Carole Knits

october zinnia
october zinnia
martinis with a view
martinis with a view
gettysburg fence for
gettysburg fence for
germinate shawl on rocks
germinate shawl on rocks
field of flags 2
field of flags 2
color affection with edge
color affection with edge
cedar leaf shawlette 2
cedar leaf shawlette 2
3_27_2014
3_27_2014
3_18_13
3_18_13
2_24_2014
2_24_2014
1_11_13
1_11_13
peony-bouquet-for-carole-knits
peony-bouquet-for-carole-knits
dale-and-jackie-for-carole-knits
dale-and-jackie-for-carole-knits
nightshift-progress-for-carole-knits
nightshift-progress-for-carole-knits

ABC Along Adventures of Dale and Carole Arthritis Ask Me Anything Birthdays Bloggers Books Buy More Yarn Charity Knitting Circular Sock Machine Contests Crochet Dyeing Epic Sock Blanket Eye Candy Friday Feeling Crafty Fiber Festivals Food Good, Bad, Ugly Hmmm Joyful Wednesday Knitting Knitting Olympics Macro Monday March Money Madness Memes Mittens Monday On My Mind Movies Museum of Me Mutterings My Backyard NaBloPoMo One Little Word Patterns Photography Project Spectrum Quilting Random Ravelry Read With Us Reenacting Run For Your Life Saturday Posts Selfies Sewing Show & Tell Sock Knitting Spinning Sunday Funnies Swaps Ten on the Tenth Ten on Tuesday Thankfulness That's Life Think Write Thursday Three Things Throwback Thursday Thursday Things Uncategorized Vacations Wordless Words in the Wild

  • Home
  • Carole Julius Photography
You are here: Home / Books / Read With Us: The Matrix Discussion

Read With Us: The Matrix Discussion

January 11, 2022 By Carole

It’s time to discuss our fall selection, Matrix by Lauren Groff. As we’ve been doing for the last little while, Kym and Bonny and I will each post a question (or two) on our blog today and we welcome your thoughts in the comments. In conjunction with this, we will also host a Zoom discussion tonight at 7pm EST. These discussions are lively and fun with absolutely no pressure from us to do anything but be present. If you’ve hesitated to participate I heartily encourage you to let that go and join us. Just let me know in the comments if you’d like a link to the Zoom meeting.

Okay, let’s talk about Matrix . . .

I’ll say, first and foremost, that I did not love this book. I found it to be dry and rather tedious and I had a hard time connecting with the characters and setting. The writing, however, is exceptional and that (along with the commitment to this group) is what kept me going. My question for all of you is this:

What did you think of Groff’s descriptive writing style. Were there some particular passages that really stuck with you?

Here’s a passage that I think really shows how gorgeous Groff’s writing is:

The light through the windows is watery and angled so that it shines through the breath of the nuns as they read aloud, the rising breath silvering, the streams of word made visible, word transformed to ghost as it rises from these mouths. The noise in the room is a low sweet hum without pause, the voices mixing so beautifully that the impression is not a tapestry of individual threads but a solid sheet like pounded gold. With their heads bent over their books like this, their words palely shining, she understands that the abbey is a beehive, all her good bees working together in humility and devotion. This life is beautiful. 

I await your responses! And do please join us tonight if you are able.

Related posts:

Default ThumbnailRead With Us: The Matrix Promo Post Default ThumbnailRead With Us: The Shuggie Bain Discussion Default ThumbnailRead With Us: Just Mercy Book Discussion Week 3 Default ThumbnailRead With Us: The Unsettled Ground Discussion
« Instagram, 2021
Year In Books, 2021 »

Filed Under: Books, Read With Us

Comments

  1. Vera says

    January 11, 2022 at 7:00 am

    I do remember that beautiful passage. Like so many others, I found Matrix to be a real slog to read though. I’m hoping that joining the Zoom discussion tonight will give me at least a little appreciation for the book!

  2. Bonny says

    January 11, 2022 at 7:25 am

    I agree with you and will look forward to the discussion tonight!

  3. Kym says

    January 11, 2022 at 7:37 am

    Well. I didn’t think it was a slog at all! 🙂 (And that’s what makes book groups so interesting. . . ) I really love Groff’s writing, and think she did a magnificent job setting the scene of a 12th century abbey for her readers. And her writing about Marie’s hot flash? Oh, I’ve never read anything quite so perfectly descriptive!

  4. Kat says

    January 11, 2022 at 7:47 am

    I am with Kym… I did not find it to be a slog at all (but that does not mean I liked it! Ha!) I do think that the writing was so evocative… but I did not like how Marie changed (imo not for the better) over the course of the book. I am very excited to discuss this tonight!

  5. Sarah says

    January 11, 2022 at 12:59 pm

    I highlighted the same passage! The writing was really something, and I’m glad to hear that you found value in reading the book for that even if you didn’t like the book itself. Looking forward to tonight!

  6. Becky says

    January 11, 2022 at 1:24 pm

    I did find this book to be a total slog for me. I did not like the story or the writer’s style. It seemed too self-involved to me. I read over half of it, but I just could not force myself to finish it. But that’s why there are different books for different folks!

  7. Kim says

    January 11, 2022 at 1:32 pm

    I agree that the writing is wonderful, I did find the first half very dry and may not have stuck with it if it wasn’t for the commitment I made. I only have a few more chapters to finish and have found the second half more interesting. I look forward to listening to the conversation.

  8. Suzanne says

    January 11, 2022 at 5:50 pm

    I read the Kindle version which was under 300 pages but I also found it a slog to get through. It took me about 3 weeks to get through and I think I just didn’t connect with the characters. I did enjoy some of the descriptions.

  9. Dee says

    January 11, 2022 at 6:12 pm

    I would love to join the discussion tonight!

  10. Allison says

    January 11, 2022 at 6:32 pm

    I also didn’t connect with the characters. I was interested in the influence of men even though there were no male characters.

Archives

carole AT caroleknits DOT net
my read shelf:
Carole's book recommendations, liked quotes, book clubs, book trivia, book lists (read shelf)

2021 Reading Challenge

2021 Reading Challenge
Carole has read 15 books toward her goal of 75 books.
hide
15 of 75 (20%)
view books

carolejuliusphoto

Watching Gaslit with a view. It’s another beauti Watching Gaslit with a view. It’s another beautiful night in Bayside. #baysidemaine #gaslitstarz #alaptopwithaview #porchsitting #coastofmaine
A donut the size of my hand! This one is called Th A donut the size of my hand! This one is called The Homer 🤣 @theonlydoughnut.belfast #theonlydoughnut #belfastmaine #thewaylifeshouldbe #donutsforbreakfast
I can’t get enough of this view. #baysidemaine # I can’t get enough of this view. #baysidemaine #thewaylifeshouldbe #maine #theviewfromhere
Friday night snacks look better from here. And als Friday night snacks look better from here. And also, I’m not oblivious to today’s news, I’m devastated. I’m also extra grateful to (a) live in Massachusetts and (b) be privileged enough to ignore it for right now while on vacation. #fridaynightsnacks #martinitime #baysidemaine #cheeseandcrackers #myhappyplace
Pizza night. What can I say? Wednesday is the new Pizza night. What can I say? Wednesday is the new Friday. #oonipizzaoven @ooni.it #pizzanight #outdoorliving #margaritapizza #imadeitmyself #homemadeisbest
Happy FriYay, friends! #fridaynightsnacks #friyayn Happy FriYay, friends! #fridaynightsnacks #friyaynight #helloweekend #martinitime #cheeseandcrackers #charcuterie #outdoorliving
Happy Sunday from Fred and George! #sundaymorningv Happy Sunday from Fred and George! #sundaymorningvibes #siamesecatsofinstagram #siamesecats #fredandgeorge
Friday night is pizza night these days. And those Friday night is pizza night these days. And those napkins? They sum up the secret to our 25 (next Tuesday!) year marriage! #oonipizzaoven #fridaynightsnacks #peaceloveandcocktails
It’s a perfect June morning for Sunday brunch un It’s a perfect June morning for Sunday brunch under the pergola. #sundaybrunch #brunchalfresco #pergolaliving #outdoorliving #inmybackyard #juneismyfavoritemonth
My patriotism is sorely lacking at the moment. Sti My patriotism is sorely lacking at the moment. Still, I’m grateful to head into Memorial Day weekend focusing on the good, remembering those who gave the ultimate sacrifice while serving our country, seeking common ground and (always) looking for hope. If all that fails, at least I’ve got a martini. And snacks. #fridaynightsnacks #memorialdayweekend2022 #cheeseandcrackers #martinitime
I love a hotel conference room with a view! #massl I love a hotel conference room with a view! #masslib2022 #libraryconference #aroomwithaview
Flower haul, day 2. #flowersaremagical #containerg Flower haul, day 2. #flowersaremagical #containergardening #timetoplant #givemealltheplants
It was a good day for plant shopping, my annual tr It was a good day for plant shopping, my annual tradition with my gardening bestie @doemack87 . I think we even left some plants behind … maybe. 🤣 #plantshopping #containergardening #plantsgalore #flowersaremagical
Pizza perfection tonight! Margherita for me and pe Pizza perfection tonight! Margherita for me and pepperoni for him. I’m loving our @oonihq pizza oven. #oonipizzaoven #ooni #margheritapizza #pepperonipizza #homemadeisbest #imadeitmyself #summernights
Fred has assured me that there is no pea under tha Fred has assured me that there is no pea under that pile of quilts. #fredandgeorge #siamesecatsofinstagram #siamesecat #princessandthepea #pileofquilts
First al fresco breakfast of the season, air fryer First al fresco breakfast of the season, air fryer hash browns with avocado and crispy fried eggs. Delicious! And so nice to enjoy under the pergola. #breakfastalfresco #inmybackyard #airfryerhashbrown
Fridays on the deck are the best Fridays of all. # Fridays on the deck are the best Fridays of all. #fridaynightsnacks #martinitime #cheeseandcrackers #happyhourathome #itsspringbutfeelslikesummer
Ranunculus season is short, gotta enjoy these beau Ranunculus season is short, gotta enjoy these beauties while we can. #ranunculus #flowersaremagical #springblooms #crossstreetflowerfarm
Two kitties in a basket! #fredandgeorge #siameseca Two kitties in a basket! #fredandgeorge #siamesecatsofinstagram #siamesecorner #siamesecats
It’s Friday night, friends. Time for snacks. Ooo It’s Friday night, friends. Time for snacks. Ooof, what a week. #fridaynightsnacks #cheeseandcrackers #martinitime #thosenapkinsthough #iwishiwasaunicornsoicouldstabpeoplewithmyhead #fuckyouscotus
Load More... Follow on Instagram

Subscribe to Blog via Email

Enter your email address to subscribe to this blog and receive notifications of new posts by email.

Categories

ABC Along Adventures of Dale and Carole Birthdays Bloggers Books Charity Knitting Contests Eye Candy Friday Feeling Crafty Fiber Festivals Food Good, Bad, Ugly Hmmm Knitting Knitting Olympics Macro Monday Memes Monday On My Mind Movies One Little Word Photography Project Spectrum Quilting Random Read With Us Reenacting Run For Your Life Saturday Posts Selfies Show & Tell Sock Knitting Spinning Sunday Funnies Swaps Ten on Tuesday Thankfulness That's Life Think Write Thursday Three Things Throwback Thursday Thursday Things Uncategorized Vacations Wordless Words in the Wild

Copyright 2014 Carole Knits · Log in