YAedge Book Club: The Final Discussion: The Dust of 100 Dogs

Tuesday, April 21, 2009

The Final Discussion: The Dust of 100 Dogs

It's time to finish off the month with new discussion questions, since your perspective can change once finishing a book. This thread of comments may contain spoilers. If you haven't finished The Dust of 100 Dogs, please do not click the comments section, assuming you don't want parts of the story revealed to you.

Below are a few questions I thought would be interesting to throw out to the group, based on the discussions going on in the previous discussion thread. Please feel free to add any questions in the comments you would also like to discuss. Also, keep in mind, just reply to a question or someone's answer if you'd like to respond. Keeping the discussion clean and organized is the key to a fun talk!

If you are new to the group, before commenting please review the FAQ and rules.

Don't forget, the poll for May's selection ends April 27th. If you have yet to vote, please do so. It's a tight race!

Thanks again to A.S King for letting us discuss The Dust of 100 Dogs this month!

Final Questions (based on completing the book):

After finishing the book, do you think the lesson or meaning of The Dust of 100 Dogs changed from start to finish? How?
A few of you mentioned in the start of discussion that Emer grabbed your attention at the beginning of the story, more so than Saffron. After reading both stories, who do you relate to more in life, Emer or Saffron?
In the interview section with A.S. King, we had a great discussion regarding animal violence vs. human violence. Most of us mentioned that the animal violence affected us more than human violence. After having finished the book, is your view still the same?
What will you take away with you from reading The Dust of 100 Dogs?
Do you think the book is portrayed properly (cover, back cover copy (or jacket flap), etc.) in stores/media?

REMEMBER, COMMENTS MAY CONTAIN SPOILERS!!

Comments (17)

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tamiklockau 45p · 832 weeks ago

1. After finishing the book, do you think the lesson or meaning of The Dust of 100 Dogs changed from start to finish? How?

1 reply · active 831 weeks ago

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Heather M. Riley · 832 weeks ago

At the end of the book, the message seemed to be life moves on. Saffron didn't have her treasure, but she was able to keep going. We even see a sparkle of hope for a reunion with her love. Even the way the book ends, isn't truly an ending, we know Saffron's going to keep going on.

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Winter Hansen · 831 weeks ago

I thought it was brilliant how the novel begins with a revenge-focused rage but ends with an awareness that choosing not to repeat mistakes is more empowering than revenge is fulfilling. Of course, the hopeful presence of a new Seanie doesn't hurt to tame her despair either.

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tamiklockau 45p · 832 weeks ago

2. A few of you mentioned in the start of discussion that Emer grabbed your attention at the beginning of the story, more so than Saffron. After reading both stories, who do you relate to more in life, Emer or Saffron?

1 reply · active 832 weeks ago

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Heather M. Riley · 832 weeks ago

Thankfully I can say I relate more to Saffron. Emer experiences a lot of grief and pain in her life that I've never felt. Saffron just wants to get away from her family and find a better life, and I think we've all felt that way at times.

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tamiklockau 45p · 832 weeks ago

3. In the interview section with A.S. King, we had a great discussion regarding animal violence vs. human violence. Most of us mentioned that the animal violence affected us more than human violence. After having finished the book, is your view still the same?

1 reply · active 832 weeks ago

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Jenny · 832 weeks ago

Part of King's answers made me rethink part of the books. Many people (including myself) feel that animal violence is worse because the animal is innocent and cannot escape. But she put it succinctly by saying that abused women feel that way too. The animal violence shocked me more originally but in review, I would say that the human violence, in light of her comments in addition to others, made me think harder (if thats the right word) about it.

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tamiklockau 45p · 832 weeks ago

4. What will you take away with you from reading The Dust of 100 Dogs?

1 reply · active 831 weeks ago

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Heather M. Riley · 831 weeks ago

Lots of thoughts. lol If there's one thing D100D does well, it's make you think. A lot of the issues have already been raised - human vs animal violence, revenge..etc.

One thing I found interesting that I don't think has been discussed as much was the pressure Saffron's parents put on her. From the time she was 6 they looked to her as their salvation. That's a lot of pressure for a child, particularly one like Saffron who is more aware than most. Parental pressure is a real issue kids face too. Maybe not to the extent that Saffron faced, but we've all felt that need to please and make our parents proud; that fear that we won't be good enough or we will disappoint.

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tamiklockau 45p · 832 weeks ago

5. Do you think the book is portrayed properly (cover, back cover copy (or jacket flap), etc.) in stores/media?

6 replies · active 831 weeks ago

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A.S. King · 832 weeks ago

I'd love to start this one off by saying: I tried for 10 years to sum this book up in less than 40 words. It's tougher than you'd think. Especially with a book that its rarely what it seems -- like this one. :)

But for what it's worth, the author has zero to do with this. It's all in-house.

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tamiklockau 45p · 832 weeks ago

HA! I can't begin to imagine writing a query for D100D! I know the interview portion is over, but if you don't mind me asking Amy, how did you sum up the two POV in the query? I'm trying to write a query for my story that has two POVs (in a he said/she said format) and am at a loss.

Oh, and BTW, I ADORE the cover. Best cover in YA right now IMO.

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A.S. King · 832 weeks ago

LOL. I will look later tonight for my query for this. Of course, you know this book got rejected by about 120 agents, right? (And I didn't find my agent until the next book.) I reckon it was just that hard to write a decent query! So--I'll be back with that answer.

But in the meantime, if you really love the cover and are a member of Goodreads, you can vote here! http://www.goodreads.com/list/show/1712.Best_Book...

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tamiklockau 45p · 832 weeks ago

HA! Wow, 120 agents! Well, you showed them. D100D is great. Did you keep all the rejections?

Thanks Amy! You're amazingly awesome!

I just popped over to goodreads and voted! Thanks for the link!

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A.S. King · 832 weeks ago

About 120. I think I did about 75 when I still lived in Ireland, and then another 50 or so once I moved here. I do have a folder with all 400+ rejections in it from over the years.
Now--as for that query. Hooboy, it's a very ugly thing. Like wow-not-pretty. I think for a book with several POVs, the best way to do it is to go short first. Use a simple logline in the beginning of the query, and then sum up the essentials after that. In D100D, for example, I wouldn't even mention Fred or a lot of Emer's plot line. I'd get straight into the modern Saffron. For a he said/she said, I reckon it's pretty cool to say that the book is in alternating chapters between MC & MC...
Thank for the vote!

Amy

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Heather M. Riley · 831 weeks ago

I think it does it's job. The back cover copy is enough to intrigue you into reading the book. It can't possibly portray the full magnitude of the story in so few words.

The same can be said of the cover image. It's intriguing and makes you want to pick up the book. After reading the story I can also say that it makes me think of one of Emer's cloaks. It strikes me as something she might have embroidered. :)

Tuesday, April 21, 2009

The Final Discussion: The Dust of 100 Dogs

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