On the Southern Literary Trail discussion

For early questions and general discussion, no spoilers please. Not everyone is at the same place.

This seems different. I’m going to give it a try.

I'm hoping to read it, but I have several books to read for real life library discussions that I have to read first.

I'm not really into post-apocalyptic type books, so I'll pass on this one.

I read it a few years ago. I wasn't interested in continuing with the series.

I will get to it, but like Connie, have a few I'm reading right now. I did find a copy at the library and it seems interesting. I saw the film adaptation years ago and loved it.

It's a really different book -- not quite science fiction. Vandemeer himself, I think, calls it fiction of the weird. It is definitely unsettling.

So far I’m engaged. I’m listening to this and I like the easy voice of the narrator. I’m sure some readers will be asking why are we reading this on the “southern” lit trail. The author seems to have spent much time in the south and I think this takes place in Florida. But it is not our traditional read but it’s kind of a “spooky” read for October. It’s short and doesn’t take much time to get into it, even if you don’t understand everything happening.

Just started reading and liking it to. This feels like a jigsaw puzzle so far (in a good way). I don't remember specific details of the film but that it had sort of an unsettling vibe and that's what I'm getting so far. Very deep into the psychology.

Franky I’m over halfway and I think it gets even better. Now I can visualize it as it’s playing out.

I wanted to refrain from commenting too early since I have finished the book and the others in the series and felt I might unintentionally let out a spoiler even if I were trying to be careful. But we have had some comments that address some of my thoughts so I think I can safely mention some.

First, the term "spooky," was mentioned and I agree. That element is there, but I am not sure it is strong enough to categorize this as gothic. I will pick up that discussion in the topic for discussion once we have finished the book.

More interesting for the initial reading discussion are the comments "unsettling," and "don't understand everything happening," I think VanderMeer worked very hard on to get the sense of discomfort and ambiguity that pervades this novel. And that discomfort and ambiguity can translate very quickly into frustration or annoyance for the reader. I just read this for the third time and actually get a lot of pleasure now from seeing what VanderMeer was doing to create frustrations I initially had with the book that prompted me to want to toss it across the room more than once. I felt the same aggravation as when I watched the film that featured the shaking hand held video camera footage. But like how the filmakers wanted that disconcerting effect on the audience, I think VanderMeer wants us to feel our frustration. If we allow ourselves to go with it rather than resist it, I think it pays off, but some will not agree.

@Sam, great observations about the novel. I agree with you. There is quite a bit of the audience/reader trying to grasp onto something and this is sort of parallel to the narrator trying to grasp onto meaning of their mission. I see a parallel there. There is something undefined about the novel, hard to pinpoint, but it is very absorbing. I'm about half way through now.