The Midnight Readers discussion

Thanks for making the thread!

So 4 chapters for today?

let's see how that goes.

Akshita wrote: "So 4 chapters for today?

let's see how that goes."

yeah

I'm on chapter 2 and a bit VERY confused
(view spoiler)[1. Why did she hear Gaby's msg on the radio?
2. If Gaby's dead, then what did her mother mean by "we have enough room for both of you here"?
3. At whose house was Rose earlier and where was she planning to go?? (hide spoiler)]

Akshita wrote: "I'm on chapter 2 and a bit VERY confused
1. Why did she hear Gaby's msg on the radio?
2. If Gaby's dead, then what did her mother mean by "we have enough room for both of you here"?
3. At whose hou..."

I don't have the answer to any of those questions myself.

The girl that appeared in the second chapter... why do I feel like that might actually be Gaby? Like Rose can still see her or something even after her death. idk why I think that.

Hmm.. I didn't think if that possibility. Though that seems unlikely from Rose's reaction. But she isn't the most reliable narrator, so we can't be sure.

I've never read magic realism before. I like the whimsy, but i guess it'll take a while to fully start making sense.

(Does Alice in Wonderland count as magical realism?)

Yeah. It's gonna take a while.

I don't think so. Alice in Wonderland, at least to me reads much more like fantasy than magical realism. But I guess it depends on the reader. Magical realism is something which reads like a contemporary but has magical elements to it, if this makes sense.

Ooh. I didn't know the proper definition of magical realism, just a faint idea of what it's supposed to be.

It very much feels like Alice tho.
A girl, who may or may not be dreaming, finds herself in a strange place, meets a bunch of random people, none of whom are making much sense.

Akshita wrote: "Ooh. I didn't know the proper definition of magical realism, just a faint idea of what it's supposed to be.

It very much feels like Alice tho.
A girl, who may or may not be dreaming, finds hersel..."

Well if you put it like that, yes. but it doesn't sound as stupid as Alice's Adventures in Wonderland

😂 I'm guessing you hate Alice in Wonderland?
Honestly, I read the original version for the first time last month. Before that, I had only watched the Disney version (the one with Johnny Depp) and that one actually had a coherent storyline.

The original one tho, felt like either I was drunk while reading or the author was, while writing.

Akshita wrote: "😂 I'm guessing you hate Alice in Wonderland?
Honestly, I read the original version for the first time last month. Before that, I had only watched the Disney version (the one with Johnny Depp) and ..."

hate is a strong word. I just don't like the book much. The movies however are good.

lmao yes. I read the original one last year too.

(view spoiler)[So my extreme emotional cheese of a review, and your barely there review (no offense hehe, i'm just saying it lightly) are on the first page of Red, White and Whole...and idk how to feel about that.
Never happened to me before (hide spoiler)]

Okay, so i read the neighbor part.
I didn't find it scary, but OMG IT WAS SOOO GOOD!!
Made very little sense, but still the most interesting piece i've read in a while.
The gaps, shifts in universe....all that was extremely cool. I won't mind listening to Cassie go on about this theory for hours on end!

Akshita wrote: "So my extreme emotional cheese of a review, and your barely there review (no offense hehe, i'm just saying it lightly) are on the first page of Red, White and Whole...and idk how to feel about that..."

WAIT WHAT? I JUST SAW THAT.

Now I'm gonna try to write a proper review. (Hopefully)

Akshita wrote: "Okay, so i read the neighbor part.
I didn't find it scary, but OMG IT WAS SOOO GOOD!!
Made very little sense, but still the most interesting piece i've read in a while.
The gaps, shifts in universe..."

It wasn't scary. But at night... idk. I start imagining things...
Ikr. I'm just so intrigued by the idea and wanna know more about it.

Nimrat wrote: "Akshita wrote: "So my extreme emotional cheese of a review, and your barely there review (no offense hehe, i'm just saying it lightly) are on the first page of Red, White and Whole...and idk how to..."

Same lol.

I finished chapter 4 last night.
It's a bit harder read. As in, I have to read sentences very carefully, and sometimes even more than twice to fully get it.

I'll try to get through another 2 today.

Akshita wrote: "I finished chapter 4 last night.
It's a bit harder read. As in, I have to read sentences very carefully, and sometimes even more than twice to fully get it.

I'll try to get through another 2 today."

great! I guess I'll read some other book until then, cuz I'm already on chapter 9.

Honestly, I don't even know where the story is going and I'm really confused.

I'm on chapter 5, and the apartment scenes are truly scary.

And imagine always feeling as if there's someone behind you...while you are in an unknown empty apartment...

*shudders* Rose is brave.

"Times like these, when I’m just sitting here, can be the worst of any of it. I waste half of my day wishing things would be this quiet, and when it finally comes, it doesn’t feel that peaceful. It feels like waiting.

Why did I think of period cramps as soon as i read that line?😅

Reads very much like the author had a long, elaborate dream, and decided to write it down and publish.

Halfway through chapter 6

OOooh the flashback Rose had? Is it because of the memory flood Cassie was talking about!?
It makes sense, since the parts she doesn't have in the memory are faded. First the streets and then the house.

Still no idea where the plot is going.
The neighbor concept is very vague. It's just that. A concept. An idea. Not well-defined like magic systems in fantasy. Not something you can picture.
I think I like it.

Cul-de-sac . There had been a cul-de-sac on the public access channel when I had that little jolt of panic, back at the house. Somewhere in the back of my mind, I saw that and thought of Marin’s neighborhood. It’s the kind of logic leap that hypervigilance is so good at. But I didn’t consciously connect the dots.

I CAN'T TELL YOU HOW FRICKING FASCINATING I FOUND THIS PARAGRAPH!!!

Akshita wrote: "I'm on chapter 5, and the apartment scenes are truly scary.

And imagine always feeling as if there's someone behind you...while you are in an unknown empty apartment...

*shudders* Rose is brave."

She is

Akshita wrote: ""Times like these, when I’m just sitting here, can be the worst of any of it. I waste half of my day wishing things would be this quiet, and when it finally comes, it doesn’t feel that peaceful. It..."

Lol.

Akshita wrote: "Reads very much like the author had a long, elaborate dream, and decided to write it down and publish."

Omg yes. Really the perfect way to describe this.

Akshita wrote: "Halfway through chapter 6

OOooh the flashback Rose had? Is it because of the memory flood Cassie was talking about!?
It makes sense, since the parts she doesn't have in the memory are faded. First..."

Yeah. But then you get a glimpse of the concept in the 8th or 9th chapter.

Akshita wrote: "Cul-de-sac . There had been a cul-de-sac on the public access channel when I had that little jolt of panic, back at the house. Somewhere in the back of my mind, I saw that and thought of Marin’s ne..."

Really?

AAH I feel bad for making you wait!!

I MUST read very quick! I will surely get chapter 9 done by tonight

How are you liking it so far tho?

Akshita wrote: "How are you liking it so far tho?"

I just haven't formed strong opinions on this book yet.

Akshita wrote: "AAH I feel bad for making you wait!!

I MUST read very quick! I will surely get chapter 9 done by tonight"

Oh no. I mean I have schoolwork soooo

Halfway through chapter 8
And I'm starting to wonder if the neighbor thing is used as a metaphor for Rose's PTSD...

As the Christie said, they are born when there's an irreversible shift. And it doesn't always have to be some big change. It can be triggered by something seemingly insignificant as well.
The neighbors follow you, slowly catching up, always looming over your shoulder (which can be a metaphor for "at the back of your mind")

See? Reading the above lines, it's not hard to believe that they might as well be taking about trauma.

Akshita wrote: "Halfway through chapter 8
And I'm starting to wonder if the neighbor thing is used as a metaphor for Rose's PTSD...

As the Christie said, they are born when there's an irreversible shift. And it d..."

Yeah.
I actually think that the reason Rose will have a neighbor is because she has PTSD. Because of the "irreversible change" i.e. Gaby's death.

I'm on chapter 13 and I have a feeling this is gonna be a 3 star book.
*sighs*

I kinda want to dnf this but at the same time I really want to know what happens.

AHHHHHHH.

:/ Oh no. I'm sorry you're not liking it.
Don't force yourself to continue if you don't want to.

Akshita wrote: ":/ Oh no. I'm sorry you're not liking it.
Don't force yourself to continue if you don't want to."

Yeah. I dnf'ed it.

If you want, I can tell you the ending or if it was worth reading once i finish?

Also, now we'll have to br another book to make up for this DNF😂

Not right now. But sometime soon hopefully.

Akshita wrote: "If you want, I can tell you the ending or if it was worth reading once i finish?"

Yes I'd love that.

Akshita wrote: "Also, now we'll have to br another book to make up for this DNF😂

Not right now. But sometime soon hopefully."

lol yeah.

Keep updating here if you can. I'd like to hear what you think.

Nimrat wrote: "Keep updating here if you can. I'd like to hear what you think."

Of course!

I haven't read a single word since you dnf'ed. I'm losing motivation here 😅

Akshita wrote: "I haven't read a single word since you dnf'ed. I'm losing motivation here 😅"

Whoa. Didn't expect that.

So how do you feel about the book? Like do you wanna continue?

I definitely wanna continue. But since there's nothing to prompt me to read further quickly, it's going to take longer.

Akshita wrote: "I definitely wanna continue. But since there's nothing to prompt me to read further quickly, it's going to take longer."

Yeah. I get that. With buddy reads, you just feel like you *have* to continue.