***Group Read: Rose Tremain's Trespass (spoiler-free)

Several 75ers won copies of Trespass in August Early Reviewers; this thread is open to anyone reading it from now through October-November.

If in the course of discussion, anyone who feels we need a "spoilers" thread should feel free to create it ...

Should we have a roll call? I'll start:

Here!

Present!

I read this in August (it must have been released in Canada earlier). I'm going to hang a bit and see what you all think about it.
All I'll say, for now, is I liked it.

I'm in. I'm a big Tremain fan and was disappointed in Trespass. Back later, if I can find this thread again.

I read this last month as well, so I'll follow along.

I just received my copy a couple of days ago but don't plan to start reading until October so I'm wondering if this will be a spoiler thread.

I'm not starting til October either, Bonnie. I expect everyone to behave themselves!!

I'll probably start end of September and ending in early October. Unless I blow through it! But I will behave!

I'm likely to start now but not give it full attention until I finish my remaining 2 (of 3) TIOLI's. Amanda has me scared. I know that Tremain is human and therefore fallible, but I want this one to be brilliant!

I don't know whether I consider it brilliant - 60 pages in - but I'm liking it even though I haven't found a likable character yet. I hope that nobody considers that a spoiler....... This is only Tremain #4 for me, and I liked The Colour mostly because I loved and admired Harriet so much, so this is a change.

Started to edit and then changed what passes for a mind here

I have a hold on it at the library, but don't know when they'll get it in - it's on order.

I just wanted to let everyone know that Trespass fits one of the October TIOLI challenges:
Challenge #7: Read a book released in the 21st Century

Discussion is on the thread, and signups are in the wiki.

ETA: no obligation to participate; just sharing for those who may already be TIOLI addicts.

>13 lauralkeet: Oh shoot. I'm hoping to finish this month...... Or I could put it down until the weekend, but that feels a little like cheating. I'm something over half through, and I'm not forcing myself to read it. The characters don't improve as human beings over time, but I remain interested.

I just started reading last night, but didn't get very far before the sandman got me. Not the book's fault, I'm sure. I'm not taking on the TIOLI challenge. I get cranky when I try to structure my reading too much, and that whole wiki thing muddles my brain.

I finished it and reviewed it since it was from ER. That's all I'll say until everybody has finished.

I started Trespass last night. Only a couple of chapters in but loving her writing style.

She certainly writes well, but she isn't making me care what happens to these people. If this weren't an ER copy, I think I would be moving on. Anyone who is deeper into it, or has finished it, want to give me a little encouragement?

I'm about a hundred pages in and would never have thought to drop it. But that's me. Each character is deeply flawed but that doesn't bother me because, let's face it, in RL there are more flawed than unflawed characters. I want to see where the story goes.

No encouragement here. It's not a bad book, I don't think, but not of the caliber that I expect from RT. I said I wouldn't say anything else, but I can't help adding that anybody (and everybody) can write about dysfunction - to say the least - and everybody does. I expect more from RT and didn't get it this time.

It isn't the characters' flaws that I object to---unflawed characters are deadly dull and unrealistic. It's just that I don't find these particular characters to be very interesting. Their flaws seem dull to me. And what story, exactly? That's what I was hoping someone would tell me....that there does turn out to be a story. So far it's a bit like staring out my kitchen window and watching my neighbor go to his mailbox, or take his garbage cans to the curb. Audrun and Aromon do have potential, I'll admit. And I'm not going to give up.

I guess that's what I meant when I said I want to see where the story goes. I'm assuming she's going to develop one and that this won't be just a character study of some sort.

I'll be starting this book soon -- it's next in line and I only have 50-60 pages left in my current read. Apprehensive based on this thread!

I'd say things develop more into a story, and there is a bit of a mystery to develop half way through.

I understand what you mean though, by not much of a story. It's thin, but by half way through, I did want to find out what happened to everyone.

A glimmer of hope, then ... thanks Elizabeth!

OK, thanks, Elizabeth. That makes me feel more optimistic. I've read many a book that took a while to "grab" me, so maybe this is just one of those.

I've been reading Trespass this weekend and am now nearing the end (page 192 out of 250). So far my feelings are like Bonnie in #19, Each character is deeply flawed but that doesn't bother me because, let's face it, in RL there are more flawed than unflawed characters. I want to see where the story goes.

The story is definitely going somewhere with the bit of mystery raidergirl mentioned, but I also agree it's a bit thin compared to other Tremain novels.

I finished it this afternoon and will get to my review tonight (?) maybe. I'm thinking about how I'll rate it and haven't decided yet. I usually don't do that until after I write the review because I have found that my rating might change after I dig into the nitty gritty of the story.

40 pages to go, and the story line has picked up to the point where I really want to see how it plays out. And I have found a bit of sympathy for one character now. This isn't going to be one of my top ten reads for the year, but I'm inclining toward a 3 1/2 star rating. I'll see what Tremain does with the ending. Are we going to start a thread where spoilers are OK? Because I do think I'll want to say a few things that shouldn't go here.

I was thinking the same thing this morning, Linda. So the spoiler thread is here. I'm staying away from it until I've finished the book, but I agree it would be fun to talk plot which I'm reluctant to do here.

I just want to say, it's killing me to see unread messages on the new spoiler thread. Absolutely killing me. Must go home and read like a maniac.

HA! I finished it this afternoon. So....I"m off to see what others are saying.

HA! I just finished too. So ... see y'all there.

Since others were reading it and I enjoyed Music and Silence, I managed to find a library copy so am joining in too. But I haven't got that far yet, as I've got several books ahead of it in the CR pile.

My issue with Trespass has been mentioned above in #11 and #18. For some reason I did not care about any of the characters. As someone already said a character with flaws is fine so that was not the problem. I think Tremain failed to humanise the characters. I don't like saying that because I do love Rose Tremain.

I finished Trespass on Thursday night and had full intentions for writing a book review the following day. I went out to dinner with my family and got food poisoning. I'm still recovering. But I will get to a review soon!

I'm having a little trouble putting my review together. I have thoughts percolating but they don't seem to resolve into anything coherent. I'm afraid that may be a commentary on the book, right there.