Chaps 11-13 Too Funny!

I just have to say that I laughed my head off reading the description of the prospective cheese makers poking at the rotten cheeses and stuffing pieces in their drunk companion's mouth. It was hilarious. Fee is just too funny for words in this section. He knows everything and he seems to take great delight in the shock, chaos, madness and surprise that everyone else is experiencing. While Chapter 11 was shockingly sad (what is it about us picking books with a character with a really screwed up mother?!) Chapter 12 had me laughing out loud and Chapter 13 had me entranced with all of the action. By action I mean everything that is happening at once. All the layers of activity, emotions, premonitions etc make a brilliant scene in my opinion. It makes me long to be a part of it all! I don't know if this could be called the hear of the story or not, but it certainly is the heart of the characters! I am loving this book more and more the further I get into it. Not only is the story original, interesting and unpredictable enough to entertain, but the characters are rich, deep and fascinating. As much as I love the story, I think I love the people in it even more, despite their quirks, problems and issues. I'm giving Lynch 2 thumbs up so far on this one.

Blessed Are the Cheesemakers, part II

So, I don't know about the rest of you, but I do not think I will take until June 20th to finish the book. I am already on Ch. 17, and I only have two more days until I am out for the summer (Hallelujah!) So, I will be having much more free time on my hand. I know that Eden is done, and I think Chris is done as well? I don't know where you are, Emily, and I don't know that Sarah has actually read anything yet (always the slacker), but do we want to change the end date to sooner? Plus, the book is due back in to the library on June 2nd, so I will probably finish it before then. Anyways, let me know what you guys think.

So, since we are only technically supposed to post on the next 5 chapters, I will try not to spoil anything again. I agree with Chris in that the first 5 chapters were interesting but kind of random. I liked the next 5 much better, it is really sucking me into the story. I had to skip ahead a chapter even when Abbey was finding out that her husband was cheating on her because I couldn't wait through a whole chapter to find out what she did. I went back, of course, to poor Kit after Abbey had left her husband.

I am feeling really bad for Kit. I was kind of mad at the other people in his life because I felt they were being really unfeeling. What person would be able to get on with their life only 3 months after a spouse had died? I mean, I know he was falling apart and they were trying to help him with his drinking problem, but still. Everyone was pretty much telling him to get over it and get on. Death is a significant grief, and it takes a long time to work through that kind of pain. I don't think we know yet how Jacey died, do we? Who else is thinking it was suicide?

One of my favorite quotes from chapter 10, involving Kit and Maureen, "He was exhausted enough by Maureen McCarthy and she wasn't even particularly fierce. Just nosy. The strain of her not asking any more about his personal circumstances over breakfast had plum tuckered the two of them out."

I like this book

I really do like this book. In fact, I probably love it. I love how Fee and Corrie keep all the prospective cheese makers waiting and make watching and observing them the day's entertainment. I love that Kit's hostess has the purple fuzzy toilet cover that she mentioned on her toilet. I love that all the cows are named Maria. I love the quote near the end of chapter 10 that says, "The strain of her not asking any more about his personal circumstances over breakfast had plum tuckered the two of them out." (pg140-141) I love all of these characters, oh except Martin. What a jerk!!! Poor, poor Abbey, blaming herself for everything wrong with their relationship when all along the two-faced, cheating, lying, hypocritical emotionally abusive husband of hers was treating her, her dignity and their relationship as a big joke. I'm glad she was able to escape in the plane, though what happens next, well, the poor girl, how hard to have to start over after all of that. I trust that if any of us were ever treated like that by a significant other that the rest of us would pummel them to a pulp!

I'm excited for where this story is going. There are so many interesting elements to it that no matter what character we're following, I find their story interesting. I may have to finish this book sooner as well.

Secondhand Lions (Wait I mean Blessed are the Cheesemakers)

So, I hope I'm not the only one who picked up on the ummm....."similarity" (read blatant rip-off) between these two stories; two crotchety old men, supposedly quite wealthy, take on random person (people) from broken homes and turn them into normal functioning people (at least I assume that's going to happen). Thankfully I liked Secondhand Lions, so the formulas all good with me. I mean, I'm sure most of you know that my desire in life is to become a grumpy old man, so I always enjoy a good story glorifying that ideal. Anyway, I wonder which came first, since the formula is just soooooo close.

Anyway, I have to say through 5 chapters, I was a bit bored by the little random snippets that were all over the place, but since I was not feeling great this morning, I read the next 5 already and the story really starts to build on itself. Its going to take some discipline to not read the rest of the book today. We'll see...

should i be surprised?

Which Chronicles of Narnia character are you most like? created with QuizFarm.com

You scored as Lucy Pevensie Lucy Pevensie 77% Mr. Beaver 64% Oreius 60% Peter Pevensie 54% Susan Pevensie 53% Aslan 50% Ginarrbrik 47% Mrs. Beaver 43% Mr. Tumnus 40% Edmund Pevensie 34% The White Witch 17%

P.S. - On Caspian

Just for fun... http://quizfarm.com/test.php?q_id=124581

Which Chronicles of Narnia character are you most like?

You scored as a Peter Pevensie

Peter Pevensie 77% Lucy Pevensie 73% Aslan 60% Oreius 54% Mrs. Beaver 53% Edmund Pevensie 50% Susan Pevensie 50% Mr. Beaver 40% Ginarrbrik 37% Mr. Tumnus 30% The White Witch 7%

I so want cheese

That's probably the main thing I took from this book. A huge desire to have some really, really good cheese. There is a cheesemongers in Bath and I plan to visit it soon.

I have read the whole book, because I prefer my books in one sitting. But I will try not to spoil anything for you guys.

Talk about creating sympathy for the characters. I did truly feel sorry for Kit even though he seems to have created his own trouble. Lucy, I wasn't expecting as she isn't on the back cover blurb, but i'm glad to have all those dairy maids and their eccentricities. Actually no one really seems all that normal in this story. Maybe Lucy...sort of.

Abbey is alright. A little dreamy, but we'll see.

My favorite characters are definitely Fee and Corrie. Good ole Irish men with a knack of premonitions and love of cheese. I so want to apprentice under them.

My quote for this section:

"Know that you don't end up here unless you've got a bun in the oven and no bastard to help you cook it," said Jack.

Hilarious.

That's all I got. Tag, who's next?

Blessed Are the Cheesemakers...the intro

Since I have listened to this book before on audio book (mostly as parts of it were seriously messed up so I didn't catch everything) I will try to weigh in with things pertinent to the current chapters and not hint at things to come. I realize that after these first chapters you all may be going, "umm, where are we going and how is this all related?" but I promise it does all come together. One thing I realized as I read these chapters is that I appreciate the ways that Lynch keeps us intrigued by her small twists that keep us on our toes and keep the book from becoming too formulaic and predictable...for example in the first chapter we don't realize that "Abbey" is actually a photo and not a person standing in the end until the end. Another example is the realization that Fee and the other girls believe Lucy must be pregnant even though she doesn't think she is...is she really? The characters are all quite interesting to me as well. Corri and Fee are such an adorable old pair, Abbey just interests me and makes me want to know where her life is going and Lucy and the other girls just make me go, "What?!" I am excited to reread and see everything unfold and to hear what everyone else thinks about this story.

Farewell to Caspian

I did finish this book and had every intention of posting on it; sorry it ended up being so late. I enjoyed rereading this book, same as I enjoy rereading or listening to any of this series. It is a bit of an interesting format, much of the first half of the book being spent retelling another tale to bring the four kings and queens up to speed on the happenings in Narnia. The battle is, I suppose, the climax, and yet it happens so fast I am always surprised by how quickly it is over. I actually wondered how closely the movie would follow the story, seeing how the telling of the history of Caspian would have to be done a certain way to entertain an audience. I knew from previews that there would be a few deviances from the story, but didn't realize just how much until I read a recent article in WORLD magazine. It turns out they take quite a bit of liberty with this story because they felt the format it was in just wasn't good for a movie format. Still they make it sound like it will still be a very enjoyable film and that only the most loyal purists will be disappointed. I for one and very eager to see how they do it (I won't spoil it for those of you going to see it with the info on the differences I read about) since I do agree the format of the book isn't great for a movie.

As for Peter and Susan not returning to Narnia, that part always makes me very, very sad. I really am not sure what it is that Peter and Susan say that the others will understand later, but perhaps it's the realization that they have to grow up and live out their lives in their own world now that they are older. Unfortunately for those of us who have read all of the seven books, we know this scene is extra poignant because of what happens later for one of the characters (I won't ruin it for those of you who haven't read all the way through.) It makes me so very sad so that I'm eager to hurry up to the next book where Edmund and Lucy return so that the adventures can continue.

One other interesting note...does anyone else feel like they are making Caspian older, buffer and sexier on screen than he is in the book? He sure doesn't look like any of those in the previews, in fact he almost looks older than Peter! Oh well, I'm sure it's part of the movie...though seriously, why the heck did they make Mr Tumnus sexy int he first movie? What were they trying to imply by that anyhow?

End of Prince Caspian

So, I know I should have posted on the ending of our last book sooner, since I finished it about 3 weeks ago. I have already returned it to the library and can't remember the ending as well now as I used to, but I will comment on what I can remember. Obviously, a great book. I enjoyed reading it again since I really didn't remember it that well, so now I am feeling pretty good for the movie coming out (very soon!). One question, near the end of the book, when Peter and Susan say that they will not be returning to Narnia because they are getting too old, and Lucy expresses sadness for them, why does Peter say it is okay and Lucy will understand when she gets a little older? I don't understand why it wouldn't be as enjoyable for them just because Peter and Susan are growing up. Is it because Narnia is a place of innocence and Peter and Susan are losing theirs? Please let me know if you have any theories. Also, I thought it was interesting that Lewis put some of those other gods in there, like Baccus and the other one (can't remember the name, probably would have been good to have the book in front of me), especially because those are ones that are historically kind of racey. But obviously Lewis is showing that Aslan is above everyone and over everyone. I definitely like the idea of Jesus as a lion, it shows a lot of power that I think we can forget sometimes since we see Jesus as a buddy. Well, I think that is about all I wanted to say, please answer my questions if you can! (except Sarah who I don't think read the book.) I can't wait to see the movie, I think this should translate well into a movie, lots of fighting and battles which I like! Good book.

Schedule for Blessed are the Cheesemakers

Ok, well three of you have weighed in (Chris was too lazy to post but answered me in person) so I'm going to go ahead and post the schedule...sorry Katie for not getting your thoughts! It sounds like people would rather take things slowly than try to rush and I agree since I don't think this is a book to rush through. I know there is a bit of traveling going on and all, but since I happen to have Sarah's Google calendar I can make a schedule that should work, even for her. The Chapters can be posted on as follows:

May 16: Chapters 1-5
May 23: Chapters 6-10
May 30: Chapters 11-13
June 6: Chapters 15-17
June 13: Chapters 18-20
June 20: chapters 21, 22 & Epilogue

The heaviest reading is at the beginning since we've had a couple weeks off and because Sarah is still in the country. Hope you all enjoy it. Let me know if anyone has had trouble getting the book and thus will have a difficult time getting the first five chapters read.

How Long for next book?

I have the next book in front of me, but I need to know how many pages you all are willing to read in a week. This book is a bit longer than the first three. Do we want to try and cram it all in in just 4 weeks or are people more inclined to spread it out to four or five? Our copy has 22 chapters (including epilogue) and 324 pages.