Book Club: Something Strange and Deadly Final Week!

This is the final week of the Something Strange and Deadly Book Club! I've had loads of fun participating and I hope you have too! I have this week's discussion question and my answer posted below. And remember, feel free to post YOUR answers in the comments!

“‘Eleanor, you have a choice,’ [Jie] said softly. ‘You always have a choice’” (p. 166, Something Strange & Deadly)

How do you think this quote relates to the overall theme of Something Strange and Deadly? Do you think Eleanor behaves as if she has a choice at the start of the book? What about at the end of the book? And do other characters behave as if they have a choice or do some see themselves as victims of circumstance?

I think Eleanor, on some level, always believes she has a choice. From page one, she is rebelling against her mother and finds interest in the Spirit Hunters. Eleanor chooses not to be a lady of high society, but a young woman who follows her passions and does what she believes is right. Not once does Eleanor give up nor back down. While lacking the physical strength characters like Daniel has, she has a fiery spirit that refuses to be left unheard. Eleanor is one of a kind and knows it full and well. While she may act like she doesn't have a choice at times to, in her mind, help her mother, every decision she makes is thought out and careful. Yet she often acts on impulses and gut reactions. She thinks of something and simply does it, no matter the repercussions.

I believe each character has their own circumstances with believing in choice. Daniel acts as if he always has, not just a choice, but the first and best choice. Yet we see as readers that Daniel still feels like the victim at times. In memory, Eleanor doesn't tend to see herself as a victim. Instead of feeling sorry for herself, she tries to make things better, which is a skill Daniel learns from her. Daniel stops seeing himself as the victim, but more as a human being who possesses the power to be an instrument of change.

Book Club: Something Strange and Deadly by Susan Dennard Week Three

Welcome to week three of the Something Strange and Deadly Book Club! Next week I'll receive the final discussion question from the author, Susan Dennard. Read on for this week's question!

Eleanor finds herself more and more intrigued by (perhaps even attracted to) Daniel Sheridan, the inventor of the Spirit-Hunters. What is it about him that appeals to her? And vice versa, what do you think attracts Daniel to Eleanor?

Then there’s Clarence Wilcox, the seemingly perfect eligible bachelor. Why do you think Eleanor doesn’t like Clarence?

I think there are many reasons why Eleanor is attracted to Daniel by not Clarence. Reasons that revolve around all three of them. Note, that I haven't read the book in a while, so my details may be a little fuzzy.

I'll start with Eleanor. She is a very strong-willed person and is ahead of her time as far as feminism goes. Remember, the story takes place in the 19th century. Women haven't yet won their rights and are expected to be married off to the highest bidder. Eleanor wants more for herself and her abilities, and so she's not just going to go with the flow. While being with Clarence is what's expected of her, she wants to stand out, if only subconsciously. Whereas Daniel provides the perfect fit. Along with the fact that his personality matches hers perfectly (even if they don't realize it), Daniel embodies the forbidden aspect. He's the guy her mother would not approve of and therefor means that she's not complying with the rules and expectations. Daniel treats Eleanor as more than a piece of furniture and doesn't only ask her, but expects her to be able to take care of herself.

Daniel is also attracted to Eleanor. Why? Because Eleanor is a strong-willed female who doesn't take smack from no one. He likes that he can't push her around, even if he doesn't realize it. In a time when men are still viewed as the largely superior gender, Daniel wants an equal. Eleanor also embodies the forbidden aspect to him. No matter how broke her family is, Eleanor is still a part of high society. Daniel is much lower down on the food chain and many view him as a fool for messing around with the Dead. Eleanor simply isn't like the other women he knows, namely Jie, and so the fact that she's different draws him in. While she's not physically strong, Eleanor is, as stated before, extremely strong-willed and has a fiery temper.

The two of them are ahead of the times. They don't take smack-talk from anyone, they are anything but ignorant, face problems head-on, and view the other as an equal-despite social and gender differences. Eleanor doesn't look down on him and Daniel doesn't treat her like snob. The two are strong apart, but are even better together.

Book Club: Something Strange and Deadly by Susan Dennard Week Two

As you know from last week (if not check here for a full explanation), I am taking part in the Something Strange and Deadly book club for the month of August! It's loads of fun and has the option for prizes! Now on to this week's discussion question!

Q. Magic and ghostly elements frequent the Something Strange and Deadly series. Even though corpses do awaken from time to time and hauntings are hardly that uncommon, the people of Philadelphia seem determined to pretend the Dead are not a growing threat.

Do you think that’s part of human nature? To push on and ignore the danger at our door? Or do you think Philadelphia’s ignorance—or for that matter, any ignorance/false sense of safety in modern days as well—can be pinned on politicians? Can you think of any examples where something similar happened, but rather than the Dead, it was a natural disaster/growing crime rate/etc.?

A. I don't think it's human nature to avoid the painful and unknown. Many humans push to explore and discover, as seen throughout history. But we are discouraged from that path in life, especially in modern day. As children, we're told that we're not old enough to understand and that we'll understand "when we grow up". But what is that point? We are shielded from events that do not fit our liking, and so we can pretend that they do not exist. While politicians encourage us to forget about the disasters in the world and our own country, it is not only them. I believe we all are to blame for our ignorance. In trying to protect those we care about, we take away experiences, thoughts, and truth from them.

There are many examples of similar circumstances. Because we as humans shy away from the painful and filter what we see, we miss some very important things in today's world as well as it's history. A good example is Global Warming. Many people ignore or flat out refuse that it is happening, when all the science points to the fact that it is. These people do nothing to reduce their carbon footprint, and therefore put themselves and others in danger. Global Warming is the cause for things like hurricane Katrina and Super Storm Sandy. As the world heats up, we have more severe natural disasters. Water levels rise as the polar ice caps melt. Yet people who are ignorant or these facts, only make it worse. In any situation, be it Global Warming or the Dead, it is better to be educated instead of ignorant. Acceptance instead of refusal. It is important to keep that in mind in the worlds of fiction and reality. In the story, the characters are raised to be ignorant of the fact that the Dead are rising. It is not something that they simply ignore because of human nature. But when people realize that something fishy is going on, people do something. People make changes, speak out, and help others. That, is human nature.

Book Club: Something Strange and Deadly by Susan Dennard

I am happy to be taking part in Susan Dennard's Book Club for Something Strange and Deadly & A Darkness Strange and Lovely. Each Monday of August, she's giving us a (non-spoilery) discussion question for each book. Since I haven't been able to get my hands on a copy of A Darkness Strange and Lovely yet, I'll answer the question for Something Strange and Deadly.

Eleanor’s mother expects a lot from poor El. She wants Eleanor to marry and save the family from financial ruin (despite the fact that Eleanor is only 16), she wants Eleanor to become friends with the rich “cool” kids (like Allison or the Virtue Sisters), and she wastes money the Fitt family doesn’t have on new gowns and fancy house decor. She demands Eleanor behave according to “proper etiquette” and squeeze into a corset that deforms her ribs.

Question: Do you think, given the time period, Mrs. Fitt is justified in her demands on Eleanor? Why or why not?

My Answer: I think that, given the time period, Mrs. Fitt's actions are not justified, but are within the social norm. Mothers expected their daughter(s) to grow up, marry a rich man, and have children. The time frame of the book is also at the point where, while change hasn't happened, the world is on the brink of it. With that in mind, I believe that Eleanor should be given more freedom. I would hope that Mrs. Fitt would let Eleanor make her own decisions and trust her to make the right ones as well as some mistakes. Eleanor is too young to have the entire fate of the family upon her shoulders. Mrs. Fitt should instead take control, stop spending money on useless things, and face the facts. The family is more or less broke. She expects Eleanor to do her job. Women had a very specific role until the time came when there were women who challenged that role. I believe that Eleanor is one of those women and that Mrs. Fitt is just going to have to get over it.

What do you think? Put your answer in the comments! Check out Susan's blog for the other discussion question!

http://susandennard.com/2013/08/05/something-strange-deadly-book-club-week-1/

Author Bio:

I’m a 28-year-old reader, writer, lover of animals, and eater of cookies. I used to be a marine biologist, but now I write novels. And not novels about fish either, but novels about kick-butt heroines and swoon-worthy rogues (I really like swoon-worthy rogues).

I live in the Midwestern US with my French husband and Irish setter, and you can learn more about my crazy thoughts and crippling cookie-addiction on twitter, facebook, or Goodreads.

My debut, Something Strange and Deadly,  is now available from HarperTeen, and you will never believe how happy this makes me!

Something Strange and Deadly:
There’s something strange and deadly loose in Philadelphia…

The year is 1876 and Eleanor Fitt has a lot to worry about. Her brother has gone missing, her family has fallen on hard times, and her mother is determined to marry her off to any rich young man who walks by. But this is nothing compared to what she’s just read in the newspaper—
The Dead are rising in Philadelphia.

And then, in a frightening attack, a zombie delivers a letter to Eleanor…from her brother.
Whoever is controlling the Dead army has taken her brother as well. If Eleanor is going to find him, she’ll have to venture into the lab of the notorious Spirit-Hunters, who protect the city from supernatural forces. But as Eleanor spends more time with the Spirit-Hunters, including their maddeningly stubborn yet handsome inventor, Daniel, the situation becomes dire. And now, not only is her reputation on the line, but her very life may hang in the balance.

A Darkness Strange and Lovely:

With her brother dead and her mother insane, Eleanor Fitt is alone. Even the Spirit-Hunters—Joseph, Jie, and the handsome Daniel—have fled to Paris. So when Eleanor hears the vicious barking of hounds and see haunting yellow eyes, she fears that the Dead, and the necromancer Marcus, are after her.

To escape, Eleanor boards a steamer bound for France. There she meets Oliver, a young man who claims to have known her brother. But Oliver harbors a dangerous secret involving necromancy and black magic that entices Eleanor beyond words. If she can resist him, she’ll be fine. But when she arrives in Paris, she finds that the Dead have taken over, and there’s a whole new evil lurking. And she is forced to make a deadly decision that will go against everything the Spirit-Hunters stand for.

In Paris, there’s a price for this darkness strange and lovely, and it may have Eleanor paying with her life.

Perfect for readers Libba Bray’s The Diviners and Cassandra Clare’s Clockwork Angel series, this spellbinding sequel to Something Strange and Deadly delivers a mix of intrigue, supernatural forces, intense romance, and revenge, all set against the enchanting backdrop of nineteenth-century Paris.