tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4569348734023461376.post851729732218246329..comments2014-11-13T12:19:31.559-08:00Comments on On the Ledge Readalongs...: The Historian Week 4 Questions and Discussion...Natalie~Coffee and a Book Chickhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12369504951819517390noreply@blogger.comBlogger7125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4569348734023461376.post-71965435126698129332010-10-24T11:23:48.606-07:002010-10-24T11:23:48.606-07:001. I hate it when authors leave out names like thi...1. I hate it when authors leave out names like this "P--". It's fiction for heaven's sake! Make up a name! Use a real one! I'm expecting there to be literary license, so just get on with the story already. It's not like I'm not about to jump up and check facts and references. Grrr - sorry, blank spots like that are just a pet peeve of mine.<br /><br />*Ahem* moving on<br /><br />2. I think the only reason he didn't kiss the ring was just that it was an unfamiliar tradition. It would probably be better not to do it at all than to fumble through an attempt it in this case.<br /><br />3. I loved meeting Helen's mother and hearing the story of her and Rossi. The fact that he 'forgot' about her is very intriguing . . . I wonder what that was all about? <br /><br />Great story though. Yes, the middle is a little slow but I'm loving all the traveling and Eastern European culture and history. Very cool! I wonder how it will all wrap up? <br /><br /> . . . reading on . . .Trishhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/18273468231529654323noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4569348734023461376.post-60797582900145670152010-10-21T19:40:29.976-07:002010-10-21T19:40:29.976-07:001. Paul was busily recording Helen's mother...1. Paul was busily recording Helen's mother's story from memory later that night, so my first impression of the village being id'd as P- was that Paul would go back later and fill that in. Maybe needing to verify the name or spelling with Helen. But Helen's mother also mentions that she still has brothers and sisters living in that village, so maybe Paul purposely left it blank to protect Helen's family.<br /><br />2. When Rossi arrives in Transyvania he describes the land as mythical, a "fairyland" ... "mountains of savage beauty, ancient castles, werewolves and witches - a land of magical obscurity." By the time Rossi arrives on Snagov and meets Georgescu he is completely drawn in to the whole Transylvania mystique and is startled and shaken up when first seeing the old abbot, describing him as an "apparition" a "ghost". Rossi could barely keep it together enough to bow to the abbot much less kiss his ring.<br /><br />4. I love Rossi's letters that Helen's mother kept and Helen's mother's story of their time together. I find intriguing Rossi's denial of Helen's mother.<br /><br />I did a book club party post on The Historian. Check is out at<br /> http://butterybooks.com/bookclubpartyideas/the-historian-by-elizabeth-kostova/<br /><br />This is my second time reading the book, and I am so glad I am. There are so many little things I missed the first go-round.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4569348734023461376.post-65581798126784642782010-10-19T17:54:50.262-07:002010-10-19T17:54:50.262-07:00In Chapter 44, Helen's mother begins to tell h...In Chapter 44, Helen's mother begins to tell her story. It starts, "When I was a girl, I lived in the tiny village of P-- in Transylvania, very close to the Arges River." The town name is omitted -- why do you think this is done? <br /><br />the author has done this a couple of times and it adds to the mystery and suspense for me...it catches my attention every time and makes me want to find out the secret!<br /><br /><br />In Chapter 45, Rossi meets up with Georgescu outside of the Snagov Monastery. Upon being introduced to the abbot of the monastery, Paul cannot kiss his ring as Georgescu does. "I caught my name in the introductions and bowed to the monk as gracefully as I could, though I couldn't bring myself to kiss his ring." Why is that?<br /><br /><br />I agree with Cat; I would think that it would be very uncomfortable to participate in a religious ritual that a person was unsure of. With all the unknowns in this story and Paul's very realistic wariness of trusting anyone new, I can fully understand his cautiousness about kissing the ring.<br /><br /><br /> <br />What areas of the book intrigued you so much that you don't want to miss out on discussing with the group? <br /><br />Helen and her mother...their dragon tatoos and whatever that will happen to mean...I'm trying very hard not to read the end :)<br /><br /><br />I feel like this story is meant to be a slow read. The way it's written...the mystery...again, I think we're supposed to feel some of the frustration that Paul feels as he tries to figure this mystery out. The more he thinks he knows, the more he doesn't know, or the more questions that come up.Peppermint Ph.D.https://www.blogger.com/profile/02839146118641977559noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4569348734023461376.post-20007014043632682032010-10-19T13:37:41.356-07:002010-10-19T13:37:41.356-07:00I really enjoyed the past week's reading. Hear...I really enjoyed the past week's reading. Hearing Helen's mother's story and reading Rossi's letters left me feeling far more emotionally attached to the characters than I had been. <br />I agree though that the last pages have been a bit slow.<br /><br />1. I thought that maybe because there are so many real places in the book the P... means this place is fictional.<br /><br />2. If kissing the ring of a priest isn't part of the religion you're accustomed to then I would think it would be very uncomfortable having to acknowledge a belief that isn't yours. I wouldn't want to either!<br /><br />3. Nothing specifically stands out - the whole journey is intriguing.<br /><br />4. Normally I would have done some blog posts but haven't because of the Musashi readalong which I do have to do - I didn't think I could handle two.Cathttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09391899740930810224noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4569348734023461376.post-5522100902217648212010-10-19T08:13:49.209-07:002010-10-19T08:13:49.209-07:00How VERY cool! I love this literature & phot...How VERY cool! I love this literature & photos post.Carehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06478474870247729611noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4569348734023461376.post-9837274445927680082010-10-18T18:51:42.000-07:002010-10-18T18:51:42.000-07:00As always, great pictures. I agree with Beachread...As always, great pictures. I agree with Beachreader ... things are getting a bit slow about now. I love all the historical detail, but there just isn't much going on at this point.Heather J. @ TLC Book Tourshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10474181812740579350noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4569348734023461376.post-88550225530479290232010-10-17T17:07:51.229-07:002010-10-17T17:07:51.229-07:00Thanks for including the pictures. I really enjoye...Thanks for including the pictures. I really enjoyed looking at them.<br /><br />I'm not sure what to think of the past 100 pages. I want some action and keep waiting for the book to "take off." I did find the informaton regarding Turgut and Selim intriguing.<br /><br />#1 I'm beginning to think that they never do kill Dracula and that they are keeping the names of towns and cities a secret to protect the innocent.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com