Read-A-Long Wrap Up Forever Amber by Kathleen Winsor

Welcome to the Wrap Up Discussion Post for HF-Connection's first Read-A-Long! If you didn't officially sign up for the read-a-long, you are still welcome to chime in with your thoughts. The original post with the schedule can be found here.**

IF you were able to follow the schedule, you should have finished the chunky novel by now. So no holds barred.. go forth with spewing your thoughts!!

Obviously there can be spoilers now, so if you have not finished reading this, please go back to the previous discussion posts to find where you fit with your reading schedule.

I did want to take a moment to thank all of you who tried to keep up with the read-a-long... we appreciate the participation very much. I do understand a hectic schedule, so if you haven't finished by now please just remember to come back here to comment with your thoughts or with the link to your blog. I saw one post from another blogger with her thoughts of Forever Amber at Fiction State of Mind, which you can read here.

Marie's Thoughts:
I finished! I posted a review on my blog a few days ago, which can be found here. Overall, I am very happy I carved so much time out of my busy reading and reviewing schedule to fit this huge novel in. I was told that the pages would go by fast, that I should not be daunted by the page count of this one.. and they were right. I was almost as obsessed with Forever Amber as much as Amber was obsessed with Bruce Carlton. ALMOST!! I did get annoyed with Amber, with her shallowness and her lack of dimension. I had to force myself to get over her flawed character traits over and over again, and simply focus on the overall storyline of the magnificent Restoration era.

The amount of supporting characters that came in and out of Amber's life were so intriguing.. the nurses who came to 'help' during Bruce's illness.. one being pushed out of a window... I was rolling with evil laughter at some points. My goodness, what a tale this author spun! The Count who tried to poison Amber, and instead ended up killing his son.. and then Amber killing the Count... what madness!

I read how some readers were really annoyed at how similar the theme was to the classic Gone With The Wind. Were you put off by this resemblance? It really didn't matter to me, but it did cross my mind, especially during the heated conversations between Bruce and Amber. It was glaringly similar at those moments, but I was easily able to move on and not let that bother me.

Michelle's Thoughts:
Unfortunately, I'm not finished with the book yet.  I've been sick for a week and sleeping has been more my forte lately than reading.  I will finish this weekend and come back and post my final thoughts.

Forever Amber Week Two Discussion Read A Long

Welcome to the Discussion Post for HF-Connection's first Read-A-Long! If you didn't officially sign up for the read-a-long, you are still welcome to chime in with your thoughts. The original post with the schedule can be found here.**

ALERT!!

SPOILER SPOILER SPOILER

Marie's thoughts:
This week, we were to read through Part 5... But I misread it and thought we were only to read up to Part 5.. so I only finished Part 4. Ooops... not doing so hot over here..
I can say that I did get to a point where I was ready to quit altogether, simply for the fact that Amber is so unlikable and without morals. I had to focus on the actual historic plot to get myself back into the groove of enjoying it. Amber finds herself a respectable gentleman.. and I could not BELIEVE what happened to that respectable gentleman.. (Well, he wasn't totally gentle)..
The story line is sometimes so far-fetched, and unrealistic.. but it is still good reading in a sensational kind of way.
What do you think?

Michelle's thoughts:
Not any thoughts as of today since I'm dreadfully behind.  I will get caught up and comment later in the week.

Hope everyone is enjoying the book!

Reminder:  I had to change the schedule (only slightly) so if you haven't already, please visit the link Marie posted above to check it out.  Thanks!

Week One: Forever Amber Read-A-Long

Welcome to the Discussion Post for HF-Connection's first Read-A-Long! If you didn't officially sign up for the read-a-long, you are still welcome to chime in with your thoughts. The original post with the schedule can be found here.**


**There has been a slight change in the reading schedule.  Please refer to the original post (link above) to view the change.  It was a necessary change due to the structure of the book.  I do apologize for any inconvenience.

This week, we were to read through Chapter 23 in whatever edition you are reading. What edition are you reading?

Please know that this post is for discussing whatever you like regarding the first twenty-three chapters. If you have not read that far.. don't read this post any further! Hopefully this chunky novel is delightfully sinful enough so that you can manage the tight reading schedule.

ALERT!!

SPOILER SPOILER SPOILER

Marie's thoughts:
Oh Amber!! and oh.. why did it take me so long to read this?? I am in love with the setting, with the drama of Amber and her silly, naive decisions... even though she acts like such a horribly spoilt little girl, I can't help but root for her. And even though I kept having the recurring thought, 'Bruce Carlton, how could you?', I knew that Amber was warned. Yep. She dove in head first and we knew what was coming, didn't we? (Just like her mama Judith.. impetuous disastrous actions on both their parts!) And the earrings she treasured.. of course they were fake! Silly little chit.


Luke Channrell the Scoundrel! What a snake! What an abyss Amber found herself in when she met Sally Goodman the Swindler. Poor Amber. I would've loved to see Amber go back home to Sarah, how bad could it have been? She just would've proved everyone right and she could've found herself a farm to live on once Matthew had her married off. Why couldn't she just see the light?


Black Jack seemed like an answer to a prayer, and again Amber saw him only as a means to an end. What end, though? What did she actually hope for? Because then came along Captain Morgan.. and what a waste. I know understand why some say I hate Bruce Carlton!


As far as the story goes, I have not felt so in tune to a storyline like this in a while.. I love epic/saga material and this is perfect for that. Sometimes we shy away from chunksters because our brain balks at the sheer size of it. But look at how awesome this story is.. and how you cannot wait to get back to reading.. and how I am going to be sad when it actually is over.
I am enjoying the point of view where it's not only all about Amber, but the views from Charles as well which breaks it up a bit.


Michelle's thoughts:
I'm just coming off an all night reading session.  Yes, I'm crazy that way.  So my thoughts this week are going to be somewhat brief.  Most likely I will expand on them whilst responding in the comments to other readers' thoughts.


The first thing I noticed about the book is how it immediately drew me in from the first page.  I could immediately tell that this is a book that I will long to return to and, as Marie said, I will be sad when it comes to an end.


Dare I make the comparison between Amber and Scarlett O'Hara?  As I was reading, I couldn't help but make the connection.  Maybe it's because I've been reading Gone with the Wind, but Amber has some of that very same impetuous nature that Scarlett possesses.  Of course, I do not feel that Scarlett is anywhere near as naive as Amber, but I do notice some similarities.  I did find myself wondering if Scarlett would have allowed herself to get into the situations Amber does.  Did Scarlett avoid the predicaments because she was too smart to compromise herself?  Or was it that the men in her story were too chivalrous to take advantage of her impetuous nature?  I am thinking that it is more the former of the two.  In Amber's case, she is so naive, and coupled with her tendency toward impetuous behavior, it's a dangerous combination.


The parallels between Amber and her mother are also striking.  Being a child who never knew her mother, it's amazing how similar the mindset is.  Judith 'loved' John from a very early age, but I feel that it was more of a crush.  Then, when she is told she can't marry him, it's like forbidden fruit for her and then they make love during that brief visit, she is willing to risk everything to be with him.  I'm of the opinion that when two people engage in intimate relations, there is such a connection between them that makes them feel they are in love.  However, I'm of the mindset that love is the lasting bond between two people.  Once the flame of passion dies down, there is still the bond of love underneath.  In Judith and Amber's case, they associate passion with love and Amber continues to make disastrous mistakes because of it.  And it's how she justifies her behavior.


I can see why this book was considered so scandalous in the 1940s.  If you put yourself in the mindset of the 40s, the provocative nature of this book would have been shocking.   


I'm reading the 1944 cloth bound edition.  The print is tiny and is printed on the pages in two columns, much like a newspaper article.  Ah, but I love old books!

Now it's your turn to share....

See you here next Saturday for Week Two (March 25 - 31)--Chapter 24 through Chapter 47  {Revised: Part III through Part V, which starts at Ch. 46 (stop reading at end of Ch. 45)}

Join Us for the Forever Amber Read-a-Long

*Revised reading schedule...see below

Announcing the Forever Amber Read-a-Long.
Marie and I have been wanting to read this famous historical novel by Kathleen Winsor for years and when Marie mentioned that she was finally going to read it this year, I told her I would join her.  And so, the read-a-long was born!

About the book (from Goodreads):
Abandoned pregnant and penniless on the teeming streets of London, 16-year-old Amber St. Clare manages, by using her wits, beauty, and courage, to climb to the highest position a woman could achieve in Restoration England—that of favorite mistress of the Merry Monarch, Charles II. From whores and highwaymen to courtiers and noblemen, from events such as the Great Plague and the Fire of London to the intimate passions of ordinary—and extraordinary—men and women, Amber experiences it all. But throughout her trials and escapades, she remains, in her heart, true to the one man she really loves, the one man she can never have. Frequently compared to Gone with the Wind, Forever Amber is the other great historical romance, outselling every other American novel of the 1940s—despite being banned in Boston for its sheer sexiness. A book to read and reread, this edition brings back to print an unforgettable romance and a timeless masterpiece.

Dates:  Sunday, March 18, 2012 - Saturday, April 14, 2012

Details:

• Start reading on Sundays, discussion post will be posted on Saturdays.
• You can do a post and leave your link in the comments, or you can just post your thoughts in the comments of the week's discussion post.
• The last week, April 8 -14,  will be for catch-up readers and final thoughts.

*Reading schedule has been slightly revised.  I didn't realize that the book had parts, which would probably make for more natural breaks in the reading.  If you have read a bit ahead of the new stopping points because of the previous schedule, don't worry.  It's only a couple chapters difference.  I hope you will forgive me the mishap.  ~Michelle


Reading schedule:

• Week One (March 18 - 24)--Prologue through Part III, which starts at Ch. 22 (stop reading at end of Ch. 21) 
• Week Two (March 25 - 31)--Part III through Part V, which starts at Ch. 46 (stop reading at end of Ch. 45)
• Week Three (April 1 - 7)--Part V through Chapter 69 (end)
• Week Four (April 8 - 14)--A week for catch-up and final thoughts

If you would like to join us, please leave a comment below.  We certainly would love to have you with us in the reading of this classic historical novel.

If you have any questions, feel free to ask in the comments or email us at hfconnection@yahoo.com.