Refuge Book Club: Martyr! A Novel by Kaveh Akbar - TBD

Looks like I might have to work late this evening…

Would a delay to next week be alright?

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I fully support a delay

Next week works!

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Let’s go next week! Hope that doesn’t lose anyone who was ready to go…

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Next week works for me!

Hey crew

Thinking tomorrow 6pm pst? I’m pretty flexible though because it’s a Canadian holiday

I’ve dug up some discussion questions- hidden for spoilers

Summary
  1. Driving is a central theme throughout the first section of the book. What would a car and more freedom mean for Sarah and David? Does the ability to drive signify something beyond the ability to drive away from uncomfortable situations, and how would the story change if the characters could drive?

  2. Ms. Rozot is new to the school and comforts Sarah after she breaks down. She tells Sarah that young people experience emotional pain more intensely than adults do. Has this been true in your own experience?

  3. Sarah chooses to write about her high school experiences, though her version seems to differ from the actual events. What are some clues early on that Sarah’s story is not completely true?

  4. The story breaks suddenly in the middle of the book. Were you able to stay grounded in the new sections?

  5. Sarah makes the choice to make Mr. Kingsley gay in her version of the story, but in reality he is straight. How does this change the interactions he has with his female students?

  6. How reliable of a narrator do we find Karen, versus Sarah? Do you think that either of their stories is accurate?

  7. Though the novel is set far before the #MeToo movement, its exploration of consent and what it means to be a young person influenced by people in power is relevant to our conversations about consent today. How does this book illuminate those conversations, and what does it mean for a teenager to consent to adult situations in any era?

  8. The characters in Trust Exercise often seem much older than fifteen in terms of sexuality and romantic relationships. Do you think older Sarah is embellishing her past sexuality to shock readers of her novel, or do we discount teenage sexuality as we get older?

  9. How does Trust Exercise differ in its portrayal of a performing arts high school from previous portrayals, such as those in Fame or Glee?

  10. Could the book be arranged differently? How might that change the way we read the story, and the extent to which we trust each narrator?

And here’s an article I found interesting

https://www.newyorker.com/books/under-review/who-owns-a-story-trust-exercise-susan-choi

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6:00 EST? That’s about three hours earlier than usual for us. Interesting, it’s also an American holiday (Veterans Day) though not too many folks get it off of work. Either way, the time is fine with me.

No sorry! Typo…pst

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9PM EST works for me :+1: do we need my zoom?

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That would be great! Won’t have to pester Jscore and Vinegar that way

Hey all, here is the zoom link. I’ll probably be on closer to 9. Excited to talk about the book!

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bump

Thanks again to all for another great discussion!

Next two bookclub discussions:

Next book (mid December or early January)

Great suggestion (some time ago) from @CoCrFanBoy of “ The Amazing Adventures of Kavalier & Clay” by Michael Chabon. This is a long one so lots to read but looks like it will be a fun read! We’re ambitiously thinking mid December but recognize it could be early Jan with holidays etc.

On deck (February/March):

We also have a book on deck thanks to @CMick26 (so lots of time for people who are slow readers :grinning:): “Matterhorn“ by Karl Marlantes

If you’re interested in checking this one out after hearing @MerchCzar discuss on trapdraw pod, #getinvolved

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Damn! Missed the bump due to some client work - hope it was a good convo!

Hope you can join us for one of the next books!

It was. Certainly a book you want to talk about after reading.

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Really disappointed to miss last night, that book was perfect for a book club discussion. Just had too much dadding to do well past 8.

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Kavalier & Clay is one of the best and most enjoyable novels I’ve ever read. One of those books where you can really enjoy it at the surface level or dig in and get a few layers deep. I’ve read it twice and each time was a totally different, but equally delightful experience.

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Fully support this statement. It’s such a good book. I’m going to have to jump in on the next book club for sure.

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So is it both books? Discussion at the same time or staggered? Just trying to figure out which book to buy and read first.