Mystery/Thriller Reading Friends discussion

by Justin Cronin

Okay, in Part Five the group from the sanctuary goes on an adventure and something bad happens. Later Amy shows up at the sanctuary and it appears that things go to hell in a handbasket from there, but why? What power is she carrying around with her?

The events in the Part had me reflecting back to Brad Wolgast and why he got sick. Did he catch something from Amy?

Carol/Bonadie wrote: "Okay, in Part Five the group from the sanctuary goes on an adventure and something bad happens. Later Amy shows up at the sanctuary and it appears that things go to hell in a handbasket from there..."

i think cronin did a great job making us wonder what the he** is up wit amy!

Carol:
I am pretty sure what happened to Wolgast was radiation poisoning. A bigger question is why did it only affect Amy in a fleeting manner? (her burned eyes) She seemed to be more damaged from the brilliant light from the explosion than the radiation fallout in the ashes.
I must assume it was the substance injected into her IV when she was in the Colorado facility that at least partly makes her immune to a lot of things (like aging and dying) and not too worried about eating and sleeping. Amy was different from the beginning too though.

Carol/Bonadie wrote: "The events in the Part had me reflecting back to Brad Wolgast and why he got sick. Did he catch something from Amy? "

Part five introduces us to the year 92 AV - the ninety-second year after the virals were let loose and to the colony that has survived by going back to an almost feudal system of survival. We learn of the first families and households and of the fear and dwindling knowledge of technology that keeps the lights on and the power plant running to keep the viral at bay.
Something is to happen, we can all feel it.
I am rooting for the colonists with vision for something else rather than just waiting for the power to run out and another Dark Night.

Sherry
Yes, seriously - Amy is an enigma and a cause of great curiosity!

Sherry wrote: "i think cronin did a great job making us wonder what the he** is up with amy! "

This part seemed to set the stage for us to immerse ourselves into the "new world", at least the world known in the colony; and to feel the human emotions that prevail and influence behavior and actions no matter the circumstances.
fear is a very powerful motivator.

Ann wrote: "Carol:

I am pretty sure what happened to Wolgast was radiation poisoning. A bigger question is why did it only affect Amy in a fleeting manner? (her burned eyes) She seemed to be more damaged from the brilliant light from the explosion than the radiation fallout in the ashes.
I must assume it was the substance injected into her IV when she was in the Colorado facility that at least partly makes her immune to a lot of things (like aging and dying) and not too worried about eating and sleeping. Amy was different from the beginning too though.
..."

Oh, good point, Ann, you are probably right about the radiation poisoning. And yes, Amy was different from the beginning. I wonder if the scientists knew that at the beginning, or were even the cause of it? I was thinking they hunted her down because she didn't have any relatives, but then it would be quite the coincidence that she also talked to animals.

Carol:
I wonder if one of them (not sure if the scientists or the victims of the experiments) at the Colorado facility "heard her" in their dreams, perhaps Jonas Lear? I do think they caused a great deal of what Amy is becoming (since I haven't read further yet, I can't say what she became! ;)

Carol/Bonadie wrote: "I wonder if the scientists knew that at the beginning, or were even the cause of it? I was thinking they hunted her down because she didn't have any relatives, but then it would be quite the coincidence that she also talked to animals. "

Carol/Bonadie wrote: h, good point, Ann, you are probably right about the radiation poisoning. And yes, Amy was different from the beginning. I wonder if the scientists knew that at the beginning, or were even the cause of it? I was thinking they hunted her down because she didn't have any relatives, but then it would be quite the coincidence that she also talked to animals. "

i wondered if she was born that way and that's why they sought her out... or was it because she had no relatives and they "made" her that way?

Sherry:
It seems to me they were rather pointed in getting Amy when there had to be plenty of kids with no relatives -- and I think Amy's Mom was still in the picture when they sent Wolgast and Doyle out after her. At the time I thought - how did they know about the zoo when they were on the road to get there for a couple of days after the delays to avoid security - and they arrived right as the zoo was happening? My opinion is that Amy had something they wanted specifically.
Lear said " She knows, how does she know?" near the beginning of chapter 14. "I wanted her to be one, to be at least one"; then he said he "wanted her when he realized that the military planned to make weapons" - weapons of the 'sticks' as they called them then. He later said "we really should have seen that coming" (the sticks coming down from the trees like bats) Lear said "it's all over, isn't it Amy" and touched her hand like he was communicating with her.

Sherry wrote: "i wondered if she was born that way and that's why they sought her out... or was it because she had no relatives and they "made" her that way? "

Finally at a end of another part. It seems to be the wait game to the end of the part so I can read another thread. at the half way point of the book. I'm enjoying having Amy "the Girl" back in the storyline. Yes I believe that whatever the thing virus or whatever that was given in the beginning. Amy most be the only one left so she's the strange one that no one knows what or who she is. At times she doesn't even seem who she is. She's different from when she was with Wolgost. Is that because of time or is it because of what happened to her from the radiation. It brings up alot of questions. Peter some how has a connection to her they don't even have to talk to each other and yet they do with their mind. Their seems to be two groups each with their own opinions on different things. Will they divide at some point? Again questions. My guess is they made her the way she is but for some reason she's changing. I keep going back to How Cronin's young daughter wanted him to write a book like this. Watch the videos on his website. They are what made me want to read this book. I have another one of his books and really at this point I'm looking forward to someday reading it. Jonas Lear seems so far away at this point. You almost forget that part of the storyline. People on the nook and also the ultimate board had this book as a group read and really some of their opinions are interesting at least the one's I already read. A mixed who gave up by some point in the 300's. Me if I read a book that far I would put it aside for another time but finish it at some point. You waste that much reading time and give up. It sure is a interesting book. A book that is really not my usual type of read. But I'm glad I'm giving it a try. Change is good every once in awhile. It might not be doing my total book count for the month or months very good.

Some interesting points you both have raised. I think you're right that Amy had something that the scientists wanted. How they knew about it I don't know. Maybe this is not the first time they are meeting her -- we don't reallly know much about her early life except what Cronin wanted us to know. You may be right that she reached out to them mentally. If this is a trilogy I bet more will be revealed in the next book.

I realized in writing this that we're sort of revealing that even though Amy is in the rest of the book we don't learn a lot about her background. Sorry!


Ann wrote: "Sherry:
It seems to me they were rather pointed in getting Amy when there had to be plenty of kids with no relatives -- and I think Amy's Mom was still in the picture when they sent Wolgast and Doy..."

No problem, Carol. I guess that may not be a big spoiler. We won't sit on the edge of our seats for a big reveal. ;)

Carol/Bonadie wrote: "I realized in writing this that we're sort of revealing that even though Amy is in the rest of the book we don't learn a lot about her background. Sorry!"

Even his article which I haven't read the whole thing yet that was in bookpage newspaper gives certain things out. When you read the bit about what the story was about in the beginning even that gives stuff away.

Donnajo wrote: "Even his article which I haven't read the whole thing yet that was in bookpage newspaper gives certain things out. When you read the bit about what the story was about in the beginning even that g..."

Ooh I'd like to read that article now that I'm done. I had heard somewhere that he wrote this for his kid or nephew or somebody....

watch the videos too on his website. He has a few different ones about writing, love, family, just different things.
The article is a few months old I was behind or it was on the recycling pile still so I was able to get it.