Wednesday, September 16, 2015

Between The Lines & Reading Update

I'm finally getting back into reading! It's been almost two months without reading a book. I really have no excuse. I'm listening to more audiobooks now too, since I've been taking the metro into work and I can't stream music underground.


What I Read


Inside the O'Briens by Lisa Genova

Between the Lines on Inside the O'Briens

1.  In chapter one, Joe mentions the “Charlestown code of silence.” Discuss how Boston acts as a kind of character in the novel. How does its unique culture seep into the O’Brien family relations and how they interact with their community? How is your community different?
Boston has a crazy strong culture. Boston is a historical town, and it has historically been dominated by Irish culture. I think even to to this day, you can feel that culture and pride emanating even when visiting the city. With that culture, comes certain traditions and ways of life that their residents don't tend to stray away from them. The O'Brien's are no different. For example, Rosie expects that Katie would marry a "man of faith from a good family, have a steady job and ideally live in Charleston." What Rosie truly meant is a Catholic, a good family being Irish, and a steady job working for fire department, police, or at the post office.

My community is almost the complete opposite of this. Living in Washington D.C. everyone is a transplant from somewhere else. The D.C. "culture" is being multicultural.

 2.  Joe is fiercely proud of his job as a police officer, but admits that he sometimes feels constrained by the uniform and the trappings that come with assuming that identity. How do you think that internal conflict ripples through his children and their professional choices? Who do you think is most like him? Who is most different?

I wish that we got to know the brothers and sisters a bit more. We barely knew Patrick, JJ's character didn't have too much depth, and the one sister we knew the most about, Katie, I don't feel like is the "most" alike to Joe.

3.  Katie is compelled to leave, yet still feels tethered. Discuss the role that family and tradition play in the novel. When is tradition helpful, and when does it hold us back?
There are many factors that keep Katie tethered to stay in Boston with her family. First of all, for generations her family has been living in Boston, in the same house, as one large family. This tradition provides stability, routine, and consistency. Unfortunately for Katie, not only are her dreams are being held back by keeping this tradition, but also her relationship.

4.  Ultimately, Joe becomes an unreliable narrator. He can’t predict his moods or even his movements. How does he use the reflections of people and his surrounding environment to monitor himself? Who do you think he depends on most, and why?
I think this is one of the most terrifying and depressing aspects of the book and of the disease. Even half-way through the book, when Joe took walks and was still able to move and communicate decently, he wouldn't realize the tremors he was having and would have to wait until someone reacted to it, like when he was walking Yaz and another lady walking a dog blatantly avoided all contact with Joe and Katie.

From our point of view, I think he relies heavily upon Katie and Rosie. He avoids burdening JJ, Patrick is unavailable, and Meghan is busy with ballet.

What I'm currently reading

#Girlboss by Sophia Amoruso
Prelude to Foundation By Isaac Asimov

My Reading Challenge Updates

Total Books this month: 1
Total Books read this year: 16/75 
Total Books Read for the Modern Mrs. Darcy Challenge7 / 12

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