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LitsyBuddyReadWhat are everyone‘s thoughts so far? Are you liking it or not liking it? I‘m still trying to catch up, so if you‘re caught up this week, feel free to get the discussion going!6y
SchlinklesI‘m a little further along than ch. 9, but I‘m enjoying the writing, but not sure about the subject matter.6y
AmyGI like the book and the writing style. But wow, what a sad topic. Romy‘s life...her Mother, her choices, friends, lovers...jail. It‘s all just quite depressing.6y
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JamieArcI‘m really curious to find out what/if anything is going to happen between Romy and Gordon. I‘m also finding the writing style interesting.6y
CurreyI am also enjoying the writing but not the topic. Romy‘s life is completely depressing to me. I am exactly at the end of chapter 9 and hope that jail life can‘t get worse6y
OriginalCyn620Sorry I‘m so late but I was out all afternoon running errands. I agree with everyone that Romy‘s childhood is completely depressing and heartbreaking, and therefore, so has her adulthood thus far. I am really liking how the chapters are broken into smaller vignettes that alternate between the past and present. It really keeps my attention!6y
akckittyOk, so I‘m caught up now. The writing is superb. I have to ask - who else dislikes Gordon? I get a bad vibe from him. He clearly ignored the fact that the girl at the last prison (before he transferred) had no interest in him and yet he CONTINUED to show up every week for a hair cut. I know it foreshadowed that there might of been a bigger reason for her filing against him and “tricking” him but I can clearly tell he‘s a creep who doesn‘t get it6y
akckittyMy heart goes out to Romy. The subject matter is depressing, sure. She‘s still clearly living in a world that was unfair to her. But the subject matter of her life and how she ended up in prison is what‘s keeping me reading :) that along with the writing has me excited. The only thing I can tell so far is that I‘m probably going to have issues with Gordon in this book.6y
akckitty@OriginalCyn620 I agree with you. How the author has separated certain timeline and segments of the MCs thoughts is intriguing and keeps me interested!6y
akckitty@JamieArc I do wonder how Gordon is going to be involved in the novel for the long run. But I just don‘t get a good feeling from him. I hope he doesn‘t turn out to be a bad guy for Romy6y
akckitty@Schlinkles I‘m curious! What about the subject matter has you uncertain?6y
Schlinkles@akckitty This is just one book in a long line of books I‘ve read recently that‘s just a lot of really bad life choices. I do feel more for Romy as I learn more about her. Sometimes books just aren‘t for everyone and that‘s how I feel about this one. I appreciate the writing, I‘m just not connecting with it.(edited) 6y
OriginalCyn620@akckitty I‘m with you about Gordon. Is he one of those people who‘s totally book smart but has no clue when it comes to other people? Or is he just creepy? Something isn‘t quite right with him!6y
akckitty@Schlinkles yeah, a lot is going on with her. But I completely understand!! I was definitely just curious on your take of it :) thanks for responding back!6y
akckitty@OriginalCyn620 that‘s what I‘m trying to figure out!! But your example is definitely what I was trying to portray. He just comes off with poor social skills maybe? I suppose we‘ll find out in future chapters :) :)6y
Chelsea.Poole@akckitty I agree that Gordon is probably going to turn out to be no good. But, I think the author did such a good job at making him sympathetic (in his own eyes, as it‘s written from his point of view) that I was almost sympathetic for him too! I think it‘s wonderful when an author can get so far into characters‘ minds that even when they are “the bad guy” the reader can see their point of view.6y
JamieArcI kind of see Gordon as operating out of privilege and being blind of that fact.6y
JamieArcBut he‘s the character that is making the story for me. Romy is in prison for a long time. We know that. But Gordon - what is his role? I can see it playing out in so many different ways so I‘m really curious as to where this story is going.6y
LauraJ@akckitty So we have one character who has been the stalkee and one who has the stalker...6y
Jess7@JamieArc - I agree, given the focus of Gordon‘s perspective and Romy‘s makes me interested to know how they will encounter each other and whether it will be positive or negative.6y
Jess7I think by chapter 5 or so, I became more interested. I‘m going to try to get caught up for this week‘s reading soon too, but I wanted to check-in since I was late getting caught up last week6y
Jess7It is definitely depressing and sad, but I think the writer is doing a good job with the writing and slowly revealing details about Romy‘s life.6y
Currey@jess7 I am now further than chapter 9 and now find the character studies a joy even if their lives are ones of desperation6y
Jess7@Currey Great! Hopefully the tagging issue will be fixed this week and there will be more people later this week to discuss the next set of chapters. I‘ll plan to post that one on Wednesday or Thursday this week .6y
AmyG@akckitty Oh, something is very off with Gordon. Creepy doesn‘t begin to describe him.6y
akckitty@AmyG I‘m with you on that one ☝️ I can‘t wait to find out how he plays a role in this book!6y
akckitty@Jess7 oh I bet the details on how / when she killed her stalker will be gruesome! It‘s like what finally pushed Romys last button to commit murder6y
akckitty@LauraJ exactly!! Maybe he‘ll turn to stalking Romy? 😔6y
akckitty@Chelsea.Poole DEFINITELY! When put into his perspective, you can have those situations when he‘s doing something that‘s off putting but also feel bad for him. It‘s exactly like Romy. She‘s telling her story and you see the injustice she‘s experienced and we as the reader seemingly have no problem that she killed her stalker. But it‘s all her POV so does it justify her killing? The author is doing a good job 😃6y
jhodI'm joining in now! Just finished section 1 and hope to get to end of section 2 by tomorrow. Am really enjoying it - the description of the bus, the other inmates Romy is with, the San Fran episodes growing up. I hope there is some hope for Jackson - poor child...6y
