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Book Club Discussion // Landline, by Rainbow Rowell

January 2, 2015August 25, 2015 Crystal // Dreams, etc. Post a comment
Book Club Discussion // Landline, by Rainbow Rowell

Hello, everyone! It’s time to talk about Landline! I’m sorry this post is up so late today. The holiday season has been busier than I thought it would be and I didn’t have a chance to put the post together until this evening.

Also, a reminder that we are reading The Lake, by Banana Yoshimoto for January. A post for nominations for February’s post will go up on Sunday, January 11th. Voting will start on Sunday, January 25th and will last for a week.

I didn’t receive any feedback, so this post will mostly be my thoughts on the book, as well as a few discussion questions that I have. Let’s discuss in the comments and there will be a link up so that you can write a review on your blog if you’d like.

For those who haven’t read the book yet, there will be spoilers in my review and the comments.


I loved this novel! This is the second novel by Rowell that I have read (the first was Eleanor & Park) and I have been so impressed with each one. Out of the two, I think this one was my favorite. I loved that it took place during the Christmas season and I loved that it was about a couple whose marriage is in a tough spot, because I love those types of stories. I like the emotional tension that it creates. And I really felt that with this novel, especially once Georgie started talking to past Neal on the magical phone.

I don’t know where to begin with my thoughts on my this book, so I guess I’ll just start writing and see how they come out. šŸ™‚

First, I really liked the friendship between Georgie and Seth. I saw them strictly as best friends and a creative pair, who have each considered a romance, which in some ways I think would be natural. Especially for Seth, at the place in life that he’s in at the end of the novel. When he told her that he might be interested in romantic relationship at the end, I never really saw that as an admission of undying love for her. I saw it more as him reflecting on life and realizing that he does love her and she’s the only woman he has managed to keep in his life. I don’t even think a romantic relationship would work between them. Georgie definitely needs someone like Neal to balance her work side out a bit and a relationship might have messed with their creative mojo. I loved that he was there for her when she kind of broke down that week and that even though he pushed the episode writing (as he should have), he also saw Georgie’s well-being as more important and was mostly just there to make sure that she was all right at the end.

I think that it was natural for Neal to feel threatened by her relationship with Seth when they were younger, but I wanted to know for sure if that was still an issue and if so, why. You would think that at some point he would have gotten over that. I can see feeling frustrated by it times–especially when she had to work over a holiday–but at some point, you’d think he would no longer see Seth as a threat. Then again, Georgie still saw Dawn as a threat.

I was so conflicted about Neal throughout the book. I loved him. I really loved his relationship with their daughter’s and I loved that he made the decision to quit his job and be a stay-at-home dad. I loved Georgie’s memories of the period of time before they started dating and I loved their phone conversations on the magical phone. But I didn’t understand present day Neal. Like I said earlier, I can totally understand being frustrated, but in this particular instance I didn’t understand why it was such a big deal. This frantic period of work was to take advantage of an opportunity for Georgie to achieve the dreams that she had had since college, so why was it such a big deal now? Maybe it’s the career-focused part of me coming out, but I didn’t understand why he couldn’t just deal with it since it was such a career-defining opportunity.

I also loved the age difference between Georgie and Heather. I know that probably sounds like a weird thing to love so much, but it stood out to me because there’s a twenty-year age difference between my oldest sister and me. I was in my sister’s wedding as a flower girl (I don’t remember it, but I was adorable in the photos) and we look so much alike that people have mistaken us for the other one before (she loves it, I’m not sure about it, ha!). I haven’t seen much of that in fiction, so I was excited to see sister’s with a big age difference.

I feel like there’s more that I can talk about, but that’s all that I had in my notes and I’d love to hear what you thought of the book!

A few questions:

1. It appears as though Neal was always uncomfortable with Georgie’s relationship with Seth and how her career dictated their life (needing to stay in Los Angeles, etc.). Why do you think this particular time it was such a big deal for him? Was it because she had to work over a holiday?

2. Do you think that things were as bad as Georgie imagined them on Neal’s end? Neal appeared to be mad when he left, but do you think he was actually contemplating leaving her?

3. Do you think Seth was actually in love with Georgie? Or is she just the only woman he’s actually kept in his life, which led him to think they could make a romantic relationship work if they tried?

What did you think of the book?

Comments lost during switch from Blogger to WordPress:

MIA

I know I told you this already, but I LOVED this book! šŸ™‚ It reminded
me a bit of me and my husband, except he’s the workaholic haha. And I
can tell you from personal experience that it was a big deal not because
of that one time. But built up from many late-nights and many absences
from the kids’ important events. I think it was just the straw that
broke the camel’s back and he was frustrated. I can totally relate. But I
don’t think he was ever going to leave her. I think he was just hurt
and needed a break and decided to get away for a little bit

I’m so glad I read this book – I had heard so many great things about Rainbow Rowell. I have to check out more of her books! šŸ™‚

Can’t wait to read The Lake next!
 

 EMILY
 
I loved this book! It was a good one to “read” to via audio book. I
had a lot of time in the car, but I wasn’t able to read a book because
my terrified cat was in my arms most of the time that I wasn’t driving.
So, an audio book was perfect for the trip.

I don’t think that
Neal was seriously thinking about leaving Georgie. I think maybe he was
toying with the idea and what it would be like to not have a life run by
Georgie’s career, but in the end, they seemed to have too strong of a
connection for him to leave her.

I think Seth was definitely in
love with Georgie. I think it took him by surprise since he didn’t
realize his feelings earlier (at least, I don’t think he did), and he
was used to relationships without a lot of depth.

I understand
Neal being so upset with Georgie working over Christmas, but I think he
should have been a little nicer about it. It seemed like he was holding a
grudge for too long. I do, however, think that Georgie should have
pushed for an extension of the deadline earlier on in the process in
order to be fair to her family.
 

 

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Hi! I'm Crystal, a millennial learning how to live slowly and sustainably, while still seeking adventure and following my dreams, etc.

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hi!

I'm Crystal, the storyteller behind Dreams, etc. I'm all about learning how to live slowly & sustainably, while also seeking adventure as we follow our dreams, etc.

I took these in early January when the snow still I took these in early January when the snow still felt a bit magical, but right now I’m just ready to walk barefoot in grass.

When I was younger I used to imagine what it would be like if we got so much snow that it would be piled high above our doors. I wondered if we’d be able to create tunnels in the snow to move around in.

And this year might just be the year we find out. I’m kidding, of course, but at this point I feel like we’ve been buried in snow. We’re even on track to beat some snow records I think (the amount of snow and the number of consecutive days with snow on the ground.

So. What’s the weather like where you are?
February was here and gone in the blink of an eye February was here and gone in the blink of an eye but contained moments I’ll carry with me forever.
When it’s almost halfway through February and yo When it’s almost halfway through February and you still haven’t posted January’s recap. January was filled with lots of family time. šŸ’™
Hello, friends! šŸ‘‹šŸ¼ Swipe through for a few g Hello, friends! šŸ‘‹šŸ¼ Swipe through for a few glimpses from January. As 2022 came to an end I had this feeling that I was preparing to hibernate and I guess, in a way, I have. I’ve been slowly easing into the new year, focused on getting back into a few routines after Iceland and the holidays. And it’s been a great month. I can’t believe it’s almost over. What have your favorite moments of January been?
2022. Looking back on this year it was the year of 2022. Looking back on this year it was the year of so many dreams experiences. Whales. Cape Cod/Nantucket. Iceland. I saw musicals that have I’ve been dreaming of with Moulin Rouge, Wicked, and Six. 

It wasn’t without its stresses and rough moments but I’m grateful for the good that can be found, even when it’s hard.
Let’s journey back to November for the second we Let’s journey back to November for the second weekly dam walk of the month. My dad joined me for this one and we made it somewhat fast because it was a chilly day. ā€œThe water looks cold,ā€ I said when we back to the car.

Between Iceland and the below zero, windy, and snowy weather we had last week (which came with requests from my parents not to go) it’s been a few weeks since I’ve been to the dam and I miss it!
Years ago I celebrated Christmas and New Years in Years ago I celebrated Christmas and New Years in Vienna and it still lives in my memory today as such a special time. I know December in Reykjavik will be the same—and not just because I came home with a little over $100 worth of ornaments of all 13 Yule Lads AND their mom AND the Christmas cat. (There was a little bit of miscommunication between my mom and me on that shopping trip. šŸ˜‚)

It might have been cold (and when that wind hits you don’t want to be outside or by the harbour…I speak from windswept, breath-stolen experience and will forever be grateful for the library we eventually found respite in) and we only saw the sun a few hours each day, but seeing this already charming city decked out in Christmas lights with a skating rink and the prettiest tree secured it’s place in my heart.

Reykjavik, I hope to see you again one day. Soon. Probably not in December, but I’m glad I got to see you in December once.
Last year my niece and I visited New York at Chris Last year my niece and I visited New York at Christmastime and it was fun to see the city decked out in lights. I can also now say that I’ve seen the Rockefeller Christmas Tree and skating rink and the Saks Christmas lights, but I’ve also seen the crowds they draw.

It was completely different in Reykjavik this year. You actually had a chance to skate on the ice rink if you wanted (and I never did the conversation, but I think it’s cheaper) and you could actually walk up to the Christmas tree. Two very different Christmas in the city experiences.
Iceland, Day 2, Part 2. We ended the Golden Circle Iceland, Day 2, Part 2. We ended the Golden Circle tour with a stop at Thingvellir National Park. My fingers froze as I took these photos but it was worth it to capture this view. šŸ˜ PS - the last photo is from a lake we stopped at on our way from Geysir to Thingvellir.
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