laconicflow t1_iybznrz wrote on November 30, 2022 at 6:58 AM

Its been fifteen years since I read this book, so the details are fuzzy. But the reason why what you've said bothers me, is that if memory serves, and it probably does, the author is a great storyteller who commits to her premis, and the characters feel like real people. The sex of the time traveler could have been swapped, and how that would have changed the story would be interesting to know.

And I agree with you that a novel like this one does tell you something about a time and place and ethic. But I think what you've done is stuff a good story with symbolism like a turkey.

nimitzhunter t1_iyc6s38 wrote on November 30, 2022 at 8:36 AM

Op said he just read the prologue before writing this post. There is really not much to analyze from just a few short pages.

ThrowingSomeBruddahs OP t1_iyc0ddj wrote on November 30, 2022 at 7:07 AM

I’m not sure I follow. What symbolism have I stuffed the book with? All I’ve done is performed a close reading of the text and offered up an interpretation of the prologue. It’s the only part of the book I’ve read so far.

Edit: do people just not know what a close reading is? The arguments I’m making are supported by the text of the prologue.

Tanagrabelle t1_iycn4ts wrote on November 30, 2022 at 12:20 PM

Unless you've edited it, nowhere in your initial post do you indicate "I have read no more of this book than the prologue."

ThrowingSomeBruddahs OP t1_iyf92wf wrote on November 30, 2022 at 11:17 PM

I thought “this just from the first four pages” was enough of a signpost, but it appears that I was mistaken. I’ll be more clear in the future about the limitations of my analysis.

Stats_n_PoliSci t1_iyd8hfw wrote on November 30, 2022 at 3:20 PM

You’re reading way too much into the prologue. While correct in the context of the prologue, it’s giving you a very misleading perspective on Clare. The prologue sets up the story, but does not always, or often, give you a good perspective on the characters. It’s jarring to those of us who have read the book, especially since you don’t say in your post that you haven’t read the book yet.

ThrowingSomeBruddahs OP t1_iyf8fhf wrote on November 30, 2022 at 11:12 PM

Yeah, I’m now about a quarter of the way through the book and can see that the dynamics are much more complex than the prologue suggested.