OutReaders:2020-06
6/20/20 2-4 pm
Google Meet
Hild by Nicola Griffith
Robert Allen was the coordinator. 6 people attended, including one new person: Wendy Darling, Elbot Carman, Leah Frey, Laura Bogue (new), Erin Stanfill, Robert Allen
We went over these items:
Suggested new book selection system: Compose a curated reading list, each member chooses one book to add to list. We will talk more about it at the next meeting.
Book discussion recap:
Hild is a dense book. The writing is good and the character of Hild is interesting. The story arc does not ebb and flow, does not rise and fall. It sort of stays in the middle, at a plateau, throughout. It’s not a compelling story.
It’s historical fiction, so there is no sci-fi, no fantasy.
The book has a high level of realism for the setting. For instance, a lot of infant mortality and maternal mortality. A lot of descriptions of food and clothing of the period. How people of the time lived, worked, etc. In fact, it has so many details that it sometimes reads more like a travelogue with immersive history than like fiction.
Most people didn't finish it. The ending was anticlimactic and disappointing. Because there is a sequel, we surmised the author just needed to end it somewhere. The ending does not make you want to read book two.
Verdict: Thumbs sideways. With more time to read it, and if you knew what you were getting into, it could be more enjoyable. It's not a bad book, just a long and dense book.
August Book Nominations (winner in boldface):
- Wild Magic by Tamora Pierce - Erin
- Flowers for Agernon by Daniel Keyes - Robert
- The Blue Sword by Robin McKinley - Leah
