WEEK 4 DISCUSSION QUESTIONS

[Fireflywishes]

I apologize for these coming so late.. at first I was ahead in my reading - only had 4 chapters left mid-week. And then I just couldn't finish the last 4 chapters - which actually turned out to be fairly long. I was thinking I wouldn't post my measly (yeah, they are somewhat scarce this time) questions until I was finished with the reading, but it's taking too long and I still have 1 chapter to go. Of course, feel free to talk about this weeks reading far and above these questions I have! For some reason I just got so caught up in the reading I didn't have a lot of questions to ask this time around! If I have anymore questions when I finish chapter 40 (hopefully sometime tonight) I will add them too.

Hopefully this has given everyone a chance to catch up somewhat - or get a jump start on this weeks reading. If you were on-time finishing the reading assignment - sorry for the delay!! I should've posted this thread earlier even if I didn't have the questions prepared so people could discuss, regardless if there were questions posted!

Questions:

Where do you think Dracula's tomb is located - Istanbul, Romania, or elsewhere? Why?

"It was strange, I reflected.. that even in the weirdest circumstances, the most troubling episodes of one's life, the greatest divides from home and familiarity, there were these moments of undeniable joy." (about pg. 297) Can you relate to this? Do you agree?

Why does Helen get upset when Paul says " I thought your mother and aunt were Romanian" after she says they will eat Hungarian cooking at her aunt's house? Helen replies, "You may think whatever you like, Yankee."

Since we're basically at the mid-point of the book:
What do you think of the book so far?

Who is your favorite character? Why?

Predictions for the future? (regarding the book for all you literal people LOL)

Favorite quote(s)?

[goodword]

I think it's in...Istanbul! Everything seems to point to that. Or not! But I have a hard time keeping track of where they are. I really needed to have a map in front of me when I read this.

I think that quote from p. 297 is wonderful--in fact, I'm pretty sure I highlighted it, too. I absolutely agree.

I don't feel that I'm clear enough about the history of Romania and Hungary, but I suppose it's a little like this: I've taught ESL to Chinese students in Beijing and in Hainan. We North Americans would ask students which Chinese nationality they were, and sometimes they would get a little defensive if we asked if they were a minority nationality. We would talk about the differences in Asian appearances (whether they were from China, Viet Nam, Korea, etc,) and how it is difficult for Caucasians sometimes to differentiate among them, and one of my students nodded understandingly. He said, "Yes, sometimes we Chinese cannot tell whether you are Americans or Canadians." Not exactly the same thing, because the Romania-Hungary thing is no doubt more cultural, but I thought it was cute.

I'm enjoying the book. I suppose the girl is my favorite--or Helen. Both are strong women, very intelligent, focused. The girl is a bit unbelievably precocious, but that is often the case in novels.


Predictions? Well, I finished the book a while ago so I kind of know the end, but at this point I felt it could go either way--they could or could not find Dracula, Rossi, Helen. Worried that father might not survive. Or the boy--he could be expendable, right?

[Fireflywishes]

For me, at this point I am most interested in the boy's future with the daughter...after all, isn't that how Paul originally came to find Helen, and in turn Rossi found Helen's mother - all during their searches.

Right now I believe the tomb is in Istanbul as well, but I can't really pinpoint an exact reason why I think that - I just think it's not in Snagov because that's where EVERYONE believes Dracula is buried, and Romania/Transylvania seems too cliche as well. If Dracula is trying to throw everyone off the track of where he's buried - Istanbul would be a good place because no one (outside of like historians and these searchers) associates it with Dracula/Vlad the Impaler.

I agree with that quote as well (gee, could you see that coming?? lol) I think it's my favorite quote so far in the book and I can totally relate to it.

Goodword, that Americans or Canadians quote is funny! I was curious about Helen's irritation about Paul's assumption (correctly) that it'd be Romanian food.. I think though that since they've moved to Hungary that they try to distance themselves from Romania (like her mom wouldn't even teach her Romanian).. especially the way Helen's mom had to flee after she got pregnant. Since Eva is in the gov't and Hungary and Romania are not on the best terms, it's probably not a good thing to be spouting everywhere that she's from Romania.

So far I like Paul's daughter, and I really like the boy she's traveling with - I can't remember his name at the moment I like the boy's humor and that he really does seem like a good guy.

More thoughts later

Can't wait to hear what everyone else thinks too!

[Astoria]

I am not sure if the tomb is in Istanbul or Romania.

I love the book so far

My favorite character is Helen and Paul daughter.

[goodword]

I absolutely think this would make a wonderful movie! I'd read that the author sold the film rights. I'm not a horror or vampire movie buff--in fact, my exposure to vampires has pretty much been the Count on Sesame Street and Count Chocula cereal--but this one could be done very tastefully. I'd love to see it.

One thing that I found myself wondering is how the girl's father had led such a normal life--how had he walked away, so to speak, from the obsession/search for the period of time it has taken to raise his daughter. And how has he been safe for so long, considering that it seems that everyone he had known in the search had not fared so well.

[sunshinejenn03]

Helen is definitely my favorite character. I also like Barley.

[Astoria]

I absolutely think this would make a wonderful movie! I'd read that the author sold the film rights. I'm not a horror or vampire movie buff--in fact, my exposure to vampires has pretty much been the Count on Sesame Street and Count Chocula cereal--but this one could be done very tastefully. I'd love to see it.

One thing that I found myself wondering is how the girl's father had led such a normal life--how had he walked away, so to speak, from the obsession/search for the period of time it has taken to raise his daughter. And how has he been safe for so long, considering that it seems that everyone he had known in the search had not fared so well.

I think it would make a wonderful movie too.

Great Point I wonder how he was able to walk away from the obession /search also.

[sunshinejenn03]

Where do you think Dracula's tomb is located - Istanbul, Romania, or elsewhere? Why?

I'm going to throw this out there and I'm sure I'm going to change my mind later, but I think maybe Dracula's tomb may be located at St. Mathieu. I'm still stuck on the bat with the swallows and Paul just jetted out of Oxford to head there and find Helen. Of course, it could just be a beginning point for the narrator's search.

[turtlenook]

I was just thinking the samething Sunshinejenn. For awhile, I believed that his tomb was in Istanbull. But yesterday I was thinking of all the places it could be, and was wondering if Kostova wants the reader to make the assumption that the tomb is in Istanbull, while Dracula and everyone else seems pulled to St. Mathieu.

[Fireflywishes]

Has anyone finished Week 5's reading? 'cause if so, there is a new candidate for the location of Dracula's tomb and I'm dying to know what everyone else thinks!! lol

I'm really intrigued by the whole St. Matthieu's church thing. The supposed heresy that allowed Dracula life in death..