Moby-Dick Readalong Chapters 1-15: Touchés, Bromances and New Words

Oh dear. I really am no good at readalongs, am I? It feels like that time when I was in University and I started to fall behind in my Spanish class. I ended up dropping the class, knowing I could never catch up. It was not my proudest moment. BUT! This isn't University and I'm not being graded on my ability to keep up with my readalong readings of Moby-Dick. (Judged perhaps, but not graded!). So, I will not give-up!

I thought about just trying to catch up with the readings and do one big post, but then I worried that that would be too overwhelming of a post to write. So, instead, I'm going to do a few quick posts covering the required break-down of chapters.

Thoughts on Chapters 1-15:

• After this first part, we are 15 chapters in and Ismael and Queequeg aren't even on the damn ship yet. I think what blows my mind most when reading big books like this is how little can actually happen in a LOT of pages. In comparison, I read The Great Gatsby before starting Moby-Dick, and at page 74 into The Great Gatsby, I was almost half-way done.

• I admit I am pleasantly surprised to find the writing funny and witty. I'm constantly underlining lines while smiling to myself. Even the odd "touché" has been muttered:

"Again, I always go to sea as a sailor, because they make a point of paying me for my trouble, whereas they never pay passengers a single penny that I ever heard of. On the contrary, passengers themselves must pay. And there is all the difference in the world between paying and being paid." (p. 5)

•  Something I didn't see coming: the serious bromance going on: 

"We had lain thus in bed, chatting and napping at short intervals, and Queequeg now and then affectionately throwing his brown tattooed legs over mine, and then drawing them back; so entirely sociable and free and easy were we..." (p. 58)

I'm not sure this is ever acceptable behaviour between two heterosexual mean. Or, our society is just way more uptight now than back then.

• The chapter titles are amusing. For example, chapter 15 is entitled "Chowder" and then we proceed to read 4 pages on chowder. Kind of like "there's your sign!"  Either no thought at all went into naming the chapters, or Melville purposely went with the obvious.  

• Classics always make me feel a little dumb by reminding me of just how many words I don't know the meaning of, or in this case, haven't even heard of before. 

New word learnt this section: 

Obstreperously:

1. Noisily and stubbornly defiant.

2. Aggressively boisterous.

The unruly drunkard obstreperously resisted arrest.

So here we are, at the end of Chapter 15 and Ishmael and Queequeg have just arrived in Nantucket and enjoyed some hearty chowder. I'm pretty confident they will get on a ship soon seeing as Chapter 16 is aptly titled, "The Ship".

Moby Dick Readalong: Let's Do This

So my friend and fellow Edmonton Book Blogger, Laura, is hosting a readalong of Moby Dick over the next two months. That's right: Moby Dick. That big whale of a book (pun clearly intended), that most people probably don't have a huge desire to pick up and read in their spare time. Well, unless you're Laura. And I guess me, since it didn't take much convincing for me to join this readalong (even if history reveals I don't have the best track record with keeping up or completing readalongs, *cough* Harry Potter readalong *cough*).  It's no surprise then, that this post should have been up last Monday - as in over a week ago - ha-ha! But Laura assures me this readalong is very casual and we're all here to have fun with this.

I really didn't know much about Moby Dick before going into this. Actually, I know less than I even thought I did. Turns out, the whale in Disney's Pinocchio, IS NOT Moby Dick.

Moby Dick is also really hard to find second-hand. It took numerous visits to several thrift stores, and then a trip to B.C. before I finally found a copy in a second-hand bookstore in Vancouver. But she's pretty, the print isn't too small, and the margins are big enough to write in, so the 12-hour drive was worth it.

Success!

Where all the used copies of Moby Dick go to die.

Also, the chapters, for the most part, are nice and short, which is helpful in a big book like this because you feel like you are actually making progress even if you feel like you aren't flying through the pages. This is an accurate description because I have actually started reading Moby Dick, and while I'm already at Chapter 11, goodreads tells me I'm only 9% along. Sigh.

But I will not be discouraged. My only goal for this readalong is to finish it. Oh, and to have fun! And in a few months I will hopefully be able to say that I have in fact read Moby Dick. You know, for when I run out of cooler things to talk about at social gatherings...

"But most of all, you need to practise constant, never-ceasing vigilance".

Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire Part 1 & 2

 Sooo...this past Friday I was supposed to have my last post up for the Goblet of Fire, except, I haven't had any posts up for Goblet of Fire yet. I know, I'm failing at this readalong. #failing. My excuses are nothing new: work, life, sickness, poor time management, etc. But I'm not giving up just yet! I'm only half way done the Goblet of Fire so I'm going to do one post for the first half of this book and a second one for the second half, in attempts to catch up to the rest of the readalongers in Alice's HARRY POTTER READALONG ALL THE GIFS.

And in an effort to make up for lost time, these posts will be sweet and short (bullet-point style!) and of course, spoilers are fair game.

Random Thoughts on Chapters 1 thru 20:

*The Quidditch World Cup = boooorrrring. And it seemed like a lot of work to set up, and a lot of memory charms on Muggles, just for one game! But the tents = awesome and I would totally be up for camping more often than I actually do if my tent looked like the Weasley's on the inside. Although, come to think of it, some people's RV trailers are pretty much like their homes on wheels...

*If everybody already knows what's going to be revealed at school, why can't Harry, Ron and Hermione know? And since they aren't even old enough to enter the Triwizard Tournament anyway, does it matter if they know?

*I think one of my favourite parts is when Hermione is outraged over learning that Hogwart's employs over 100 house-elves: 'But they get paid?' she said. 'They get holidays, don't they? And - sick leave, and pensions and everything?' (p.161).  Leave it to Hermione to make it her mission to fight for the rights of house-elves.

*"Spotted dick" - and a million young children (and me) reading this book giggled.

*I honestly thought Harry and Ginny might have a "thing", but Ginny is pretty non-existent in this book so far and then there's this: "...[Harry] had just won the Triwizard Tournament...Cho's face stood out particularly clearly in the blurred crowd, her face glowing with admiration...Harry grinned into his pillow, exceptionally glad that Ron couldn't see what he could." (p.170)

*We meet Professor Moody and while the description of his appearance gives me the chills, "It looked as though [his face] had been carved out of weathered wood by someone who had only the vaguest idea of what a human face were supposed to look like,and was none too skilled with a chisel." (p. 163), I have a feeling Professor Moody has been employed by Hogwart's to protect Harry.

*Even before the names are drawn for contestants of the Triwizard Tournament, we all know Harry's name will be called (duh). And maybe it's just me, but no one seemed that concerned with HOW Harry's name got in the goblet or WHO put his name in it. They seem more concerned with following the rules of whoever's name is called MUST compete, no exceptions, even if Harry isn't of competing age.

*Ron, Ron, Ron. Now, after all you've been through together, you don't believe Harry when he says he didn't enter his own name into the goblet?! I get it, you're jealous, but you've always been a *little* jealous.

*We end this first half of the book with Harry preparing for the first task in the Triwizard tournament. Is it too early to predict that Harry will do well in all the tasks??*

I know I've missed many things I would probably want to talk about had I done the readings and these posts on time, but even with my little notebook, this is all I got friends. But on the upside! I have watched the first two movies so far! And I will finish this readalong to the end, goddammit, even if it means I'm still writing these posts long after everyone else is finished (but hopefully not!).


*Edit: I was just looking back at my notes and I see that Chapter 20 actually ends with Harry completing the first task in the Triwizard tournament. Successfully of course.

"This is magic at its deepest, its most impenetrable, Harry."

Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban Part II

So...I'm not doing to well with getting my Harry Potter Friday posts up on Friday...but better late than never, right? Right? I finished the book yesterday and HOLY SHIT. I still have so many feelings about everything that happened! I don't even know where to start. I'm also supposed to be packing for Mexico for tomorrow, but PRIORITIES. So for this post, I don't want to over-analyze and think too much about some of the things that I know don't make a whooooole lotta sense, I just want to keep all the feels that I'm feeling.  Because PoA is definitely my favourite book in the series so far.

Also, *spoiler warning* for the rest of this post! (You know, if you're one of those rare people who hasn't read Harry Potter yet.)

Sometimes I felt dumb while reading this book and not being able to predict what was going to happen, or who was going to end up actually being bad or actually being good, because, come on, I'm not a 12-year old reading this for the first time, but seriously guys, I don't think I saw anything that happened in the end coming. I knew in the first half of the book that there were some things/people that seemed up to something or just not right, but I just didn't know what these things were going to amount to.

Quick run-down on my thoughts:

-I didn't want to say it in my last post in case I ended up being wrong, but I really wanted Sirius Black to be good! When the truth about him came out, I was SO happy. Those moments between Black and Harry, where Harry discovers the truth about Sirius, Pettigrew, Lupin and his father were my favourite scenes this entire series so far. And when Black asks Harry if he might want to consider living with him during the summers since he's he rightful guardian, I honestly had tears in my eyes. Of course, it was all too good to be true (for now), but I'm certain we haven't seen the last of Black just yet.

-So Lupin wasn't being poisoned by Snape like I originally thought, but I still don't like him. And while I'm relieved that Lupin isn't dying, his being a werewolf doesn't seem all that much better to me seeing as how he can no longer teach at Hogwarts anyway. I'm disappointed Lupin has to leave - he was one of my favourite new characters this book! 

-I was so sure that Crookshanks wasn't really a cat - when actually it was Scabbers that wasn't really a rat. Crookshanks is one smart kitty. Although, if Harry, Ron and Hermione had been half as smart as Crookshanks, they would have listened to the sneakoscope back in Chapter 11 when it went off when Crookshanks and Scabbers were both near it.

-I know it seems a lot to expect a young boy like Harry to have killed Pettigrew when he had the chance, but I really wish someone had killed him. Why would they think he could be securely imprisoned in Azkaban if he's an Animagus? Wouldn't he be able to change into a rat and easily escape? That's how Black escaped after all.  Poor thinking on all of their behalves, I gotta say. Even if they catch him now, what's stopping Pettigrew from turning into a rat again? MAKES NO SENSE. Although, I did love the whole idea of an Animagus.

 

-I've always loved the idea of time-travel, but I find time-travel works best if you don't over think it. Over thinking time-travel = flaws galore.

Ok that's all I got off the top of my head! I really should go pack now before hubby loses it. Also, I apologize to any of you readalongers who are reading this - I don't have time to read anyone's posts for this week, but I will be back next week to make super-late comments on your posts! I also won't be having a post for the first part of Goblet of Fire as I will be in Mexico until the 26th, but I will do a double post the following Friday, promise!

Them Azkaban guards give me the collywobbles.

Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban Part I

Well helloooo, Prisoner of Azkaban! I mean, everyone made it pretty clear in their posts last week that they couldn't wait to move on to PoA, and I just kinda nodded my head in agreement because you guys know best,  BUT NOW, now I see why. This book is picking up THE PACE and things are getting scary-serious. Grims, Sirius Black, The Dementors...JKR isn't messing around. I think I would have been a teeeeeny bit scared to have read this as a kid.

Of course, this book starts out like the first two books did (and which I'm sure all the rest will), with Harry home with the horrible Dursley's for the summer. And while there is some "recap" work done to catch up those who choose to jump into a series the third book in (SERIOUSLY, WHO ARE YOU PEOPLE?!), it's definitely bearable. But Harry got the hell outta dodge after he lost his cool and inflated his Aunt Marge ala Violet Beauregarde style.

Ok, enough of this paragraph business - let's switch over to bullet points for the rest of my random thoughts thus far in PoA. There's just too much to talk about and I am sort of on vacation right now so time is of the essence!

~"Black's not going to be caught by a thirteen-year-old wizard." (p.50) Ha! We'll see about that!

~"It was common knowledge that Snape wanted the Defence Against the Dark Arts job..." (p. 72)  Why can't Snape be the professor for this class??

~Hermione is acting really weird. What's she up to? (Don't answer that!)

~I kinda love Lupin. He's so calm and approachable. But why did he ride the train to Hogwart's? And why are his robes so old and shabby? You'd think the school would have a budget for robes for the professors. Or at least some "loaners". AND why is he the only one that seems to get "ill" at Hogwart's?

~I'm pretty sure Snape's "get better" potion he's making for Lupin isn't actually going to make him "better". I just don't trust Snape. AT ALL.

Nope, don't trust him.

~While Harry has only used The Marauder's Map to get himself to Hogsmeade so far, I'm sure this map will prove to be far more useful later on in the book.

~If Serius Black really did send Harry his new broom, how did it get delivered to Harry's bed? How do ANY of the Christmas presents get to the foot of the student's beds??

~Is Crookshanks really just a cat?? Something about him seems suspicious...

Harry Potter is greater by far than Dobby knew!

Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets Part II

And just like that, I apologize to Dobby for all the horrible things I said about him and for wanting nothing more than to strangle him. When he caught that sock that Mr Malfoy accidentally threw at him (well played, Harry, well played), and he realized what it meant - well...I...*tears in my eyes*.

And when I actually thought for a minute that Ginny had been killed, I just - couldn't. I mean, I don't have *feelings* for her (yet), but I wouldn't want any one of the Weasley's to die. Plus, I have my suspicions that her and Harry might have a thing in the later books...

I'm glad Lockhart got what was coming to him. Really, it couldn't have been executed more perfectly. I'm surprised he hadn't accidentally cast a spell on himself before. What a dumb-ass.

I like how JKR totally made us think that Ginny had walked in on Percy doing *you know what* (is that even appropriate for a young reader's book?) but then said he was just making out with his girlfriend. Even if that WAS what he was doing (making out), why imply earlier on that it was something else. Or am I the ONLY ONE who's mind went there?!

Let's talk about Harry:

- He's our hero - again. But not before having almost the entire school, his own house included, thinking that he's actually the heir to Slytherin. And it didn't help his case that Harry can talk to snakes in snake language (ie. Parselmouth), which was an ability possessed by Salazar Slytherin.

-But no matter what other people thought or gossiped about, Hermione and Ron stood by his side. And even though it seems like Harry didn't get either of them a Christmas gift (again), he at least remembered to give them his phone number at the end of the school year. BUT - and I know I keep going back to this - why doesn't Harry just spend the entire summer with the Weasley's?? Everyone knows that the Dursley's locked Harry up the previous summer and treat him horribly. And Harry SAVED Ginny's life! I'm sure the Weasley's would be happy to have Harry even if he hadn't saved their little girl. Is every book in this series going to start off with a few chapters on how horrible the Dursley's are to Harry? WE GET IT JKR.

"It is our choices, Harry, that show what we truly are, far more than our abilities." (p. 245)

Oh  ya! And Hagrid! I'm so glad he wasn't actually the one to have opened the Chamber 50 years ago! And how can you not love someone who loves ALL animals/creatures as much as Hagrid does? Even if said creatures include HUGE spiders *shudder*. While I'm sure Hagrid is happy to remain in his title as gamekeeper, I do think his name should be publicly cleared at Hogwart's.

Best quote this book:

"Snape was looking as though the first person to ask him for a Love Potion would be force-fed poison" (p. 177)

"Go home Harry Potter. Go home."

Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets Part I

In case you haven't been following along (why aren't you following along!?), we are now on the second book of Harry Potter in Alice's super-awesome Harry Potter Readalong and all the gifs. Of course, this post was supposed to be up on Friday, but I blame work and birthday celebrations for a good friend. Also, we all already know I'm like the last person on Earth to read Harry Potter, but just in case you fall into that 0.01% with me, then know that these posts are potentially full of spoilers.*

So after the the Philosopher's Stone, Harry has to go home and spend the summer with the horrible, good-for-nothing Dursley's. But my question is: WHY? Couldn't he have just gone straight to Ron's? Or stayed behind and lived with Hagrid? Isn't someone watching over Harry based on the fact that they now know how poorly the Dursley's have treated him all his life? I know, I know, it makes the story more interesting...because hello - flying car!

But before Ron and his brother's break Harry out of the Dursley's in their FLYING CAR, we meet Dobby. Dobby, the most annoying little house elf if I've ever known one, is hell-bent on keeping Harry from returning to Hogwart's. Something about Harry being in mortal danger if he should return. It seems fitting that I have a picture of myself strangling Dobby:

{circa 2007}

Of course, Harry doesn't listen to Dobby (there would be no story then), and spends the last month of his summer with the Weasley's, which Harry proclaims to be "the happiest of his life". Oh Harry. The usual back-to-school shopping is done and Harry sees for himself how poor (money wise), the Weasley's actually are. Which brings up another question: Why doesn't Harry offer to buy Ron something for school? I mean, they did let him stay with them and they fed him for an entire month!  And then, later on, when they are back in school and Ron's wand is broken, Harry daftly states "write home for another one"- as if he hasn't actually seen the bare insides of the Weasley's bank vault. No Harry, YOU should buy Ron a new wand! Or is that expecting too much from a 12 year old boy?

{You tell him, Alfred}

We are also introduced another new character in the Chamber of Secrets: Gilderoy Lockhart - the author of the majority of their school text books and their new Defence Against the Dark Arts professor. For the most part, I just find his character quite amusing. Not sure how he achieved the status that he has, seeing as all of his spells go wrong.

We end this first half of the book with:
-Harry hearing voices
-learning that the house names come from the 4 wizards and witches that founded Hogwarts
-the original Slytherin (the wizard from which this name comes from), left Hogwarts at one point in a disagreement and built a hidden chamber of secrets in the castle and the only person who can open it is the true heir (whoever that is - Malfoy? Harry?)
-Hermione convinces Ron and Harry that they must make The Polyjuice Potion in order to get inside information from Malfoy.
-Harry breaks his arm in Quidditch, Gilderoy Lockhart performs another shoddy spell to fix Harry's arm, but ends up turning it into a rubber glove.

So while Harry lies in the infirmary, waiting for his arm to heal, Dobby returns and tells him to go home and admits the bludger that broke Harry's arm in the Quidditch match was rigged by none other than himself. Harry then over hears Dumbledore confirm that the chamber of secrets is indeed open again but by who or how they do not know...


*I'm finding it tough to search for Harry Potter gifs without spoiling things for myself so if you've come here looking for HP gifs, I am sorry to have let you down.

"There are some things you can't share without ending up liking each other..."

Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone Part II

And just like that, the first book in the Harry Potter series is done. I mean, yes, it's been two weeks since the readalong started, but still. This whole readalong is just gonna fly by, isn't it?

I'm trying to gather my thoughts and feelings and put them into a coherent post, but it's TOUGH. So much happened in such a short book! And if JKR could write about so much in just over 200 pages, then imagine the adventures that must be in store in her bigger books! My brain can't even comprehend all that's to come. Good thing I'm an adult and should be able to handle the bigger books like any ol' 12 year old reading Harry Potter.

Readalongs are the best.

So since we left off:

- JKR does a good job of making you believe that Snape is pure evil. Or at least I sure fell for it. I mean, I still don't really like him, but I am kind of glad that he's not totally out to get Harry.

-Finally! Hermione, Harry and Ron are the best of friends:

"But from that moment on, Hermione Granger became their friend. There are some things you can't share without ending up liking each other, and knocking out a twelve-foot mountain troll is one of them." (p. 132)

Friends forever.

-Hallelujah! Because now Hermione's nagging and bossiness is much more tolerable for some reason. I think the tone from one character towards another changes when the characters actually like each other which changes the reader's feelings towards said characters. Now that Harry and Ron are friendly with Hermione, her bossiness is just a quirk that we can all put up with. And I say this as a very bossy person myself. Because my husband tells me all the time that I'm quite bossy, yet he still loves me. So there.

-Harry finally experiences Christmas as one should and it's his "best Christmas day ever". Which is terribly sad considering that it didn't take a lot for Harry to have the best Christmas ever. A few thoughtful presents, and a great feast? God, Dursley's, how could you not have been even a little bit nice to Harry on Christmas?

-The second terribly sad thing to happen in this part of the book (well, actually this part was the saddest to me, but it came after the aforementioned sad thing): Harry discovers the Mirror of Erised and sees the parents he's never even met in it. And it's all he can think about when he's not in sitting in front of the mirror. But then Dumbledore explains to Harry that the mirror "shows us nothing more or less than the deepest, most desperate desire of our hearts". And in that moment, my heart breaks for Harry. For the childhood he missed out on, the parents he never had and will never know and for all the unanswered questions he has and may never get answers to.

-We end this book with Harry coming out a hero (obviously). Harry, Ron and Hermione successfully put Fluffy to sleep, drop through the trap door and solve their way through the obstacles in order to get Harry to the Philosopher's Stone. This is where we find out that it's Quirrell who's all evil and not Snape. And Quirrell's not only evil, but he's also housing Voldemort in the back of his head. Which is disturbing, because, two heads in one. But Harry, just a young wizard, overcomes both Quirrell and Voldemort and manages to keep the Philosopher's Stone out of the wrong hands, before he passes out. When Harry comes to, Dumbledore tells him that the stone has been destroyed, but me thinks Dumbledore is *gasp* lying to Harry. We shall see.

Best quote of the second half of the book (other than the title of the this post of course):

'So light a fire!' Harry choked.
'Yes - of course - but there's no wood!' Hermione cried, wringing her hands.
'HAVE YOU GONE MAD?' Ron bellowed. 'ARE YOU A WITCH OR NOT?' (p. 202)

"Every child in our world will know his name!"

 Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone Part I

So before we all started this Harry Potter readalong, there was a lot of Harry Potter talk, and all I could think about was how overwhelmed I was not knowing much at all about the wonderful world of Harry Potter. BUT NOW. Now, it's all starting to make sense! Yay, soon (like the next few months soon), I will no longer be living under this rock where all I know is Harry Potter's name. While I have this vague feeling while reading this first book of having read it before, I really don't remember much of it at all. Other than poor Harry living under the stairs for the first 10 years of his life.

This week we read Chapters one through nine. And while I couldn't possibly provide any spoilers for things to come, spoilers are inevitable for what has already been read. So consider yourself warned. Although I'm pretty sure this isn't going to be an issue for like anyone. 

"...He'll be famous - a legend - I wouldn't be surprised if today was known as Harry Potter day in future - there will be books written about Harry - every child in our world will know his name!" (p. 15)

- When JKR wrote that quote, do you think she had any idea just how famous Harry Potter would really become? It's amazing really - to think about writing a series of books that would become so famous that literally everyone has heard of them. 

- Oh god The Dursley's are the most infuriating people EVER. I wanted to reach through the pages and grab them all by the scruff of their necks and shake 'em.  My blood pressure literally rose when Harry kept receiving all those letters and Mr Dursley kept intercepting ALL OF THEM. I really hope Harry casts a spell on them later on. Why did Dumbledore leave Harry with the awful Dursley's for SO LONG? Why was it so necessary that he be "raised" (and I use that term loosely because he wasn't really raised - he was pretty much neglected) by blood-relatives? Would Harry going off to Wizard school not seem as exciting to the reader had he been raised in a loving household? Or was JKR just following the whole orphan-hero theme that is so common in so many children's stories (Pippi, Series of Unfortunate Events, James and the Giant Peach, Hugo Cabret, etc). I mean, I like Harry right away, but is that because I feel compassion and empathy for what he's been through? Is that the whole point?

- When Harry figured out he could talk to the snake at the zoo, I pictured the snake from The Jungle Book. I'm sure that snake didn't get far - much like Alfred The Turtle.

- We meet Hagrid! And I love him. I love that he gets to give Harry hope that there's actually a whole other life waiting for him outside of the sheltered one he's living with the Dursley's. And he brings Harry a birthday cake and buys him his owl for a birthday gift, knowing very well that Harry's never gotten anything for his birthday before. Tell me that isn't sweet!

- Oh Ron and Hermione. I mean, I know they all become great friends (well, I'm assuming this based on the film previews I've seen), but Hermione - you are SO annoying. And SO bossy! I'm assuming she becomes more tolerable as the books go on...and by "as the books go on", I mean, it better happen in this book.

Oh, The CUTENESS!

- All the first year students take turns sitting under the sorting hat to see which house they get placed in. (Now I get all this house talk!). Does Harry's dream (that he doesn't remember when he wakes up) about how he must transfer to Slytherin because that's his destiny, foreshadowing events to come?? Hmmm. Don't answer that.

- I do not remember Snape, but I do not like him.

- Harry's a natural at broom-flying.

When I got to the end of chapter 9, there was an old bookmark in the page from when this book was last read over 10 years ago. In the same spot that this part of the readalong ended! It's like I knew I'd be back one day.

Harry Potter Readalong: LET'S DO THIS

So all the cool kids are doing this Harry Potter readalong (THE ENTIRE SERIES) hosted by Alice over at Reading Rambo, and well, I wanna be a cool kid too dammit! Also, (confession time) I've never really read Harry Potter. *GASP* I know. Well, that's not entirely true. I know I read the first book in the series, and I'm pretty sure I read the second one, and maybe even the third one, but this was over 10 years ago people so really, the whole HP experience is going to be brand new to me. And since readalongs with this particular group of people - not that I have any other readalong experience - are THE BEST, it was a nobrainer on joining along. And it's not too late for you to join in too! Pretty much everyone except Megs and I have read the series.

I was about 14 years old when the first Harry Potter book came out. I wasn't really a big reader back then, but I did read. I remember my little brother, who would have been 7 or 8 at the time The Philosopher's Stone came out, loving the first few books in the series. My mom would buy them for him and then I would get to read them once he was done. When the first big book in the series came out - The Goblet of Fire - my brother was visibly upset that it was such a big book. He was so overwhelmed by it and so angry with being overwhelmed, that he hid it somewhere and said no one could read it if he couldn't. I wasn't that invested in the series seeing as how when you wait over a year in between books being released, it's easy to lose momentum.I figured I'd get around to them one day.

But then the films started coming out. And I've had this thing, even back when I wasn't really a reader, where I tried my best to always read the book before the film. So I told myself that I would start the series over and read the book before seeing the first movie. Well, that never happened and then the second movie was coming out, and then the third, and you get the picture. By that point I kind of gave up trying to catch up.

I've always planned on reading Harry Potter. Heck, I even own FIVE books in the series and in hardcover to boot! The first one might even be the original that my brother owned.

And not only that, but I worked in a book store during the midnight release party for The Deathly Hallows and I even have the t-shirt to prove it. It's like a concert shirt but for book nerds and yes I still own it, even 5 years after the fact. It's like fate knew I would one day need a picture of said shirt for this blog post.

The Deathly Hallows Midnight Release Party

Been there, done that, got the t-shirt

So yay! I'm FINALLY going to read Harry Potter. My sister-in-law will be so proud. I also plan on watching each movie following the completion of each book. Because that was my original plan - way back before blogging - read one book, followed by it's movie until both book and film series was complete! I'm so happy to be reading the series in a group though.  And since pretty much everyone on the planet has already read them, you should be able to read all my posts in all their glory and share in all the feelings because spoilers won't be an issue for you!

**Edit: So it's come to my attention from Alice's comment below and everyone's intro posts that spoilers for ALL the books are a given at any time. And THAT'S OK GUYS. Really, it's my own damn fault that I haven't read the books yet. And I'm pretty sure I've heard spoiler-ish stuff during my bookstore working years. So deep breath. Spoil away.

The Grapes of Wrath The End: "And gradually the greatest terror of all came along."

It's been a month since we started The Grapes of Wrath readalong and sadly, today, it comes to an end. I'm not so much sad that the book is over, I'm really more sad that the readalong is over. And I'm really glad that I read this book with an awesome group of people, because it allows you to talk about all the WTF moments and depressing moments and the feeling sad moments. Really, if you haven't done a readalong before you, you really should.  Oh ya, and spoilers ahead. Obviously, because it's the end of the book! And WE MUST talk about the end of the book.

ANYWAY. The Grapes of Wrath has now been read in its entirety. And let me just get it out there - I DID NOT see that ending coming. But first, let's talk about the last 1/4 of the book!

When we last left off, the Joad's were still living in the government camp, enjoying the flushing toilets, hot water and daily baths. Well, they lived in said camp for about a month at which point there was no longer work for the men and food was pretty much scarce. Ma decides it's time to pack 'er up and hit the road to look for work:

Ma plunged the dish into the bucket. "We'll go in the mornin'," she said.

Pa sniffled. "Seems like times is changed," he said sarcastically. "Time was when a man said what we'd do. Seems like women is tellin' now. Seems like it's purty near time to get out a stick."

Silly Pa. We all know Ma is the boss. 

Rosasharn still hasn't given birth to her baby and she's craving dirt (most likely iron deficiency) and getting all snooty because she hasn't had milk in a long time, even though she was told by the "nurses" in the camp she should. Then she tells Ma that if Connie hadn't taken off, she'd be living in a house with all the milk she needs! (Delusional.) So Ma decides Rosasharn should have her ears pierced before she gives birth. Because that makes sense. 

So once Rosasharn's ears are pierced, the Joad's pack up and find a peach farm that is hiring pickers. It takes the poor family a whole day of picking just to earn one dollar which buys them just enough food for supper. The living conditions here are poor and the whole operation is run with strict enforcement - almost like a prison.  It was hard not to have a lump in my throat while reading this section - I just kept waiting for the bomb to drop.  WHERE IS THE BOMB, STEINBECK?

But then Tom decides to sneak out of the camp to explore and he runs into Casy! Yay, Casy! Except Casy has joined the strikers and while he's convincing Tom to convince his family to stop working, he gets his head bashed in. And then Tom get hit in the face, but manages to pick up the club and hit a guy on the head with it, killing him. It was all very sudden and a bit gory. And poor Casy. But luckily Tom is able to sneak back into the camp where he has to tell his family the truth. Now that his face is bashed up, he has to lie low and can't help his family pick peaches. When the Joad's realize how much trouble Tom is in if he gets caught, they decide to pack up again and sneak Tom out of the camp. 

Next stop: Cotton picking!  At this point, Tom decides he needs to hide in the brush until his face heals. And the rest of the Joad's get to pick cotton by day and live in a boxcar by night. Am I the only one that thought boxcar meant a little wooden car, and was thinking how the hell do entire families sleep in a boxcar? Are you on drugs, Steinbeck? Ya, me neither.

Boxcar in Brie's head

Boxcar like the Joad's would have lived in.

But then silly Ruthie gets in a fist fight with some kids and like typical kids, they start threatening to get their older brother's to beat them up at which point Ruthie blabs about her having a brother who's killed two people. Ma knows Tom can't come back now, even once his face his healed, so she gives him some money and we never hear of him again.

And then the RAIN comes. But it doesn't just rain, it pours. Literally. It rains so much that fields are wiped out, families living arrangements are threatened by flooding, and everybody and everything is soaking wet. And this means there are no jobs and therefore no food. And really, is there even hope anymore at this point?

Of course, this is when Rosasharn goes into labour. And while the men are outside in the pouring rain, trying to build up a bank to prevent the streams from flooding their boxcars, Rosasharn gives birth to a stillborn. WHICH, I think is a good thing, because I'm pretty sure raising a baby at a young age, all on your own back in those days wasn't easy (or acceptable in most people's eyes). Unless your a widow. Then I think most folks just pity you.

At this point, we only have a few pages left. And I'm thinking, how can this all end in a few pages?! Is Steinbeck going to have everyone DROWN!?

Spoiler: No one drowns. But the water keeps coming and the boxcars are flooding, so the Joad's wade out to find dry ground. They come across a barn on the other side of the road, but they quickly realize they aren't alone in the barn. In the corner is a young boy with his starving, dying father. But no one has any food, let alone milk (milk seems to be the answer for sickly people in this book) and so Ma and Rosasharn share a knowing look and Ma ushers everyone out to the tool shed. AND THEN ROSASHARN BREASTFEEDS THE DYING MAN. And she strokes his hair, whispers "there, there", and smiles mysteriously. Mysteriously? Why mysteriously? THE END.

Ok, ok, I get there's some underlying symbolism here that I'm failing to grasp, like there's still hope even though life is shit, but COME ON. Well, Steinbeck, if you were going for shock factor, mission accomplished!

I'm not sure what I was expecting to happen (see first gif), but I was hoping for a little more closure at the end of the book - like some epilogue of the Joad's finding steady work, renting a small home, having enough food to eat, etc, etc. But I guess that would be too neat and tidy and hope is always the best ending, right? Well at least everyone's still alive (minus the people that previously died I mean). Although, if we're going to be all honest here, I am a little disappointed that Tom never got caught breaking his parole. I felt like there was so much foreshadowing for this, but I guess him having to leave his family and fend for himself at the end was punishment of itself.

In conclusion, I WILL MISS YOU READALONG peeps. Let's do this again real soon!

The women watched the men, watched to see whether the break had come at last. The women stood silently and watched. And where a number of men gathered together, the fear went from their faces, and anger took its place. And the women sighed with relief, for they knew it was all right-the break had come; and the break would never come as long as fear could turn to wrath. 

The Grapes of Wrath Part III: "Our people are good people; our people are kind people"

Well. It's Tuesday again. Which means we're 3/4 of the way through The Grapes of Wrath readalong! I'm sorry to those of you who haven't been able to follow along because of the spoilers and I swear I didn't plan on only posting about the wrathful grapes this month. Lucky for you, we only have one week left of these Steinbeckian shenanigans.

So last time we left off, poor Granma had died and The Joad's had just crossed over into California. Here's what's been going on since then:

First of all: NO HUMAN OR ANIMAL DIED OR WAS KILLED in this part!! High five, Steinbeck!

So, Steinbeck paints us a pretty bleak picture of California. One in which there are more people than jobs and more mouths to feed than there is food. The people out West are basically threatened by the folks from out East. The more hungry men looking for work, the less money said man is willing to work for. Which pretty much fucks everyone over because then no worker can bargain for more money once those standards have been lowered. The fruit trees bear more fruit than can be eaten before everything spoils. People are starving but charity is not an option. It's a freakin' losing battle.

"There is a crime here that goes beyond denunciation. There is a sorrow here that weeping cannot symbolize. There is a failure here that topples all our success. The fertile earth, the straight tree rows, the sturdy trunks, and the ripe fruit. And children dying of pellagra must die because a profit cannot be taken from an orange. And coroners must fill in the certificates-died of malnutrition-because the food must rot, must be forced to rot."

No one can eat this here food.

Then we have the LONGEST.CHAPTER.EVER: Chapter 20.  But lot's of things happen. The Joad's get their first real taste of Cali. They're starting to get it - that there aren't jobs-a-plenty afterall. Life in the camps is sketchy. No one has any food, everyone is starving and the police are scaring everyone. Then Steinbeck decides it's time to whittle down the character-load again.  So we see Connie wander off when he realizes he made a big mistake coming to California and just needs to "get on his feet", and leaves his pregnant girlfriend behind. No one goes after Connie. A scuffle breaks out in the camp, the police show up, and Tom forgets (FORGETS?!) that he's on parole so Casy takes the fall for him and gets hauled off to jail.

Connie gets the hell outta dodge.

The Joad's know they can't stay in their current camp and when they catch wind of a government camp they quickly head out. This camp is too good to be true, guys. It's clean and orderly. There's running water, flushing toilets, hot water, committee's, Saturday night dances. And as luck would have it, there was ONE available spot when the Joad's showed up. How's that for convenience?

There's only about a hundred pages left in the book...I'm nervous to see how Steinbeck is going to wrap things up. Everything seems to be going along ok right now. I mean, besides the lack of jobs. Who'll wander off next? Will we see Casy again? What about Alfred the turtle? Noah? Connie?