The Book Basilisks discussion

I didn't cry on prisoner part but I almost do it on part when Frederick is sick. So heartbreaking :(

When I read the blurb, I thought Marie-Laure would be the one to make the readers weepy most. But knowing your thoughts here, Frederick is the most piteous one. At least so far. I guess his deep love for birds and his compliant manner toward his mother is one of the reasons.
Sari, I'm getting myself ready for that part. *hug

it's so hard to believe Marie-Laure's father was treated so well in Germany and had a feast, while Germany commisioned him to build the road. It got me thinking that that might not the letter from her Papa, maybe Ettiene wrote it. Coz i had watched The Railway Man movie where some British is forced to build a railway during the WWII.They were all so skinny and miserable I was shocked and sobbed. It's so contradictive. What a contrast.Unless Germany and Japan has different way in treating their prisoners. They use their power so they have to feed them good. So glad if it's true.

Btw, I just bought kindle paperwhite through my local online store. So I'm pretty sure I can join all the discussions in tbis group cos I can buy the book faster without adding extra book to my shelf which is now so full. Thx for all your suggestions to me. still learning how to use it. so excited. ^^

Congratulations on your new kindle!! :D That's super exciting!

Congrats Eka!! :D

Congrats Eka! I'm thinking of getting one for my next birthday, bc it's such a struggle trying to read things online or get the actual book bc sometimes my bookstore doesn't have it so I have to wait a couple months which sucks.

thx guys, and yes Sara. It happened to me as well. I have to wait more than a month for my books to arrive cos imported books are limited in my country. so i always order it from book depository.

done! this book truly is a heartbreaker. it's so sad knowing war can put many lives to misery like this. definitely 5 stars out of 5.

btw congrats Eka. do you mind telling me where did you buy your kindle? cause I'm aware we're in the same country and I wanna buy it too.

Wow, Sari, you're a fast reader too. I'm still on page 258.

I bought my kindle in Lazada online store. It's a fast delivery. It only took two days to arrive in my house! The best is they gave me a CD with many of ebooks in it. Super!

ebooks are the best! I love them, and I don't know why people would sometimes say that reading ebooks does not qualify as reading books.
Anyways, where are you guys at on the book?

There are!
I'm 15% done with the book (aka at the Herr Siedler chapter)

i'm on page 290, Treatments chapter. what about you, Ayunda?

I've only started last night, I'm only on page 40 but I can't wait to dive deeper. I can't help but compare it to the Book Thief, although right now it's quite different. I love how it's set in France, since I just went to Paris like a few weeks ago! It makes it easier for me to imagine the setting.

Wow, Paris! So jealous of you. hahaha. Hope you'll find the places you've visited in this book. ^^

I'm almost done, I just hit 88% last night.
Ayunda, that's great you just visited Paris, what a coincidence. Sadly, it's been 10 years since I traveled to Paris, I'm dying to go back.
Were you affected by any of the flooding on the river Seine?

Whoah, you're such a fast reader Danielle!
No, I went like a few weeks before all the flood, which is so lucky of me! But I can really feel the Paris vibes I felt from when I traveled there while reading the book.

For those who hasn't finished this book, what chapter are you on right now? I'm on chapter Telegram. It scared me coz something might happen with Etienne and Marie-Laure. And since I'm too lazy to flip through the previous pages, will someone tell me the nationality of Von Rumple? Is he a German or Austrian? Thx before. : )

I'm on page 80-something (forgot which chapter it is).

Such a slow progress, Ayunda. I myself plan to finish this book this month. It's such a weight on my shoulders, hahaha. Not saying I don't enjoy this book. But it's been two months. Beside we have another book to discuss next month, right? In case you get to the part about von Rumpel nationality, perhaps you're willing to let me now?

I was under the impression that Von Rumple was Austrian, but he could be German.

Yeah, me too Danielle. I think I read a sentence about he's an Austrian but I just couldn't find the page. So if two people think so, I think he is. :)

Yeah, I've been super busy, I didn't get time to read! But I will push through it for the rest of the week, hopefully I'll finish it before July so that we can move on to the group read on July!
It's Little Women, btw :)

I haven't read anymore (in this book) since the last time I said how far I was. I need to repick it up.

Good luck to all of us who haven't finished this book!!!

Yeay! I'd finally finished reading it! Good luck to Ayunda, Sara, Bhavya and Julia :)

Yay Eka! What did you think of it?

I got a mixed feeling about this book. Especially about how the story went. So unpredictable, at least to my own prediction. I know it's mainly about war but I wish something more... (iykwim)

I had the same feeling that there could've been more. I wasn't all that impressed with it despite hearing all the hype about it.

Wow, interesting opinions! I love it so far, I'm a little over halfway through. I really like it, and I always feel like I wanna get back to reading it when I'm not.
What's bothering me is that these two main characters are not meeting??

They'll meet each other, Ayunda. Though their meeting is a brief one.

That's exactly what I'm talking about, Ayunda. This is what is missing here. Too bad. :/

I have finally finished the book yay! I rated it 3 stars, and I have a lot of thoughts about it which I will probably post on my Goodreads soon. But some of my thoughts are:

1. The writing, it's beautiful. And I really liked the short chapters.
2. The characters were alright for me. I really connected with Marie Laure more than Werner for some reason. And I love how the characters develop, even though they were just children.
3. The relationship between the characters, especially focusing on family. Marie Laure and her father was adorable, and Werner's love for Jutta makes me wanna cry. Also Werner's friendship with Frederick was really touching.
4. About the meeting between Werner and Marie Laure, I do agree that it was sort of disappointing. Because I know a lot of people would expect the story to be mostly about their relationship and expect some romance. But I actually liked how it was unpredictable. But the whole buildup fell a little short because of that, since unconsciously we're all just waiting for the two of them to meet, and when they met it was quite disappointing.
5. The ending was also interesting. I'm not gonna go into detail about it but I thought it showed the effects of war very well, but it lacked something that I can't really put my finger on.

To the others who have finished the book, any thoughts? Especially on the ending, which is mostly why I felt like I couldn't give it 4 stars. It was more of a 3.5 stars for me.

No. 1 totally agree
No. 2 So do I.
No. 3 Yup! I really wonder what happened to Marie-Laure's father.
No. 4 Hahaha, Sometimes I think Doerr really did it on purpose. To make it unpredictable as you said. Fortunately their meeting is quite touching. I could imagine the way Werner looked at Marie-Laure in awe.
No. 5 I got your point. I think there should be a second book for it focusing on the after war effect, especially for a German like Jutta. She became so insecure when she went out to France with her son.

I disagree with you on the last point about the second book, Eka. I feel like this was a perfect novel, not a series or anything like that. But I do wonder a lot about the lives of the survivors, especially Jutta :)

1. I agree! The book somehow makes me harder to finish :') but because of the short chapter, it insists me to read until the very last pages.
2. Yes they are! Even if Frederick and Jutta do not appear oftenly like Marie and Werner, they are alive as well, and both of them are as beautiful as Marie and Werner :)
3. Yes yes yes. The connections intertwine between the characters are really touching. It leaves me with like a deep whole because the connection is adorable.
4. When Marie and Werner meet, i'm excited! But then they are just meet in a really brief moment, it left me like... 'What the? Just ended up like this?' I do hope more for Marie and Werner :(
5. I do think the same. It is like something left behind back to the story-line.