The Next Best Book Club discussion

Happy New Year everyone!

Was one of your new year's resolutions to join in on more group reads with us? Then why not start this month off by picking up a copy of Geek Love?

Kelli will be our discussion leader this month....

Take it away Kelli!!!!

Hi... I'm New Here :-)

I already started the book and it is definitely a lot stranger than I imagined it to be. :D
Still, fascinatingly strange. ;)

I'm new to the group, and looking forward to reading Geek Love. Currently waiting for my library to notify me as to when it is available for borrowing.

Hi! I'm new here and will definitely look forward to reading Geek Love.

Hello all! Love seeing all the new people! I've been stalking on here for quite awhile but this is my first time involved in any of the discussions. What better way to come out of the shadows than by leading the month's group discussion??
My delightfully odd brother introduced me to Geek Love years ago. YEARS AGO!! I'm rereading it now and I don't remember it being so...so...BIZARRO. I did recommend Geek Love when I saw the theme for January was BIZARRO because I remembered it was about a Grady Stiles type family who manipulated the genetic pool in an effort to keep the family business going.
Since Geek Love was picked because it's bizarre, why don't we start there? Do you feel Katherine Dunn purposely went out of her way to shock her readers? Do two common themes that run throughout the novel (jealousy and self-worth) help you relate to the characters despite the deeply disturbing storyline?
I'm looking forward to revisiting this book and hearing everyone's opinions!

New Year, new rules..Read more is one of them. I will pick up this book by AM. Happy to be here....Happy New Year to everyone.

Kelli wrote: "Hello all! Love seeing all the new people! I've been stalking on here for quite awhile but this is my first time involved in any of the discussions. What better way to come out of the shadows than ..."
Geek Love
I think she does go out of her way to make this very creepy. I noticed that there is an emphasis on the characters in this book and how different they might be, and not so much on the setting. I am only partway into the book right now, and I am not sure where the story is going. I am however strangely intrigued to keep reading, although kind of weirded out by the whole scenario.

I loved this book! Can't wait to see what everyone thinks about it.

Yet to read it

I am 60 pages in and about to start "Book Two" section. There are some interesting concepts on self-identity, beauty and what we find acceptable. This all seems to be routed in nature vs nurture so far.

It is not my usual kind of book and it makes me feel a little uncomfortable in places. An uncommon feeling whilst reading a book which is surprising and will make for an interesting read.

This is my first venture into the comment/discussion area on books and I am looking forward to what comes out when we've finished reading Geek Love.

I know what you mean, Toni. I first read this when I was in my twenties and don't recall ever feeling uncomfortable or even shocked. Rereading it 25 years later is a totally different experience.
I even find myself rereading the most shocking parts after thinking "Wait. What??!"

Hello ! I am new to the group as well - just started reading Geek Love. I'm on chapter 6 already. Looking forward to talking with everyone :)

I tried reading this. The prose is..... off-puttiing

Did you think that the book shifted to its conclusion too fast? The story went along and along and along and then it seemed to screech to hard stop. Did anyone else feel the same way?

Hey guys... Just finished it. I must say my conclusion is: over hyped and painfully boring. I would never think a strange book like this could be boring... But yeah... Great achievement.

Hi everyone, I'm still in the first third of the book, and I am enjoying the read. For me it's a mixture of fascination and discomfort, and as Toni said, especially the discomfort is an uncommon feeling while reading a book, which makes it strangely more intriguing. I also find the discomfort more routed in the ugliness inside the characters than the bizarre setting. I find the dynamics between the family members and the struggle for power over each other super interesting and am curious to see where it leads. I'm interested in reading your thoughts!

I'm completely lost and confused but gonna push on

Hello all, I am new (as an active member). I just finished this book this morning. To answer Kelli's questions, yes I think Dunn purposely put shock-value into this book. Some of the things in it were just way too disturbing. I personally did not really relate to the characters, but found their stories intriguing. Tina asked "Did you think that the book shifted to its conclusion too fast? The story went along and along and along and then it seemed to screech to hard stop. Did anyone else feel the same way?" and I would agree with that, with both the ending of the past section and the ending of the present.
I liked the sections of the book that talked about her childhood when she was with her family. While it was interesting to see what her life turned into, I did not find the present portion of the story as gripping.

I really liked the book. Oly resonated with me. I did not understand her actions all the time, but she seemed sweet and a good listener. By seeing most through her eyes, everything seemed less bad in a way. Like it was blanketed with love. I did not understand her relationship with Arty. Why was he on a pedestal? Is this just the manipulative maniac he was?

Following on from my earlier comment, I have finished reading the book: I am underwhelmed. Personally, I found the book a chore to read and it took me much longer than usual.

To being with the end, the conclusion was wrapped up too quickly. Yet, it was not the swift wrap up that bothers me, it is how the actions of the character(s) involved in the end do not make any sense. Dunn built up Oly in a completely different way and I was disappointed at how her story finished.

The writing style was at times clumsy and others beautiful. Dunn's voice did not put me off, nor did it entice me to continue. What held back her poetical moments was the confused characters. I agree with Annelies confusion regarding Oly revearingArty and with him in general. We were never given a reason for Arty's actions throughout, which when coupled with the ridiculous nature of his actions, made him unrelatable and what he said or did unbelieveable. Once more the foundations of the characters were weakness.

Overall Dunn gave me the impression that she did not know what she really wanted the book to be about. She took a ludicrous concept and rather than embed that with human/relatable emotions and events, she perpetuated the ludicrous to become ridiculous. I was not moved and did not care what happened to the family and characters.

If Dunn's overall wish was to make the reader uncomfortable and annoyed by the end of the book - her wish has been fulfilled.

If you are currently reading the book and hate it, just stop reading, the conclusion is not worth it. Just message me and I shall give you a quick wrap up.

Interesting subject and at moments very good writing, but also enough wandering to make it hard to get through.

It's never taken me so long to read a book. I lost all passion during this. A real slog. Glad January is over!

This one I loved. I loved the story, and as for the ending (which one, though?) smacking you upside the head a bit quickly, I thought that was appropriate... if people are pushed too far, eventually something is going to blow. When the situation is volatile and dangerous, a lot of unpleasant fallout is only to be expected. I don't know; I think a lot of social commentary relevant to current affairs can be read into this.

As for the characters, I don't think one is supposed to like them, and I don't. I can believe them, though. Their motivations are clear, if morally questionable even for the majority who aren't outright evil; even for

***SPOILER SPOILER SPOILER***

Arty evil is a choice and you can see the rationality of his choice. The characters are all deeply human, and in that it is easy to forget that they are, by definition, freaks. What is freakish, what is awful and horrifying about any of them, isn't in their externalities, but is to be found in the humanity we share with them. That's my tuppence, anyway. Thank you to the community for suggesting it-- I'd never come across it before and might not have found it otherwise.