "My time expired and the library took it back :( so I’m waiting for it to come back to me."

Bummer!