Kell Posted March 27, 2008 Share Posted March 27, 2008 The reading circle choice for April is Mr Pip by Lloyd Jones: 'You cannot pretend to read a book. Your eyes will give you away. So will your breathing. A person entranced by a book simply forgets to breathe. The house can catch alight and a reader deep in a book will not look up until the wallpaper is in flames.' It is Bougainville in 1991 - a small village on a lush tropical island in the South Pacific. Eighty-six days have passed since Matilda's last day of school as, quietly, war is encroaching from the other end of the island. When the villagers' safe, predictable lives come to a halt, Bougainville's children are surprised to find the island's only white man, a recluse, re-opening the school. Pop Eye, aka Mr Watts, explains he will introduce the children to Mr Dickens. Matilda and the others think a foreigner is coming to the island and prepare a list of much needed items. They are shocked to discover their acquaintance with Mr Dickens will be through Mr Watts' inspiring reading of "Great Expectations". But on an island at war, the power of fiction has dangerous consequences. Imagination and beliefs are challenged by guns. Some questions to consider: 1- Who was your favourite character and why? 2- Was there a particular part you enjoyed/disliked more than the rest? 3- Was this the first book you've read in this genre/by this author, has it encouraged you to read more? 4- Were there any parts/ideas you struggled with? 5- Overall, was reading the book an enjoyable experience? (You do not have to answer all, or indeed, any, of these questions, they are meant only as points for you to perhaps mull over as you read, and provoke more discussion. Please feel free to ask and answer any questions that come up as you read.) Some additional questions taken from www.readinggroupguides.com: (DO NOT READ THESE QUESTIONS TILL YOU HAVE READ THE BOOK, AS THERE MAY BE SPOILERS INVOLVED) 1. Is it important that Mr. Watts is the last white man on the island? Why? 2. Why does Matilda write Pip Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Spooncat Posted April 5, 2008 Share Posted April 5, 2008 I read this book in a day- it was impossible to put it down I was sceptical at first as I had flicked to the back and seen that the author was a white middle aged man so wasnt sure that he would sound authentic as the voice of a young black girl- but he excelled himself- I had no difficulty in believing the voice of the narrator- or for that matter picturing the sights,smells and hearing the sounds of the island. It really is a book that transports you to another time and place. I also cried several times, it really moved me. why didnt Mr Watts let the children have use of all his books he had in his house? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Weave Posted April 8, 2008 Share Posted April 8, 2008 I am really enjoying 'Mister Pip' so far, I like the style of writing because its from Matilda's point of view, especially with the things she is witnessing, she is very straight to the point and I like that. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
happyanddandy Posted April 8, 2008 Share Posted April 8, 2008 I am 50 pages in and enjoying it very much Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Freewheeling Andy Posted April 8, 2008 Share Posted April 8, 2008 I read this a month or so ago. I really enjoyed it. I've never been a teenage girl so perhaps I'm not in the best position to comment, but I thought Jones got the perspective of a 13 year old teenager very, very well. I was expecting the fact that I've never read Great Expectations to be a real problem, but it wasn't at all. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
happyanddandy Posted April 10, 2008 Share Posted April 10, 2008 Over 100 pages now and I am bothereed by something that doesn't 'fit'. I wonder if anyone can help please. Mr Watts pulls his wife about on a cart and wears a red clown's nose at the same time. Why is this? Have I missed something. Is it a joke or what? Thanks in advance. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Weave Posted April 10, 2008 Share Posted April 10, 2008 I finished 'Mister Pip' about five minutes ago and I thought it was brilliant, beautifully written, just a really strong story. I cried at the part with Mr Watts and Matilda's Mum were killled. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Spooncat Posted April 11, 2008 Share Posted April 11, 2008 Over 100 pages now and I am bothereed by something that doesn't 'fit'. I wonder if anyone can help please. Mr Watts pulls his wife about on a cart and wears a red clown's nose at the same time. Why is this? Have I missed something. Is it a joke or what? Thanks in advance. Hi keep reading all will be revealed !! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Janet Posted April 11, 2008 Share Posted April 11, 2008 I posted this elsewhere on the site: The deaths also came as a complete surprise to me - and I must admit to being quite upset by them. However, one slight criticism - at the end, Matilda criticises the building in the South East of England, claiming that Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
happyanddandy Posted April 11, 2008 Share Posted April 11, 2008 I have just finished Paula! I have been reading all evening. Have now sussed out the red nose and trolley pulling. Lol!! My flesh truly crawled and my stomach turned at the menace and extremely violent deaths of Mr Pip and Matilda's mother. I am finding it harder and harder to read this kind of thing nowadays. I kinda new it was coming but not so suddenly. However I absolutely loved the description of the Islanders and their lives and the whole beginning bit. I feel a review coming on unless anyone else wants to have a go? Does it matter if more than one of us reviews the same book? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Esiotrot Posted April 11, 2008 Share Posted April 11, 2008 I have this on my wish list but havent got round to aquiring it yet, so have skim read this thread and not revealed the spoilers. Just wanted to ask a couple of questions to those who have read it - Have you read Great Expectations? If not did you feel you were missing something - in your opinion would reading it first have improved the book for you? MTIA Kx Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
happyanddandy Posted April 11, 2008 Share Posted April 11, 2008 Hi Karol I roughly new the story of 'Great Expectations' from watching previous BBC dramas as a kid and I don't think I read it then and definitely not as an adult. So I knew about Estella and Miss Havisham and so on. It didn't detract from the story for me at all and I think Andy said the same earlier. That may be different for those who are very familiar with the Dickens novel. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Weave Posted April 11, 2008 Share Posted April 11, 2008 I have read 'Great Expectations' Karol but I knew who Mis Havisham was, etc. I did not think it made a difference to the book. H&D, the part with Mr Watts and Matilda's Mum, I burst into tears and I got worse when Matilda's Mum begged them not to kill her, it was so brutal, I kept hoping that someone would save them, and then when they found Daniel!! oh my goodness! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
happyanddandy Posted April 11, 2008 Share Posted April 11, 2008 Truly vile and such a shock - I would normally avoid this type of writing completely however I am glad to have read it as a great piece of literature. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Michelle Posted April 12, 2008 Share Posted April 12, 2008 I've also been putting off getting this one, because I haven't read any Dickens. I think I may now have to put this on my wish list. HandD, I don't think it matters at all if we have more than one review.. both here and in the blog. So please go ahead. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kylie Posted April 13, 2008 Share Posted April 13, 2008 HandD, I don't think it matters at all if we have more than one review.. both here and in the blog. So please go ahead. I agree. The more opinions I can read about a book, the better! I love to get as many different points of view as possible about books (what other people did/didn't like etc). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Spooncat Posted April 13, 2008 Share Posted April 13, 2008 Re Great Expectations - that actually put me off the book at first - I dont like Great Expectations and thought that it would be too boring! but it doesnt take away anything from Mister Pip for me. Oh gawd the Daniel part - bless him - that was another part I cried at! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Weave Posted April 13, 2008 Share Posted April 13, 2008 I think the book was written in such way, that of course, 'Great Expectations' is a big part of it but you become so involved in the characters plight, which for me is just great writing. Plus the book is a very intense subject but again the way it is written, you don't think about it, you know it is there and you just keep hoping it all work out. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Spooncat Posted May 22, 2008 Share Posted May 22, 2008 Not read any of this thread yet but i reading Mister pip at the mo and it is very funny in pages. People in the office can hear me laughing when i'm in the staff room reading this book before my time starts. Which bits made you laugh? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
happyanddandy Posted June 16, 2008 Share Posted June 16, 2008 It was a bit of a shock Laura? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kate Posted June 17, 2008 Share Posted June 17, 2008 I really want to read this book. I tried to get it on Read It Swap It but they didn't want to read my books Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kate Posted June 17, 2008 Share Posted June 17, 2008 Why not try the library. Yeah I will do. I need to go there tomorrow to take books back anyway Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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