|
Post by ghosthostdiane on May 6, 2016 17:32:06 GMT
Many of you should be through the first few chapters about now and I thought it would be fun to put this question out for discussion. If you already know the answer, no spoilers!
There are several pieces of family history missing from the archives spanning three separate times in the family history. It is believed that John, the Duke, removed them. What do you think those missing pieces reveal or what is John trying to hide?
|
|
|
Post by jillaxel on May 6, 2016 17:41:27 GMT
I am guessing that he either had something to do with his brother's death, or he knows something about his mom that is so scandalous the family can't afford for the secret to get out. ?
|
|
|
Post by rookshideout on May 6, 2016 17:53:10 GMT
I also think he's trying to hide something his mother did or was involved in- but what? A dark discovery? It seems like the family may have been interested in the occult.
|
|
|
Post by rookshideout on May 6, 2016 17:54:17 GMT
Also, his uncle must be involved too. Wonder if that's his father's brother or mother's...
|
|
|
Post by Oddities Bob on May 6, 2016 18:27:11 GMT
I shouldnt have looked at the photos!
Though what I suspect happened doesnt really explain why he would removed all the correspondence from that period, especially when they were hidden anyway. Also, to hide what i suspect he is hiding would need far more to be removed.
|
|
|
Post by rookshideout on May 6, 2016 22:06:08 GMT
I'm on my lunch break and left book at home. I hate when I do that!
|
|
|
Post by ghosthostdiane on May 7, 2016 0:54:48 GMT
Bob, I looked at pictures before anything else too, so I'm thinking the brother being dead has some kind of impact here. Since I don't know how he died yet, I wonder if a family member caused it. I find it really weird that his correspondence during the early part of Britain getting in the war seems to be as if he is in some far off land where nothing is going on. And with there being earlier pieces of history gone, I think you guys have a point about the mother too.
|
|
|
Post by Oddities Bob on May 10, 2016 14:52:26 GMT
How is everyone getting on with this? Im about 3/4 of the way through.
|
|
|
Post by rookshideout on May 13, 2016 14:22:28 GMT
How is everyone getting on with this? Im about 3/4 of the way through. I'm about half way done and just read about a key location that rests on a limestone escarpment! Well well well!
|
|
|
Post by katy830 on May 13, 2016 21:30:37 GMT
I definitely think there is a link to the occult as well, especially since he seems to have little to no interest in what is happening during the war in the June letters when he was so thorough detailing the proceeding in the months prior. Perhaps he was collecting some more things for his obsessive (and sometimes macabre) catalogues?
To answer the other question, I'm terribly behind lol The library just got my copy in a couple days ago so I'm only a 1/4 of the way through.
|
|
|
Post by Oddities Bob on May 16, 2016 20:28:09 GMT
I'm on chapter 53 now, and it maybe just me, but the style of the book changes about 2/3rds in.
|
|
|
Post by Oddities Bob on May 18, 2016 0:27:13 GMT
And finished.
|
|
|
Post by rookshideout on May 19, 2016 2:27:48 GMT
I keep waiting for the paranormal but so far seems straight history. I'm enjoying it though.
|
|
|
Post by ghosthostdiane on May 20, 2016 10:59:36 GMT
I think the marketers were pulling our legs on the haunted castle. And I'm about 3/4 through. I'm enjoying the book, although it was not what I thought it would be. I feel like I'm joining the author as we search through boxes of stuff. I would've loved unraveling the mystery.
|
|
|
Post by rookshideout on May 21, 2016 3:34:31 GMT
I think the marketers were pulling our legs on the haunted castle. And I'm about 3/4 through. I'm enjoying the book, although it was not what I thought it would be. I feel like I'm joining the author as we search through boxes of stuff. I would've loved unraveling the mystery. Totally agree! I think you as a writer appreciate the author's own research adventure.
|
|
|
Post by katy830 on May 22, 2016 13:43:51 GMT
I'm 2/3rds of the way into it. I am surprised at the lack of paranormal considering the way its marketed- maybe the family is "haunted" by their past mistakes and secrets?
I am enjoying it, though I am endlessly impressed with how tenacious she is in her search for answers. I don't think I'd have the patience to have to deal with so much digging to get answers. I appreciate being along for the ride regardless!
|
|
|
Post by rookshideout on Jun 4, 2016 23:54:18 GMT
Well I'm all done - and this book leaves me feeling let down. No explanation of Haddon's death and his reason for destroying his papers turned out to be so mundane! Not that it isn't a shameful secret, but the buildup to it was so great I expected something earth shattering. The writer should have left out the suspense and just given us a straight biography.
|
|
|
Post by Oddities Bob on Jun 5, 2016 16:43:35 GMT
Im with you, I was expecting some great revelation, and we ended up with a man falling in love, and no real explanation as to why the Duchess concealed the reasons for the boys death, nor how he actually died. In the case of Haddon, I suspect even with out the missing papers, that would remain a mystery.
As for the other mystery, something about it still didnt sit right for me. He went from being utterly determined to be with his regiment/company, and then at the drop of a hat, a pretty girl turns his head and he completely changes his way of thinking. I also wonder as to whether his desire to see action was as a result of his failure to get engaged previously, and he felt little value to life, though that doesn't sit well against his interest in history (though that was perhaps a little macabre, so the author seems to indicate), or the content of the letters to his uncle. or if he felt some guilt over the death of his brother, which he clearly had a bigger part in than the official story, and the evidence we have shows.
The author didnt start out to write this story, and I think she began writing it with out knowing where it would end. I think that she was hoping that the reason for the missing papers would turn out to be more than it did, but by the time she realised it, she didnt want to scrap many years work.
I enjoyed the earlier part of the book, where she was detailing her investigations, far more than the 2nd part which seemed to me to be her imagining the events as they may have happened, rather than simply, as previously done, providing transcripts of letters, or explanations as to what she found in the correspondence.
|
|
|
Post by rookshideout on Jun 6, 2016 13:48:39 GMT
Im with you, I was expecting some great revelation, and we ended up with a man falling in love, and no real explanation as to why the Duchess concealed the reasons for the boys death, nor how he actually died. In the case of Haddon, I suspect even with out the missing papers, that would remain a mystery. As for the other mystery, something about it still didnt sit right for me. He went from being utterly determined to be with his regiment/company, and then at the drop of a hat, a pretty girl turns his head and he completely changes his way of thinking. I also wonder as to whether his desire to see action was as a result of his failure to get engaged previously, and he felt little value to life, though that doesn't sit well against his interest in history (though that was perhaps a little macabre, so the author seems to indicate), or the content of the letters to his uncle. or if he felt some guilt over the death of his brother, which he clearly had a bigger part in than the official story, and the evidence we have shows. The author didnt start out to write this story, and I think she began writing it with out knowing where it would end. I think that she was hoping that the reason for the missing papers would turn out to be more than it did, but by the time she realised it, she didnt want to scrap many years work. I enjoyed the earlier part of the book, where she was detailing her investigations, far more than the 2nd part which seemed to me to be her imagining the events as they may have happened, rather than simply, as previously done, providing transcripts of letters, or explanations as to what she found in the correspondence.
|
|
|
Post by rookshideout on Jun 6, 2016 13:56:42 GMT
I can see what you mean about the author- she was probably bummed out too.
On the positive side, I really learned a lot about the Edwardian era from this book- Downton Abbey really seems to have hit the nail on the head with regards to class privilege and responsibilities. The marriage brokering, the scheming for power and influence...fascinating stuff. And how manipulated were the regular folk? Nothing has changed- the rich and powerful pull the strings and presumably always will.
|
|
|
Post by ghosthostdiane on Jun 10, 2016 0:38:57 GMT
Bob is spot on with his analysis! I'm sure the author was disappointed with the outcome too. I don't understand what was so terrible that John would go through and destroy so much. I'm sure the Duchess never said in correspondence what killed Haddon. I'm sure John did something purposefully because he was nothing to his parents with Haddon around. Not sure he meant to kill his brother, but he was trying to hurt him I believe. As for the other stuff, it was nothing horrible. I can't imagine living in that era with arranged type marriages and such. And the John at war thing was weird too. Makes you think the privileged didn't have to fight - I mean imagine going off to play while your fellows die. I found the book both interesting and disappointing. And where the heck were all my ghosts?!
|
|
|
Post by katy830 on Jun 13, 2016 2:55:56 GMT
I absolutely agree with the above analysis. So much build up with no pay off at the end for it. I enjoyed exploring the mystery with the author along the way but i ultimately felt a bit cheated.
|
|
|
Post by Oddities Bob on Jun 14, 2016 8:44:06 GMT
Bob is spot on with his analysis! I'm sure the author was disappointed with the outcome too. I don't understand what was so terrible that John would go through and destroy so much. I'm sure the Duchess never said in correspondence what killed Haddon. I'm sure John did something purposefully because he was nothing to his parents with Haddon around. Not sure he meant to kill his brother, but he was trying to hurt him I believe. As for the other stuff, it was nothing horrible. I can't imagine living in that era with arranged type marriages and such. And the John at war thing was weird too. Makes you think the privileged didn't have to fight - I mean imagine going off to play while your fellows die. I found the book both interesting and disappointing. And where the heck were all my ghosts?! They always did have to fight though, that for most of the middle ages was pretty much their purpose in life. They didnt train in martial arts from the moment they could hold a sword, just to look pretty!
|
|