Well, I'm currently watching two shows - Castle and Game of Thrones. Castle's a light series, but Game of Thrones is very intriguing so far. It feels like a mix of ROME and LotR, with more political backstabbing than either one. The politicking between the characters and different houses is definitely a staying factor for me. The level of detail that went into the opening sequence is amazing. The actors' names have their characters' house sigils next to them. On the map, each house's stronghold cities have the house symbols on buildings. Also, the wooden bar carvings throughout the opening sequence tell Westeros' history. Once again, I spoiled some of the future events by while reading wiki articles in an attempt to keep the multitude of characters straight in my head. TBH, now I am more curious to see the events play out. I'm also looking forward to the upcoming novel ;)

:::>>>I also read the novel as a commentary on Wharton's views re the "puritanical heritage" as reflected in the Old New York society Oh yes. Remember, there was a reason those pilgrims left the mother country - it wasn't religious enough for them. It wouldn't be very hard to change the religious strictness into class strictness ::: Absolutely and even today Americans struggle with puritancial heritage. European women are less embarassed to go "topless" than American women. A friend of mine had a friend who married a Danish girl, when they were visiting she took off her top and sunbathed in the backyard topless! She was mortified!! There is still a "class" strictness.. I found this out when I was on an airplane sitting in the bulkhead seat (the seat right behind first classs behind the wall)..so anyway I was four months pregnant...had to use the restroom..so I went to the closest one...in the first class section..yep, I moved the curtain and used their potty. When I got out a very rude man was standing there just to let me know he was waiting to use HIS bathroom. I'll have you know , I'm a quick tinkler, so he was standing there just to make a point. In regards to AOI, I loved the symbolism of the name "Archer", the cupid statues, the "archery" contest and the description of May's ability with the bow and arrow... I'm sure there are other symbols of love/passion I can't remember.

At long last. I'll try not to write too much as most of you have probably sent your books back to the library or have become hazy about the plot. My copy started with 'Camera' which was just as well as I think 'Eye' would have been difficult to start with and put me off continuing. BTW my 'picture' at 'Eye' . . the odd pair of eyes . . . is taken from a del Cossa picture of St Lucy who's eyes were gouged out when she was put to death. I checked out the various friezes mentioned in the book and available to down-load. Not easy to get clear images but at least I felt I had a better idea of the various characters del Cossa had painted. Did anyone notice there is quite a bit about the detail of St Francis Ferrer in the 'Camera' section, as George studies the painting in the National Gallery but little mention of it by del Cossa in 'Eye'? I had no trouble in accepting the 1960's pre-theme and didn't read anything too special in it. It provided a period in which Smith based Carol (the mother) who is quite hippy-ish in her way of life/outlook. Nor did the lack of speech marks and odd words scattered about . . . once I had got used to them. In fact it forced me to be more alert to the various 'conversations' in case I missed something. The 'Camera' setting of Cambridge is where Smith lives and presumably mixes among the intelligentsia so I suppose it isn't surprising that George is much brighter than the average teenager. The hospital, Addenbrookes, where G's Mother dies and where G cycles round part of the lay-out of the gene and photos the double helix, are all there in real life. I wonder if this part of 'Camera' is telling us about the 'twist' in history (as the DNA spiral is depicted) when G says "What if the received notions of history were deceptive." As to the characters. I felt very sorry for both Georgia and Henry (who at first I though much younger than he actually was . . more of a toddler). Their Father seemed a distant rather ineffectual figure and G is left to look after the boy/cook the meals etc. although Smith doesn't make a big thing of it. And what was it about the damp patch on the wall in her bedroom? Did it have some significance that I've missed? The Mother, for me, seems quite a believable 'her-own-woman' sort of character. How many people would just up and take the children away to Italy for a few days? She shows guts and obviously is happy to put two fingers up at authority, in true hippy style. She tries to make George think at an adult level, which perhaps leaves G more vulnerable after her death. Helena, another very bright girl, comes in and out of G's life too briefly. I feel, if Camera had been a story on its own H could have played a greater part/been developed more. Mrs Rock? Did anyone mention her? Is her name meant to imply some sort of security for G; she seems to have no one else rooting for her? I liked the way she answers a question with a question or repeats back the same sentence. I have a friend, something of a Social Worker who does that same thing; it can drive you mad. Lisa Goliard? Obviously someone who Carol was attached to in the past, but so little information is given about her and why does G thinks she was/is a spy? Is she maybe the link between the now and then? George sees her in the National Gallery and apparently follows her to her house . . or so del Cossa 'says'. Very confusing. I cannot think that the second part (for me) of 'Eye' is meant to be written by George and Helena, they wouldn't have had either the skill or knowledge of mid-fifteenth century Italy. Why has del Cossa been taken forward in time? No idea, unless it is just because of the length of time G spends staring at the St Francis picture, as though he has been temporarily resurrected. I couldn't see the point of making del Cossa a female, nor the mention by some here about pornography; I hardly noticed it, (although the male review writers in the papers did!) I was more annoyed by del Cossa' using the word cause instead of 'because' on almost every page. Finally I think 'tomatoes' was just an error. I also noticed 'breeches' which I don't think were worn back then; still to be invented! So, I've still written too much but must say it made me think outside my comfort zone, but I don't think I would read this type of book again too soon. Rather too clever for everyday comfort. Final thought; all the way through reading this in my mind's background I kept 'hearing' I am a Camera

I finished it in the wee hours of the morning. At first I did not think I would like it. It was very slow paced for me in the beginning. After a time it seemed to pick up the pace and by the end I was hooked by all the plot twists and turns. Like some of you, I found it improbable that Kya would be able to ride the bus back from Greenville within that time frame and carry out the murder so perfectly under cover of darkness until the moon appeared, etc. I did like the foreshadowing the author indulged in, regarding the female insects devouring the males, and the "laws of nature" as theme. I see why she added on the poems, but I found it improbable that she could escape recognition as a published poet for so long a time. As for the poetry itself ---- meh.... Westover's "Educated" was very similar in theme. I think I liked "Crawdads" better, just because of the descriptions of the natural world. And I am very familiar with that landscape of coastal Carolina.