July 2016 Book Club Book: The Shining Girls by Lauren Beukes

Discussion in 'TMB Book Club' started by RegimentML, Jul 5, 2016.

  1. Gonff

    Gonff Prince of Mousethieves
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    Just noticed a thread hadn't been made.

    [​IMG]

    The Girl Who Wouldn't Die Hunts the Killer Who Shouldn't Exist

    The future is not as loud as war, but it is relentless. It has a terrible fury all its own.

    Harper Curtis is a killer who stepped out of the past. Kirby Mazrachi is the girl who was never meant to have a future.

    Kirby is the last shining girl, one of the bright young women, burning with potential, whose lives Harper is destined to snuff out after he stumbles on a House in Depression-era Chicago that opens on to other times.

    At the urging of the House, Harper inserts himself into the lives of the shining girls, waiting for the perfect moment to strike. He's the ultimate hunter, vanishing into another time after each murder, untraceable-until one of his victims survives.

    Determined to bring her would-be killer to justice, Kirby joins the Chicago Sun-Times to work with the ex-homicide reporter, Dan Velasquez, who covered her case. Soon Kirby finds herself closing in on the impossible truth . . .

    The Shining Girls is a masterful twist on the serial killer tale: a violent quantum leap featuring a memorable and appealing heroine in pursuit of a deadly criminal.

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    Will get to it in a week or so
     
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  2. Truman

    Truman Well-Known Member
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  3. Lorne Malvo

    Lorne Malvo Aces!
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    Could I get it emailed? My user name at gmail. Tia!
     
  4. Truman

    Truman Well-Known Member
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    If you dont get a copy by tonight remind me and I can email you when Im home. But - I found it on myanon if you want to snatch it.
     
  5. Lorne Malvo

    Lorne Malvo Aces!
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    I tried from there and it didn't work which is odd.
     
  6. The Blackfish

    The Blackfish The Fish in Black
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    I'm a month behind. Just downloaded the I Let You Go audiobook to listen to with my wife and I'll read this when I'm finished with The Crippled God
     
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  7. Blackterno

    Blackterno Well-Known Member
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    I'll jump in once I finish my current book.
     
  8. KJROD20

    KJROD20 the ends will justify the means.
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    I started this morning, got about 40 pages in on the train ride and I'm into it. My first question is:

    how does the time machine house work? is it like 11/22/63 where you walk through a door into another time, or is that one room the portal?
     
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  9. Truman

    Truman Well-Known Member
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    Through the first 6 Chapters. Dont have any specifics, but am liking it. Quick fast moving chapters.
     
  10. Gonff

    Gonff Prince of Mousethieves
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    Just finished the second Dresden book. Will start this next
     
  11. Truman

    Truman Well-Known Member
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    Through: Harper 4 January 1932 (30%)

    Not sure what to think so far. King of choppy beginning. So far, I dont think Buekes is the best writer ever. Trying to make it more mysterious but not doing it well. However, once she described the 'rules' of the House, it made more sense. Kirby is obviously going to be the hero of this story. I like her and Dan's parts.

    Im not hating it, but not as good as I was hoping.

    Also, living in Chicago, it's pretty cool to see/hear locales around the city
     
  12. Lorne Malvo

    Lorne Malvo Aces!
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    10% in
    I think Harper is somehow gonna be Kirby's dad.

    Enjoying it so far. Pacing is good. Lots of mystery. Love the slow burn on how he's going forward in time.
     
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  13. laxjoe

    laxjoe Well-Known Member
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    just downloaded. starting later tonight or tomorrow
     
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  14. Truman

    Truman Well-Known Member
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    Through Kirby 23 March 1989

    I take back what I said about her being a poor writer. That attack on Kirby was brutal :blech: Poor Tokyo :tebow: I hope Harper gets what's coming to him.

    I was getting annoyed and really wanted to know what happened with Kirby and how she survived. Was worth the wait.

    Kind of wish we got more background on Harper though. Really dont have much of his motivation beside just the House telling him what to do and he just doing it
     
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  15. KJROD20

    KJROD20 the ends will justify the means.
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    that's very Oldboy of you.

    Just finished this chapter this morning.

    I'm wondering on Harper's motivation as well. He obviously wasn't a saint before finding the house, but he didn't seem like one to murder innocent girls. Right now it seems that the house just mystically causes you to murder, which is meh. I am still interested to see how Kirby cracks the case and if she eventually becomes a time killer herself.
     
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  16. Blackterno

    Blackterno Well-Known Member
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    I'm 20% in...really liking it
     
  17. Truman

    Truman Well-Known Member
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    After a choppy, slow start, Im really into this book.

    Through Harper No Time Chapter (60% completed)

    As I said really liking this now that the ball is rolling. Got my hopes up when I saw a Kirby chapter from 1932, but was immediately bummed we have to work backwards again. But now that she got a little thread from kid of the baseball card victim, feels like the pedal is to the medal.

    As far as Harper goes, still wish there was more backstory or internal dialogue to understand him better, but with that scene with him letting the car roll over his brother - I guess he just was a little psychopath from birth.
     
    #17 Truman, Jul 11, 2016
    Last edited: Jul 11, 2016
  18. KJROD20

    KJROD20 the ends will justify the means.
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    so i just got confuse at the chapter with Kirby in the house that came out of nowhere. I honestly need to ask if my epub is wrong. it was right after mal steals his money.
     
  19. Truman

    Truman Well-Known Member
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    lol no youre good. It wasnt a very smooth transition or whatever you want to call it. Read my post above yours, I talked about that a bit

    edit - dont do that until you caught up to the Harper no time chapter
     
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  20. Gonff

    Gonff Prince of Mousethieves
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    Just got to this part

    Fuck, that passage was hard to read. From Tokyo to her getting cut, man, tough stuff. Dog came through in the end, though.

    I think she's a solid writer. This book isn't my normal genre, but it flows well and it's kept me, for the most part, entertained. My only complaint is everyone has the same sort of cadence to their thoughts, the same sarcastic quips style of speaking and thinking. Even while their thoughts are different, I've gotten characters confused a couple times because I can't tell who's speaking until an identifier is used (landmark, reminder of the year, etc.). Maybe it's just me.

    Also, I agree with you on the House. I'm assuming it will get explained in more detail. Because right now, the guy is one-dimensional.
     
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  21. Truman

    Truman Well-Known Member
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    Through Jin-Sook 23 March 1993 (69% niiiiice)

    CHICAGO SUN-TIMES

    BRUTAL MURDER OF PASSIONATE HOUSING WORKER ROCKS CITY
    by Richard Gane

    CABRINI GREEN: A young social worker was found stabbed to death yesterday morning at 5 a.m. underneath the El line on the corner of West Schiller and North Orleans.

    That is my intersection. I live 3 doors away from it. :ohshit:


    Liking the story. I feel this is a good book, but could be a great book with more character development. Kirby is a great character, but that's really the only one we know shit about or are emotionally attached to. I just wish I knew more or cared more about the women Harper is murking.
     
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  22. Truman

    Truman Well-Known Member
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    Finished. 7/10

    So Malcolm has been scouting, looting the House for 6 years or so. I really thought he was going to be the one to save the day when Kirby ran into him.

    Not to beat a dead horse, but I liked this book, but was left wanting more and not in a good way. Wish there would have been more character development and gotten more of Harper's motivations. The premise was so cool. Just felt like it wasnt fully fleshed out.

    Ah well. Liked it, didnt love it. Didnt feel like I wasted my time reading it.
     
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  23. KJROD20

    KJROD20 the ends will justify the means.
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    Finished as well. 7 is fair . . .

    but the ending felt like a cop out, some lousy action movie type shit. They also never explained the house AT ALL, or why it gave Harper the killer motivation, and what a shitty way for Kirby to "find" Harper.

    Maybe it's more like a 6, but it really was a page turner for me. I kept wanting to know what was going to happen next.
     
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  24. Blackterno

    Blackterno Well-Known Member
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    I'm 65% in....
    I can't help but think that this could be a really good book. I enjoy the premise I like everything that could be happening. Kirby is an interesting character and Harper seem like a very good antagonist. Dan I like for his role. But to this point I can't help but think there's just something missing. It could be better. Hopefully it will pick up another level.
     
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  25. Gonff

    Gonff Prince of Mousethieves
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    Just finished.

    It was ok. My biggest complaint is I don't think there was a lot of character development. We didn't get much insight into Harper outside of him being fucking crazy. Kirby was solid but the rest of the characters were who they were. I don't know, it's a weird book and I'm typing my thoughts real time here, but I just think it could've been better. Never explained the House in detail, maybe they explained the signicance of the various totems (The pony, baseball card, etc) but I'm not thinking of it off the top of my head, the ending felt rushed....I'm thinking a 6. And the thing is I think Beukes is a solid writer, if we're talking just straight up use of words, syntax, flow, etc. But she made some choices that I'm not a huge fan of.
     
  26. Truman

    Truman Well-Known Member
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  27. Truman

    Truman Well-Known Member
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    Pretty much exactly how I felt.
     
  28. Arkie Proud

    Arkie Proud The Dungeon Master
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    Uh, I'm not reading it. Sorry about that.
     
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  29. Iron Mickey

    Iron Mickey a guy who posted here like five years ago hates me
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    Worth a read?
     
  30. Blackterno

    Blackterno Well-Known Member
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    Finished....

    I feel now after finishing the same way I did after the 65% mark. This book was ok...and could have been significantly better. It could have been a 9 out of 10 if the book just gave us more.

    More on Harper and how and why he really became a killer. More on the origins of the house. More on the apparent importance of Bartek. Kirby could have been even better...and she was by far the most developed character. The general storyline was outstanding. The execution was anything but.

    5.5/10

    [\spoiler]
     
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  31. The Blackfish

    The Blackfish The Fish in Black
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    MEH

    Read Blackterno 's post right above this to see my thoughts.
    5/10