Bookcover Spotlight

This is bizarre! 

Girls 19 & 20

  

So this one's a little different. Some dudes are partying with some women they picked up and they decide to ditch (???) the women... but that doesn't go well. They don't know about the barrier around town and they drive their boat right into it. Oops. They're toast. The women decide to go for help, not knowing where they are, but unfortunately they run into the "girls" who are everywhere. Doesn't go well. As always, love the dialogue. 

"Hey! I didn't expect these guys to take us out to the fucking boonies, okay? And no one made you get on the damn boat and get wasted, Jenna, so shut up." 

Right. So the "girls" take the bodies to the sperm- thing and feed them to it while Ethan sees this happening from the cornfield. And then he spies the original "girl" - the one he took in- and they have a moment. It doesn't last though. Taylor comes running up, pursued by "girls" and Ethan helps her escape. They make it back to her place and realize the sperm- monster is growing. And we check in on Lester who's alone but none of the other guys want to hang around. Still can't believe they didn't just go back to the others. 

The women, meanwhile, are fleeing for their lives, pursued by murderous "girls". The main group fights 'em off but not before taking a casualty. Taylor asks Ethan if anything is going on with him and the original "girl". He says no, and then Wes shows up. Just like a bad penny. They all catch each other up on on the latest happenings, and when Taylor relates what Nancy did, Wes agrees that the men are dangerous. Wes and Ethan then debate whether the men should be trusted, and we have an uneasy love triangle. 

The women, meanwhile, are still trying to make it through the woods. Nancy and Alexis have it out, and they find more eggs. Lotsa eggs. 

"We are being wiped out, while the men have a freak show fuck-a-thon, and you blame me for tearing this town apart?"

Who made the eggs? Why does Nancy look horrified when she sees someone's clothes on the ground? Does she recognize 'em? Barbara, meanwhile, is not going to make it, and asks them to put her out of her misery. 

Issue 20! We are nearing the end. Barbara is dead and Alexis is fighting with Nancy on how to proceed when "girls" show up and abscond with the body. Nancy wants to go after them and they discover that the sperm- monster is now ginormous. The women book it out of there but who do they find? Lester on the road, being followed by a "girl". Nancy wants to take care of business but the others just want to get home. And Nancy admits that it was Kenny's shirt she saw at the last batch of eggs. 

Ethan, meanwhile, leaves to find the original "girl"- he can feel where she is- and finds out she can talk. He wants answers but she tells him he has to have faith- trust her. She's in a lake and he goes in, and they kiss... oh, never mind. He's dreaming. Or was he?? He wakes up and Wes wants to help the women- and get the guns. Taylor comes along, pointing out she's already shot several "girls", and they go to the McCallisters. And oh my gosh- Lester is sleeping with a "girl" who followed him home. And Nancy beheads her! Gah!! 

You never know with this comic. Lester says he didn't sleep with her- you know, sleep sleep- he just wanted company.  

Lost Horizon Readalong

So the Lost Horizon readalong is complete! Big thanks to LaLa for reading along with me- this was a fun one. And kind of a relevant read too, in many ways- at least I thought so. In the era of virus pandemic it was very interesting to read about a place of refuge like Shangri-La. A place where those weary of the world can perhaps retreat and find an escape. But is the escape worth the price? That is, of course, the central question of this story.

I'm not going to do a review of this story, rather I wanted to just generate some discussion and mull over some of the questions raised by the book. So, without further ado, here are my thoughts and questions. And anyone please feel free to jump in! Whether you've read the book, or even if you haven't but just want to weight in- I'd love to know your thoughts. Have you read Lost Horizon? 

So the gist of the story is that four people being evacuated from India during a revolution are kidnapped and taken to remote Tibet, where they find a lamasery hidden deep in the mountains. And this will get a little spoilery so heads up if you want to avoid details. The protagonist is Conway, a world weary British official who slowly comes to realize that maybe their arrival in Shangri-La was no accident. The lamasery itself is a refuge from the world, hidden away and remote, and yet they have some modern amenities- and even more astonishingly, they also seem to have a way to prolong life. Before long Conway and his companions must decide- do they want to stay in Shangri-La with its possibility of extended lifespan, or do they return to the outside world?   

Discussion

The first sentence made me laugh as it references old school friends and how they find, oftentimes, that they have less in common than they remember! 

"Americans, Conway reflected, had the knack of being able to say patronizing things without being offensive." Hmm... I'm not sure that's true anymore! 

"What most observers failed to perceive in him was something quite bafflingly simple; a love of questions, contemplation, and being alone." Said every introvert ever!

Brinklow adjusting her hat as their plane crashed! 

Okay, so... the promise of Shangri-La is not only escape from the outside world, but a stewardship of the world's cultural treasures and knowledge. A repository of wisdom against the threat of future annihilation. The tricky part is- once you're there, you're not allowed to leave. How would you feel about being rescued and finding peace in a sheltered valley, with an extended lifespan? Would you want to go? 

Complicating things is the fact that the High Lama encourages people to be brought there- so rather than just an occasional itinerant seeking knowledge, people are actually brought there against their will. And it's hinted that while the lamas may not physically prevent one from leaving, they may withhold the aid that would be necessary to survive the journey to the outer world. 

I kinda think this validates a lot of Mallinson's objection to the place. I found myself thinking throughout the book that I'd be happy to stay there (especially during this pandemic) but... does this intentional deception make the place evil in some ways? I think you can argue yes. 

I love the setting- the blue rooftops, colonnades, lotus pools and pavilions. The library sounds lovely with its bays and alcoves and is described as spacious and lofty. 

Do you ever feel like you don't have enough time? Conway feels that if he stays he will no longer have to worry that he is wasting time in idleness. With a longer lifespan he can indulge in whims, study subjects that might seem frivolous in the outside world, and just generally have what we all crave- more time? 

Tuesday Tagline #187

Beneath her mask of beauty lay a web of violent death   😳           

  

 Top Ten Tuesday is a weekly feature hosted by That Artsy Reader Girl. Each week a new Top Ten list will be posted. Everyone is welcome to join. Link back so everyone can check out other bloggers' lists. It's a fun way to get to know fellow bloggers.

This week is Books I Wish I Had Read As A Child.       

This would have been perfect.  

I've never read this book but I think as a child it would have been great. 



I loved The Secret of NIMH but only recently read this. 



Fun! 



These look amazing. 



I would have devoured these as a youngster. 



All the awesome YA books that are now out. 

Song Lyrics 41

Slither by Velvet Revolver. The video tells a story about a woman in Paris looking for an underground club. I love how she's searching the catacombs for the place.

Sunday Post #347

  

The Sunday Post is a weekly meme hosted by Kimba the Caffeinated Book Reviewer

Stacking the Shelves is hosted by Tynga's Reviews

It's Monday! What Are You Reading is hosted by Book Date 

  

So I have a couple of ducks living in my yard. They've been coming every morning and eating the birdseed and I'm kinda liking having them around? I live in a subdivision and still get a fair amount of critters- a hawk has been showing up at times also-but lately these ducks have been coming every day. 

Let's see- this week I stumbled across randomstreetview.com. I saw it on Twitter- you click a button and it takes you to a random country- and you can then just sightsee, sort of. It's like Google Earth where you can just click around random roadways. I'm looking at Arzen, France right now.

Be safe this week!     

Song of the week

PULP COVER OF THE WEEK: 

NEW ARRIVAL/ UPCOMING REVIEWS:

BOOKISH LINKS  

This is awesome.  

I discovered this after following a link at Lauren's post last week