Bookclub: The discussion of To The Grave (contains spoilers)

(16 Aug 2012 06:36 PM)Dorte Hummelshoj Wrote:  Finally!

I enjoyed the second book every bit as much as the first one. Great series for someone who loves genealogy in fiction as well as real life.

And I don´t mind so much that the assassin´s remark is unrealistic, but Spoiler I didn´t find it credible that Mena would keep the rape secret for her best friend, her sister AND her boyfriend for so long. And because of that, Mary´s action also seemed over the top .

(16 Aug 2012 07:41 PM)Steve Robinson Wrote:  

(16 Aug 2012 06:36 PM)Dorte Hummelshoj Wrote:  Finally!

I enjoyed the second book every bit as much as the first one. Great series for someone who loves genealogy in fiction as well as real life.

And I don´t mind so much that the assassin´s remark is unrealistic, but Spoiler I didn´t find it credible that Mena would keep the rape secret for her best friend, her sister AND her boyfriend for so long. And because of that, Mary´s action also seemed over the top .

Hi Dorte, I'm glad you enjoyed it. Spoiler I thought I'd painted a good enough picture of Joan as the village gossip for Mena not to be able to tell her what had happened for as long as she did. The social stigma around this kind of this was so bad at the time that Mena would have felt bad enough about it, even guilty herself to some degree that it was something she fought hard with internally and didn't want anyone to know. My thoughts on this come from the research I did and how women in Mena's position were often treated at the time. With Mary's actions, it was a hot-blooded action fuelled by her anger and the protection she would have wanted to give her sister. I felt she had little thought for the outcome as rage took hold of her, and many terrible things do happen in the heat of the moment. I just wanted to share my rationale with you around these matters.

(16 Aug 2012 07:49 PM)Dorte Hummelshoj Wrote:  

(16 Aug 2012 07:41 PM)Steve Robinson Wrote:  

(16 Aug 2012 06:36 PM)Dorte Hummelshoj Wrote:  Finally!

I enjoyed the second book every bit as much as the first one. Great series for someone who loves genealogy in fiction as well as real life.

And I don´t mind so much that the assassin´s remark is unrealistic, but Spoiler I didn´t find it credible that Mena would keep the rape secret for her best friend, her sister AND her boyfriend for so long. And because of that, Mary´s action also seemed over the top .

Hi Dorte, I'm glad you enjoyed it. Spoiler I thought I'd painted a good enough picture of Joan as the village gossip for Mena not to be able to tell her what had happened for as long as she did. The social stigma around this kind of this was so bad at the time that Mena would have felt bad enough about it, even guilty herself to some degree that it was something she fought hard with internally and didn't want anyone to know. My thoughts on this come from the research I did and how women in Mena's position were often treated at the time. With Mary's actions, it was a hot-blooded action fuelled by her anger and the protection she would have wanted to give her sister. I felt she had little thought for the outcome as rage took hold of her, and many terrible things do happen in the heat of the moment. I just wanted to share my rationale with you around these matters.

At any rate it was a minor problem; I loved the book and am looking forward to more books by you.
And I should probably be ready to believe it as I have written a Danish crime story where both the female narrators have several secrets they don´t share with anyone