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Why do you think the author chooses to set the book on an island? How does the island setting reflect A.J.'s character?

Created: 04/12/14

Replies: 12

Posted Apr. 12, 2014 Go to Top | Go to bottom | link | alert
davinamw

Join Date: 10/15/10

Posts: 3442

Why do you think the author chooses to set the book on an island? How does the island setting reflect A.J.'s character?

Consider the setting. Why do you think the author chooses to set the book on an island? How does the island setting reflect A.J.'s character?


Posted Apr. 14, 2014 Go to Top | Go to bottom | link | alert
deeh

Join Date: 03/03/12

Posts: 239

RE: Why do you think the author chooses to set the book on an island? How does the island setting reflect A.J.'s character?

An island is a place apart from the rest of the world, no matter how big or how small it is. It limits the scope of the reader to the immediate surroundings. A.J. is a man apart from other people, it was his wife who made him who he was when they came to the island. Without her he becomes a man adrift, unable to make the decision to move away or to continue his life without her.


Posted Apr. 15, 2014 Go to Top | Go to bottom | link | alert
joyces

Join Date: 06/16/11

Posts: 410

RE: Why do you think the author chooses to set the book on an island? How does the island setting reflect A.J.'s character?

I think the island setting was ideal for this story as it is automatically a close community and yet varied and tolerant of each other's foibles and personalities. In the beginning of the book A.J. is an island pretty much and has little desire to be otherwise. As the book flows through the various events he becomes not only a part of the community where he lives but actually goes off island and opens his mind considerably as he pursues a relationship with Amelia and takes care of the growing Maya. The island went from being an escape from the world to being a world he embraced.


Posted Apr. 16, 2014 Go to Top | Go to bottom | link | alert
janeh

Join Date: 06/15/11

Posts: 222

RE: Why do you think the author chooses to set the book on an island? How does the island setting reflect A.J.'s character?

I think the island setting was perfect. Probably only an island setting could give a small bookstore top billing as a bonafide character in the novel. It would have been hard to accomplish this with a small bookstore in NYC. I also think it made it even more special when each character met through the bookstore and then found some reason to keep coming back. Maybe a metaphor for the love of reading itself. True readers will always seek out books, no matter how far they have to go to find them. It is a love story. You'll understand if you love reading as much as I do. It's definitely a key player in my life.


Posted Apr. 17, 2014 Go to Top | Go to bottom | link | alert
bettyt

Join Date: 05/12/11

Posts: 228

RE: Why do you think the author chooses to set the book on an island? How does the island setting reflect A.J.'s character?

An island setting limits the entire set-up. There are lesser outside influences. Outside characters are more easily controlled. Most of the people are already going to know each other; they are a fairly closed society. If there are conflicts among the characters it has to be worked out as there is no escaping each other. Everyone knows everyone's business. Lambiase thus knows AJ's fragility after losing his wife. He knows Ismay's quirks. AJ comes off as being a "small town" type. He probably would have been devoured by the city. But Maya has brought him out of his funk and he can now venture out into the world to get what he really wants.


Posted Apr. 17, 2014 Go to Top | Go to bottom | link | alert
Gin

Join Date: 10/21/12

Posts: 32

RE: Why do you think the author chooses to set the book on an island? How does the island setting reflect A.J.'s character?

I think the author has visited or lived on Nantucket and found the perfect setting for a love story about the importance of bookstores, the transformative power of reading, and the ability of people to change. The insular quality of island life makes all struggles more obvious and transparent. Family connections are often deeper and more limited on an island. AJ is like an island because he is not easy to reach. One has to go to extra effort to get there.


Posted Apr. 23, 2014 Go to Top | Go to bottom | link | alert
maggiep

Join Date: 03/28/14

Posts: 17

RE: Why do you think the author chooses to set the book on an island? How does the island setting reflect A.J.'s character?

The island setting certainly reflects A.J.'s personality. If A.J. had lived in a bigger community, he never would have been able to keep himself so isolated. Without the isolation he wouldn't have experienced so much growth and there wouldn't have been a story to tell.


Posted Apr. 23, 2014 Go to Top | Go to bottom | link | alert
LeahLovesBooks

Join Date: 04/08/14

Posts: 69

RE: Why do you think the author chooses to set the book on an island? How does the island setting reflect A.J.'s character?

An island implies some kind of isolation -- Note that the first 3 letters of island and isolation are the same:). Amelia took into account how her career would be more limited living on the island. As I write this, I think now that the book had very little technology in it. The island must have technology yet we see very little of it in this book.


Posted Apr. 23, 2014 Go to Top | Go to bottom | link | alert
sallyg

Join Date: 05/14/11

Posts: 21

RE: Why do you think the author chooses to set the book on an island? How does the island setting reflect A.J.'s character?

Leah is right and interesting about the three letter and isolation but A J and Amelia do some kind of Skype and also the gift of the Kindles.


Posted Apr. 23, 2014 Go to Top | Go to bottom | link | alert
nancyh

Join Date: 06/25/13

Posts: 347

RE: Why do you think the author chooses to set the book on an island? How does the island setting reflect A.J.'s character?

A J was a loner and the island is a suitable place for him to live. If people did not come to him, he would have had no life outside his books. I agree Amelia knew her career would suffer, but she was willing to do that. Without Amelia the bookstore would not have changed. She was the one with the techical knowledge to improve the shop.


Posted Apr. 26, 2014 Go to Top | Go to bottom | link | alert
Jan Mays

Join Date: 07/16/11

Posts: 13

RE: Why do you think the author chooses to set the book on an island? How does the island setting reflect A.J.'s character?

Isolation is the recurring theme throughout the book, so the isolation location of an island is very appropriate.


Posted Apr. 27, 2014 Go to Top | Go to bottom | link | alert
jeann

Join Date: 11/14/11

Posts: 56

RE: Why do you think the author chooses to set the book on an island? How does the island setting reflect A.J.'s character?

First, I think the island setting was a perfect reflection of A. J.'s character at the beginning of the book. He was living an isolated, solitary life without relationships or interaction with others.
His boundaries expanded with the arrival of Maya and then Amelia.
I loved the island setting for it's intimacy. It became a central gathering place. People gravitated to the bookstore and friendships were made through what they all had, or ended up having- the love of books.
I can't imagine the story having this charm if it was located in a strip mall or the equivalent, even if the bookstore was small and independently owned.
Wouldn't it be fun to be able to pop into this cozy bookstore? I would be worth a ferry ride from "wherever" to spend time there.


Posted May. 09, 2014 Go to Top | Go to bottom | link | alert
LeahLovesBooks

Join Date: 04/08/14

Posts: 69

RE: Why do you think the author chooses to set the book on an island? How does the island setting reflect A.J.'s character?

I thought a lot about Skype and kindles. In the end, I'm still a book person who, as in other areas of my life, needs the physical in order to connect with others. Thank you, Skype, for being there but it's a substitute and enabler rather than the real deal. How do you think this affects relationships?


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