Batty About Not a Drop to Drink by Mindy McGinnis - Week Two

Batty About Books presents

Not a Drop to Drink
by Mindy McGinnis

If you've missed any discussions, check out Cover Appeal or Part One below. Also, feel free to stop by the Batty About Books Facebook page! Join the discussion!

Cover Appeal
Part One - pgs 1-95
Part Two - pgs 96-195
Part Three - pgs 196 - end

Finally we are here for Part Two. My thoughts are below in blue and Maria's are in purple. As usual, Maria and I both post but her blog, Maria's Melange, has her thoughts with my responses. I kept this spoiler-free this week but note that we finish the book next week, so no promises! I'm always amazed and how close Maria and I are to deeming the same topics worth discussing and how differently we approach them. It would be awesome to see this played out with students - via an electronic discussion where you can't see the other person's thoughts until you post yours. Hm.. Anyway on to Week Two. Enjoy!

Part Two - pgs 96-195

Well, the relationship between Lynn and Stebbs (I wonder what his real name is) has progressed beautifully. I love knowing about the background of why Lauren was the way she was and getting some insight into how they were connected.  There has been some hints at a relationship between Neva and Eli and I hope it’s just a red herring. I would like to see Lynn have another positive relationship. I’m a little concerned about the guy that came by, too. Was that just an information-gathering mission I really like how this relationship between Lynn and Stebbs is growing! It’s comforting to see her have a positive relationship with a man, after all the warnings we know her mother gave her. It was also great to finally get more of her backstory. I was surprised at how quickly that man walking by disappeared from the plot. I’m betting we get more of that later.

Entargo

We learned more about the city in this section. We know they have population schedules and the use satellites to make water maps. We also know that Stebbs knew about this. Each time he is surprised that the city still uses these tools. But he has hinted that the shortage started at the very minimum 16 years-ago.  We know that people had to move to the city if they wanted water conveniently. Eli lets us know that only the more well-off had pure water. From a tap. So I wonder - why were soldiers hired to go find water if they already had water? Also, why didn't Neva’s mom come with them? She trained with them, she had to know about Bradley’s death and that her daughter and granddaughter would need some help. Why is she still in Entargo? It seems a bit odd… that things broke down so quickly. Sixteen years isn't that long. How are the cities still doing well, and yet the countryside seems like it has been out of civilization for so very long?

Eli and Neva and Lucy

He’s 16 and responsible for his brother’s wife and her 5 year old child. We know that he likes Lynn “...being good-looking doesn't seem to drop the survival rate out here.” 111. “We’re going to have to find a shared vocabulary before I can flirt.” 170 I thought their flirtations were adorable. I loved that Lynn seemed to need to be taught how to flirt. It reminds you that flirting is a learned skill… and very tied to your own culture.

Though McGinnis keeps laying hints of a relationship between him and Neva. I’m hoping this is just what Lynn is thinking and a way to distract us. Eli hasn't mentioned the Grandmother coming to save them. So does he plan to build a life for him, Neva, and Lynn? Does he want to find a new city or does he plan on settling where they are?

Neva also hasn't mentioned her mother coming to find them. She’s angry and sad and knows that she’s not taking care of Lucy. Now she has a gun. I can’t help but think the men that were mentioned earlier will be back for a showdown. Too much has been said about the way her and Lynn look as well as men taking whatever they want.... Especially since we are told over and over how beautiful she is. Yes, and now that Lynn knows a bit more about how men and women interact (how awkward must that have been for Stebbs?), it’s even more tense.

Lucy comes across as much older than a five-year-old. I know Eli mentions that Neva talked to her like an adult, but she’s still five. “...It’s like I got the water inside me, and they can’t just take it out.” 148 Her instant take into this dilemma seemed too insightful even for a bright, precocious child. I want to know what other things she’s overheard. “I know it’s important, all the secrets are” 150 Where is this Lucy is a “water witch” going to take us.... Yes, she does seem awfully precocious. I also thought that the “water witch” thing seemed odd…. like bits of magic stitched into a scientific landscape. McGinnis did make sure to mention that it is genetic… but it still seems awfully magical to me. I’m not sure how well this fits with the rest of the world building.

Stebbs

“He’s kinda like magic, isn't he?” He has this way of bringing everyone together. I curious as to how old he is and if he really is attracted to Neva, after being alone for so long, or if he was just noting Neva’s attractiveness for us. I wondered about that as well. He seems like a much older man sometimes… and relatively youngish at others.

.At first I was surprised to find out that he had a well, especially knowing that Lynn and Lauren depend on a pond that isn't always reliable. I wanted to know why he wasn't helping them but now I know. We know why he is so giving - “Sometimes it’s the things you don’t do that make you feel the worst.” 182

I was also surprised to know that he was a dowser. (Have you read The Water Seeker by Kimberly Willis Holt?) And that Lynn didn't immediately get crazy about it, instead she wants to make sure that Lucy keeps it under wraps. But he didn't make more of an effort to share with Lauren and Lynn. I bet if things got rough for Lauren and Lynn, he might have tried to help them with water.

He gave Lynn The TALK! Bwhahahahaha!! I love you, Stebbs! That was adorable - and so awkward! I did appreciate how it was handled. Those reading the books bring their own level of knowledge to what was discussed in that sidebar.

His past with Lauren and Lynn’s dad was interesting. Especially when he admits that he wanted to be with her but missed his opportunity.“...when I shot her down I think it killed everything that was left in her but pride in herself and love for you...” 193

Now he’s trying to make up for lost time and trying to help Lynn. “I’m asking you to be more than she was. Be strong, and be good. Be loved, and be thankful for it. No regrets.” 193 This stems from the part of him that has regrets about not taking Lauren up on her offer, I’m guessing. You mentioned so many of the passages I marked! I love that his idea of having no regrets includes helping those around him.

Lynn

Lynn continues to grow. She slips back into “old Lynn” a bit here and there but mostly, she’s on a totally different path now. She cares for Lucy and Stebbs and she likes (likes him, likes him) Eli. She even helps Neva. We learn about her mom’s background. We know she has an aunt who could possibly be alive. She has an aunt, who could possibly be ALIVE! How is she not freaking the heck out???

Several times she’s mentioned that she feels like someone is watching her. Coupled with learning that she is as attractive as Neva. Something is coming.  I know! I’m a bit surprised we haven’t gotten more of that, since we are already ⅔ through the book and it’s a standalone - not a series.

I love how she knows her mom was too hard. She wants to make sure Lucy doesn’t wake up alone and that she feels her affection. She decides not to be too hard on Eli. But she’s concerned that the combination of her dad’s illness and her mom’s cruelness has affected her more than she knows.

She’s starting to feel like a teenager. “Seems like it would be kind of nice not spending every living minute working against dying.” 171

”The old Lynn would’ve kicked me anyway.” The old Lynn’s still in here somewhere, so don’t tempt her.” 180

Overall

This part moved slower than the first part and felt repetitive to me. (I think this section of the book would have been stronger if I hadn’t been trying to find enough material for a full post. Sometimes I feel like the middle chunk of a  book doesn’t hold up to being examined separately.)Despite that, I was curious to know that both Eli and Lauren had been well-off. This does solve the mystery of the clothes from part one. Lauren’s parents were probably saving clothes for their future grandchildren. I want to know more about the city and how things work there and why Neva’s mom hasn’t come to find them yet. I’m having a hard time understanding how much, or how little, time is passing in the book but I’m eager to tackle the last part. Also, did her mother give birth alone???

GUESS WHAT???

NOT A DROP TO DRINK HAS BEEN OPTIONED FOR A MOVIE!! I'VE POSTED THE COMPLETE MOVIE PRESS RELEASE HERE!

The Fickle Fish company has adapted 3 other books I've enjoyed: Austenland, The Host, and (upcoming) Anna Dressed in Blood. The company is owned by Stephenie Meyer (yes, that Stephenie Meyer) and Meghan Hibbett. You can find more news about the option at Entertainment Weekly, Variety, and Deadline.  Can you say EXCITEMENT IS BREWING!

Batty About Books - Fahrenheit 451 by Ray Bradbury

Source: Wikipedia

This week the Batty About Books duo is discussing

Fahrenheit 451- The Movie

Last week, in honor of Ray Bradbury's passing, we read and discussed the classic, Fahrenheit 451. This week we watched and compared the movie.

Fahrenheit 451 - Francois Truffaut (director)
Overall I didn’t like the movie. I’d seen it before, but not this close to reading the book.  The differences between the two were startling.  I understand that a director and a script writer have to make decisions on how best to make a book visual, but I felt as if they changed the underlying themes.
Maria: I am pretty sure I haven’t seen this movie before. I agree, there are always things that need to change in a screen adaptation. I often have students watch a movie version of a book we’ve read. I’d say a major goal is to NOT change the overall meaning of the story... major fail here.

Clarisse - she was WAY too old. Not even sure why she still lived with her uncle. She didn’t convince me that she was this happy-go-lucky young lady at all. It answers my book question on why she was so young in book - made the story more believable. This just seemed odd.
Maria: Agreed. This was one of my complaints as well. She just made no sense, and didn’t really impact Guy the way she needed to.

Fire Chief - did not understand why he kept berating those two young firemen. Was it to show us how mean he was? His stiffness was the exact opposite of the chief in the book. You would not be afraid of him, you would more likely make fun of him. He seemed odd.
Maria: Yes! I can’t believe I didn’t mention that one. His character was so engaging - rich - and almost believable in the book. In the movie, though, I didn’t understand him at all! All the characters seemed stiff (though that’s partly the acting of the time). They all seemed fairly doped up for the entire movie.

Faber - why did they chose to leave him out? The idea that Montag needs a mentor to help him make the transition from firestarter to reader makes sense. He doesn’t use that part of his brain.  Leaving Faber out leaves too much for Montag to figure out on his own. Odd choice.
Maria: The only thing I could think of is that adding Faber into the story adds more complexity - and more length to the movie. I know we’re used to movies that are close to or over 2 hours, but I think movies were shorter back then. I agree, though, losing this character caused us to make huge jumps in logic. Faber was so critical to Guy’s development.

Linda - Did they change her name because they made the her so much younger? And prettier? I pictured her as old and worn out and drugged. In the movie she was young and vibrant and used drugs yes but the her overdose was not believable.  They changed so much about her it was as if she was a new character! This was like the opposite of Clarissa - she was more like how I pictured Clarissa to be! Odd!
Maria: I always find it odd when they change a character’s name. I know I put a lot of thought and effort into the name choices for my characters - and I think a name holds so much weight. I did picture her more like this movie version than you did - like a overly bored socialite - but they made her way too vibrant. Kathy: “Too vibrant” - yes, that’s what was missing and you are right, she would have been just an “overly bored socialite”.  She was only supposed to be about 30 or so, so fairly young but her only life consisting of the “family”.

The Hound - where was he? I thought Montag’s fear of him in the book was an integral part of the story. Instead they used another fireman to turn on Montag. I wasn’t able to understand that character’s motivation - unless he was jealous of Montag’s promotion. No real character development from him struck me as odd.
Maria: Yes! Montag and the hound was a bit part of the book. Montag’s growing realization that humanity’s use of technology only reflects the violence within them. Maybe they didn’t’ have the budget for this effect? Though I can’t imagine it would have been that hard. Maybe something else about the 60s that would lead them to remove the robot from the story?

The Family - so creepy. Not inviting and engaging at all. I would have been turned OFF by them not felt like I should watch them 24/7. It was a little funny how they included her name in the show but they were clearly NOT concerned with her or her thoughts. They were just odd.
Maria: The “cousins” were SO incredibly bizarre! Creepy and disturbing. Again, I think Bradbury did a remarkable job describing his vision of the entertainment system in his book - and they completely ignored it. Did they even READ the book when they wrote this movie? Kathy: Haha! Exactly! It’s like when you hear a student talk about a book and you know they have no clue because they only read the book or heard others talking about it!

Housing - I liked the firehouse and Montag’s house.  I didn’t like the houses they showed in the beginning. They were too sturdy and I thought the houses would be more easily burnable.
Maria: Hmm... I thought they looked like they belonged in the 60s. I guess I get why they wouldn’t want them to look too futuristic - the goal of the story is to feel “near future”, I think. But it’s like they could only say “hey, doors might open on their own” and that was the only nod to futurism at all. Even the phones looked ancient, and there were no “seashells” except when she went to bed. That appeared to only be her way to hear the tv without disturbing Guy’s sleep.

Televisions - what happened to the wall? That could have been done with a green screen! Yes, they had them in every room, but they didn’t seem immersed in them which is the impression I received from the book.  
Maria: This was - honestly - the very first thing that pulled me right out of the movie. This would have been so easy to get right!

Television shows - they actually had the news playing at some point. Where was the fun and loud noise? Montag and Linda watched a show together! Also, when her friends were over - they were barely paying attention to the show, instead they were all talking.
Maria: I hated how they handled the television, sets and shows. So much of what I got from it was just the overwhelming CONSTANT noise, commercialism, etc. Yet this was missing completely from the movie. Again, did they read the book?

Book Burning - They mostly burned the books outside of the house. It was daylight. These choices were the opposite of Bradbury’s. What happened to all the contrasts of light/dark? Or even the types of light itself? And Montag wore special clothing to burn the books. That made the books more important and the invasion of television less so.
Maria: This was a startling change. Think how amazing the visuals on this could have been! Movies are supposed to be a visual experience, so why did they fall down on this area?

S-E-X - What about the scene on the tram where EVERYONE is touching themselves? The innuendoes from the blood changing men? The scene with Montag and Linda after she was cleansed? Was this just a French thing?
Maria: Heh. So true. Though if other things had been done well I could have understood this. I saw it as people craving true sensory input (rather than the sterile input from a screen). But the fact that they completely removed the “living life - experiencing life” message from Clarisse, this seemed like a bizarre side scene. Ah! that makes sense.  

Police - a little “big brother” ish with the way they answer the phone Listening. Also why was it necessary to cut people’s hair? The police played a more prominent role in the movie. They even completed files on the “perpetrators” that were then sent to firemen.  AFTER they’d already burned those people’s books.
Maria: I’m betting this ties in with the 60s mentality. Honestly, what a cool high school media literacy project this could be! Study the 60s and then watch the movie to pull out the possible reasoning for the movie choices.

River - First, flying policemen? That didn’t even make sense. And how did he know when they were gone if he was under the tarp? Why was there only one boat there? Also, he found the river much too easily. The chase scene was so much less dramatic without the hound. And the pretend chase? He ran around the fire department and got shot? No tension at all. And what about the people at the river? They weren’t even hiding! They were loud so it didn’t make sense that the government didn’t know they were there. Why were they allowed to congregate like that? I did like that they were like a family with people of all ages. And also that people’s names were changed to reflect the book they’d memorized. I didn’t like that the guy from the beginning of the movie and Clarisse were both there, but I guess it worked for the movie.
Maria: Can I also say that I didn’t like the way it just ended? Yes, the bombing in the book was extreme - but I thought it was more powerful. I also laughed when I saw the flying police officers. So they can do that - but not have wall sized televisions? So strange!

Well, have you read the book or seen the movie? Or both? We'd love to hear what you think about all this.  In the meantime, pop on over to Maria's Melange to get her side of the (visual) story!


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Friday Night Lights by H.G. Bissinger - Review

Friday Night Lights
HG Bissinger
Da Capo Press
357 pgs

Note:  One LA teacher at our school is doing a book to movie nonfiction unit and I offered to read some of the choices. 

Friday Night Lights follows the 1988 Permian Panthers as they try to make it all the way to state. But this isn't really about the football as much as it's about the towns these games are played in. Football is the background to a story about dreams, hopes, poverty and racism. Friday Night Lights alternates between players as well as between the history of the town of Odessa, where Permian High is located, and the history of some of their biggest opponents.

Bissinger focuses on the racism and poverty prevalent in each town.  Bissinger seemed eager to paint the picture of racism for me instead of letting me form my own conclusions. Not only did he tell me that many town residents didn't find the N word offensive, he proceeded to use it at least 30 times throughout the book and, let me tell you, Friday Night Lights is not Huckleberry Finn. We also learn how many in this town lost their money after a big oil bust. Bissinger gives a detailed account of how some of the parents of current players or former players got caught up in the materialism that was bred during the oil boom.

I found parts of this book fascinating but there were too many parts I wanted to skip over as Bissinger gets bogged down in the social dynamics of each place. I found myself looking forward to the football and I hate football.  Friday Night Lights is a decent read if you understand there's more to Odessa than football.  Had I known that I think I would have enjoyed the book more instead my expectations got in the way.

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