<pomposity(?)>
Reading is a solitary act; temporary transportation to another world, whether it's the 'real' world or the world(s) of fantasy and imagination. I don't give myself the opportunity for such transport very often these days - reality impinges too harshly to allow such frivolous recreation.

"So, what the hell does this have to do with Fragile Things?"

I just finished THE FACTS IN THE CASE OF THE DEPARTURE OF MISS FINCH, and am truly enjoying the new roads that have been revealed by 'the other Mr. G.*'

Setting is important - my personal, at present, is at mom's house, scenic, where I spent my youthful (bored) summers as a child, with most of the family (current time) out of the house and a couple of black 'n tans under my belt on a hot summer's day.

out of self, out of time
</pomposity>

That's my short take - atmosphere, but no substance . Thanks for playing.

* you can tell from my avatar notes who brought me back into fiction.

quote:

Originally posted by duncan s.:

That's my short take - atmosphere, but no substance . Thanks for playing.

I felt the same way about a lot of Fragile Things. I liked Smoke and Mirrors better. Fragile Things, to me, felt cold. The temperature, not the emotion. There was something of distance and fearful memory in it, too. But it was too removed from itself.
If that makes any sense.

[QUOTE]Originally posted by duncan s.:

"So, what the hell does this have to do with Fragile Things?"
Hi duncan,
I JUST found this thread after a year- (and 2 listens to the audio book), so it's a 'little untimely', but I thought I'd toss this out there.
- - -I don't think that every passage needs to relate back to that title necessarily, but with the title being taken from the beginning of a poem, it seems like all of the references would be 'loose' at best. In some cases (possibly like this one in particular), it seems like this is just the set up to establish lifestyle differences between the main character and Miss Finch (being that she was 'ALL ABOUT READING')- - - and with her later departure from her 'typical reality' ((pun and all)) which may YET be the connection to the 'Fragility' noted in the title of the book. <----(but that's just a guess, of course.)

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Natalie, I think that if you'd been there to hear Mr. Neil read the poem, it would change the voice from 'fearful memory' that you noted to something MUCH different. I don't feel that it's removed from itsef either-- it's just a different perspective that can't be compared to previous books. ((It's a collection of different views that find warmth in the voice of the author on the audio.- - - I'd strongly suggest that you give it a listen, - - - it worked for me, and the 2nd listen was better than the first!)
Cheers!