Kylie Posted July 10, 2015 Share Posted July 10, 2015 Harper Lee's sequel to To Kill A Mockingbird will be released in only a few more days! News outlets around the world have just published the first chapter of the novel. What do you think? Has it encouraged you to read more? I've preordered my copy and will start it as soon as it arrives. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Janet Posted July 10, 2015 Share Posted July 10, 2015 I definitely want to read it, but I'll probably wait for the paperback (or I might read it on Kindle, I guess). I'll probably re-read To Kill a Mockingbird first as a refresher. I have only skim read the beginning of the sample (I'm not meant to be here! ) but I like the sound of the little I've read. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kylie Posted July 10, 2015 Author Share Posted July 10, 2015 I was dithering about whether to wait for the paperback, Janet, but an online site enticed me to buy the hardback by offering a much cheaper price for a lovely hardback edition of To Kill A Mockingbird if I bought them together. I had been eyeing it at a bookstore only a day or two earlier, so naturally I had to go for it. I usually prefer paperbacks, but I've started buying a few of my absolute favourite books in hardback (usually classics reprinted in their original cover). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Angury Posted July 11, 2015 Share Posted July 11, 2015 I am incredibly excited for this. I've ordered the book on my kindle so I can get it straight away when it's released, plus I've set a reminder on my phone for the date. I'm planning on devouring the book the minute it's released. To Kill A Mockingbird is one of my favourite books, and I was thrilled when I found out about Go Set A Watchman. I'm a bit worried that my expectations are so high that I may end up being disappointed in the actual novel (as has happened in the past), but I'm going to just try and enjoy it. I haven't read the first chapter because I want to read it all in one go. I think I'd just end up becoming frustrated having to wait another few days for the novels release after reading some of it beforehand. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nollaig Posted July 11, 2015 Share Posted July 11, 2015 Anybody else read all the reports about Atticus apparently being racist in this novel? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kylie Posted July 12, 2015 Author Share Posted July 12, 2015 I haven't read anything, Noll. I find it hard to believe though. Why would his position change later in life? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chesilbeach Posted July 12, 2015 Share Posted July 12, 2015 Anybody else read all the reports about Atticus apparently being racist in this novel? Please don't read these if you don't want to know anything about the book before you read it - they may genuinely spoil the book for you. I have seen reports of that too, based on a review in the New York Times who defied the international embargo on reviews before publication. Beware of reading any more articles as there are spoilers about other characters too. The article I read was on the Guardian website on their front page of the book section, so again, so don't go there if you don't want any spoilers! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chesilbeach Posted July 12, 2015 Share Posted July 12, 2015 One of the Waterstone's near me are opening at 9pm on Monday night for a screening of the film of To Kill a Mockingbird before selling the Go Set A Watchman at midnight on Monday night/Tuesday morning. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bobblybear Posted July 12, 2015 Share Posted July 12, 2015 I've added it to my wishlist. I loved To Kill A Mockingbird, but I do worry that this one won't live up to the hype. I also had no idea that it was a sequel to To Kill A Mockingbird; I'd just assumed it was an unrelated stand-alone novel. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chaliepud Posted July 12, 2015 Share Posted July 12, 2015 I got the first chapter in the paper yesterday so will have a read of it today and then decide whether to buy it or not. It cannot possibly live up to the hype, surely? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nollaig Posted July 12, 2015 Share Posted July 12, 2015 Please don't read these if you don't want to know anything about the book before you read it - they may genuinely spoil the book for you. I have seen reports of that too, based on a review in the New York Times who defied the international embargo on reviews before publication. Beware of reading any more articles as there are spoilers about other characters too. The article I read was on the Guardian website on their front page of the book section, so again, so don't go there if you don't want any spoilers! I don't really have any intention of reading it, especially not after finding that out about it. But I still just came across the reports on Facebook, I couldn't have avoided them. And yes, I did put a big spoiler in the spoiler tags. Do not click into the spoiler tags unless you want to be spoiled! I'll definitely wait to hear what people on here say about it before I'd even consider reading it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chesilbeach Posted July 12, 2015 Share Posted July 12, 2015 And yes, I did put a big spoiler in the spoiler tags. Do not click into the spoiler tags unless you want to be spoiled! I know, I just wanted to make it absolutely 100% clear for everyone else! I'm not planning to read it either - I did enjoy TKAM, but I wouldn't say it was a favourite of mine, maybe because I came to it only recently, but I'll still be interested to hear what everyone else makes of it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
muggle not Posted July 12, 2015 Share Posted July 12, 2015 To Kill A Mockingbird was one of the best books that I have read. I am having second thoughts on reading To Set A Watchman as I am afraid it will ruin my love for To Kill A Mockingbird. I really don't want anything to ruin my love for what was probably my favorite book. It is not sure that Harper Lee even wanted the second book published. Harper Lee is 89 years old and maybe not as "sharp" as in earlier years. She had been somewhat protected by her sister, I understand, whom has died. I also understand that it is the publisher and Harper's fairly new attorney that were pushing for publication.......anyhow, that is what I have been reading in the newspapers. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Raven Posted July 12, 2015 Share Posted July 12, 2015 This is very reminiscent of the hype/disappointment around the Matrix films . . . Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pontalba Posted July 12, 2015 Share Posted July 12, 2015 I read To Kill a Mockingbird not long after it came out, so I was a kid and perhaps I didn't know enough to really appreciate it. I am not however moved to reread it, or read the new one. I believe I read that Watchman was actually supposed to be a prequel, not a sequel. I've seen the film and loved it, although I could put that down to the presence of Gregory Peck....who IMO, could do no wrong..... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chesilbeach Posted July 12, 2015 Share Posted July 12, 2015 I read To Kill a Mockingbird not long after it came out, so I was a kid and perhaps I didn't know enough to really appreciate it. I am not however moved to reread it, or read the new one. I believe I read that Watchman was actually supposed to be a prequel, not a sequel. I've seen the film and loved it, although I could put that down to the presence of Gregory Peck....who IMO, could do no wrong..... From what I understand, Go Set A Watchman was written first and set in a later period with flashbacks to Scout's childhood, and the editor at the time suggested that the flashbacks were so vivid that Lee should write a novel based on them instead. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hayley Posted July 13, 2015 Share Posted July 13, 2015 I was really excited for this book because I loved To Kill a Mockingbird but I saw the spoiler mentioned above in the newspaper today and it's really put me off. On one hand I feel like I need to read it and know the whole story, but on the other hand I REALLY don't want it to ruin the first book. From what I understand, Go Set A Watchman was written first and set in a later period with flashbacks to Scout's childhood, and the editor at the time suggested that the flashbacks were so vivid that Lee should write a novel based on them instead. This is what I've read too. I thought it was interesting in one article I read they suggested Go Set A Watchman wasn't really a prequel at all but a first draft of To Kill a Mockingbird that was never meant to be published. I'll definitely be waiting for some reviews and thinking harder about reading the book now. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Angury Posted July 13, 2015 Share Posted July 13, 2015 (edited) I'm a bit surprised to hear so many people are reluctant to read the novel (including a lot of my friends). I've heard some of the rumours, particularly relating to Atticus Finch being racist, but I don't see anything wrong with that if I'm honest. Atticus is one of my all-time literary heroes, but I hope this new novel will portray him in a more human light. I want to read about his difficulties as well as his famous quotes on empathy and being non-judgemental. I don't want to idolise him, I want to see him as human. I will be reading this book as soon as it is released tomorrow, and don't think I'll be putting it down until I'm done. Edited July 13, 2015 by Angury Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kylie Posted July 13, 2015 Author Share Posted July 13, 2015 I'm surprised too, Angury. I thought I'd have a whole forum full of people to be excited with, but I was starting to think I was the only one! I'm glad you share my excitement. TKAM is basically the perfect book, in my opinion, so there's no way I expect GSAW to live up to it, but I still think it will be very good. And you're right, Angury...Atticus is human after all, and a product of his time. I think perhaps he has been put on too high a pedestal. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ben Posted July 13, 2015 Share Posted July 13, 2015 I pre-ordered it, couldn't resist. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nollaig Posted July 13, 2015 Share Posted July 13, 2015 I think the Atticus discussion will be interesting, once people have read it. So far my opinion is as follows (spoiler relates only to the same content the previous two do, so if you've read those its safe to read this): Maybe he is on a high pedestal in TKAM, and it's unlikely that he would be so pro-equality, but that is how he was ultimately written and that is the character people have come to love. Particularly for people (including myself) coming to the book at 12-15 years of age and it being the first discussion of things like racism in a historical context that we had, yes he was a simplified beacon for equality but that is, for better or worse, what he is. I think if he is acting totally out of character, and has done a total 180 in this new book, then it will taint a classic figure unnecessarily.) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chaliepud Posted July 13, 2015 Share Posted July 13, 2015 I just read the first chapter, not what I was expecting at all but definitely intriguing! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thatdifficultfirstnovel Posted July 13, 2015 Share Posted July 13, 2015 I might buy now. Feels most churlish to not get in on the action. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
muggle not Posted July 14, 2015 Share Posted July 14, 2015 To Kill A Mockingbird is arguably recognized as the best book of the 20th Century. Harper Lee didn't publish To Set A Watchman all these many years for a reason only she knows (maybe because she knows it will take away from TKAM). I find it difficult to accept that her recent attorney finds the manuscript and convinces an 89 year old that isn't quite as "sharp" as she used to be to now publish the book. At 89 years old why would Harper Lee want to risk destroying how people feel about TKAM. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kylie Posted July 14, 2015 Author Share Posted July 14, 2015 <sigh> I have to say that everyone's negativity (not just here, but everywhere around the Internet) is quite a bummer. I really wanted to be excited about this once-in-a-lifetime literary event, but it's a bit hard with so much negativity around. I should just avoid everyone's comments. For the record, there was reportedly an investigation into whether Harper Lee was coerced into publishing the novel, and no wrongdoing was found. That's good enough for me. I think everyone should give her a little more credit. I completely disagree with your last sentence, Muggles. If anything, GSAW will show us how the author originally intended Atticus to be because it was written first. Here's an interesting article regarding Atticus and racism in TKAM, which suggests that we have indeed been placing Atticus on a pedestal all these years. Food for thought. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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