Tonight we all dressed in black and white with a splash of red to discuss our fun book. Anya did an amazing job. We were able to watch an interview with the author and get some insight into her thought process as she wrote. The fact that she is an artist made the imagery in the book more real. We even tried to cast the movie a bit on our own. It is interesting that the only character she thought in her head was Geoffery Rush as Hector Bowen/Prospero.
Anya gave us cards with questions. That was so nice and a fun keepsake from the evening. We talked about the tents and attractions we would want to see and avoid. We talked about whether or not it was fair to bring all the circus performances into a contract they were unaware of. I wanted to know who were the favorite characters. Personally I liked the twins. Along with all this we talked about the food, too. Anya provided hot chocolate, chocolate mice, popcorn, cinnamon twists and caramel apples. A memorable book club for sure. Hopefully someone can add a picture of us from this evening.
The imagery and power of words in this book makes me want to read it over and over. Here are just a few of the many quotes I liked from within it's pages.
“The finest of pleasures are always the unexpected ones.”
“Secrets have power. And that power diminishes when they are shared, so they are best kept and kept well. Sharing secrets, real secrets, important ones, with even one other person, will change them. Writing them down is worse, because who can tell how many eyes might see them inscribed on paper, no matter how careful you might be with it. So it's really best to keep your secrets when you have them, for their own good, as well as yours.”
“Most maidens are perfectly capable of rescuing themselves in my experience, at least the ones worth something, in any case.”
“Someone needs to tell those tales. When the battles are fought and won and lost, when the pirates find their treasures and the dragons eat their foes for breakfast with a nice cup of Lapsang souchong, someone needs to tell their bits of overlapping narrative. There's magic in that. It's in the listener, and for each and every ear it will be different, and it will affect them in ways they can never predict. From the mundane to the profound. You may tell a tale that takes up residence in someone's soul, becomes their blood and self and purpose. That tale will move them and drive them and who knows what they might do because of it, because of your words. That is your role, your gift. Your sister may be able to see the future, but you yourself can shape it, boy. Do not forget that... there are many kinds of magic, after all.”
“The most difficult thing to read is time. Maybe because it changes so many things.”
“You're in the right place at the right time, and you care enough to do what needs to be done. Sometimes that's enough.”
“The truest tales require time and familiarity to become what they are.”
“I think looking forward will be better than looking back.”
“And there are never really endings, happy or otherwise. Things keep going on, they overlap and blur, your story is part of your sister's story is part of many other stories, and there is no telling where any of them may lead.”
“Good and evil are a great deal more complex than a princess and a dragon . . . is not the dragon the hero of his own story?”
“We must put effort and energy into anything we wish to change.”
“Better to have a single perfect diamond than a sack of flawed stones.”
