An Interesting First book

First of all I think that it is highly appropriate that we are reading a book about a book club as our first book, especially since the fictional one has only one male in it as well! Second, I have read this book before, but don't remember much so you shouldn't have to worry about me accidentally giving spoilers.

I can't say that I love this book, though I am certainly intrigued by it. Right away I began looking for comparisons between each character and the book that was being read in each chapter. I think I'm finding that characters have some character traits with a modern twist on the Austen characters. I find the personal histories interesting, though somewhat perverted in many instances. I am very glad to be reading this book with a group of Christians so that if I express my disgust at moral filth, I won't be berated for narrow-mindedness.

My natural tendency when reading almost any story is to find the character I am most like and relate to the person. Thus far I haven't found someone I am like per say. I think perhaps Sylvia is the one I feel most akin to, but that could easily change. Part of the difficulty in having only six, very long chapters, each devoted mainly to the personality of one person, is that we won't really get to know the last character until the final chapter...at least this is what I presume. I suppose we do learn bits and pieces about each person through the other's eyes.

As far as voice goes, I find it a bit out of the ordinary, but that doesn't mean it doesn't work for this book.. I actually enjoyed the part in chapter one where suddenly the story was being told from the point of view of the dog, very clever and an interesting perspective. I suppose the benefit of having the book written this way is that we get a more intimate look at each character from his or her own point of view. This book is all about the characters in my opinion, so for me, this works well as a narrative technique.

No entry on any book would be complete without my favorite quotes so here are the ones that have stood out for me in the first two chapters, though apparently they are all out of the second one only:

"What a waste those eyelashes were on a man who watched sitcoms."

"A madonna with fire-bright cheeks, eyes like mirrors."

"Sylvia had uncorked a nice Petit Syrah, something that went well with cheese and crackers, the rain and the fire."

"Another woman was writing a fantasy novel, and it had a good plot, ticked right along, except everyone in it had amber eyes, or emerald or amethyst or sapphire. Nothing the other members said could persuade her to substitute brown or blue..."

Confession about the last quote, it made me think of Eden! Chris apparently though the same thing! Anyone else think of her when they read that? :)