NFR Book Chat: Is anyone reading "The Luminaries"?

M

marilynfl

Moderator
Good grief, I've been reading this for 4 WEEKS now. I'm writing up cheat-cheats to keep track of eighteen characters that interact, each with their own motives. I've drawn up planetary sketches including astrological celestial symbols to understand their references. I haven't even BEGUN to delve into deciphering chapter headings like 'Moon in Taurus, Waxing."

There are conversations in English, Cantonese, Maori and title references in Latin. There is intrigue, murder, blackmail, whores, gold diggers, manipulation, corruption, revenge, and collusion. And through it all, a tender love story.

I'm 3/4 of the way through and it's ALL FINALLY COMING TOGETHER. This is the 2013 Man Book Prize winner; the female author is 28 years old.

And I can't get a cookie mold to work properly.

http://www.amazon.com/The-Luminaries-Novel-Booker-Prize/dp/0316074314/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1404999331&sr=8-1&keywords=the+luminaries

 
Spoiler alert.....

Colonial Mustard committed the crime in the Library with a candlestick.


edited to say that I initially said the butler did it, but not knowing the book, I did not want to take a chance!

 
Loved it

until the end which left me with too many questions, but maybe I missed something. I liked it enough to buy her other book, The Rehearsal, which I just couldn't get into, which is really unusual for me.

 
I read The Rehearsal while waiting for library copy of The Luminaries. Prefer TL. I've

finished reading it and am now listening to the audio version on my hour-long commute. It's making more sense, although I still have questions. Like the symbiotic relationship between Anna and Emory (was he actually in her room behind the curtain when shot...or on the boat (Anna "smelled like the sea" and the guy in the room heard sails snapping). She ate but lost weight; Emory had no food but didn't die. I keep comparing the various missing trunks (trunk full of "golden" dresses, Lauderback's trunk with Crosbie's letters, Moody's missing trunk, trunk Emory was nailed into?) to 3-shell game of "where's the pea?"

 
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