Ghost Story - Discussion Post #2 & #3

Sorry for the delay on this everyone! Does anyone else think that this book was a slow burn? Now I'm totally invested, but while I was sick it was hard to get settled. Enough about me though, let's discuss!

This time around, we're discussing PART II and the first 2 parts of PART III of this book.

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DISCUSSION QUESTIONS

* Now that we have more background information on our characters, what do you see as the purpose of The Chowder Society?

* What do you think of Don Wanderly, our new addition?

* Things are getting darker in Millburn. What's been the most chilling part of this novel for you?

* Do you think that any of the characters have changed? Is there anyone that you think is now showing their true colors? Do you have a new favorite?

* What do you think the inevitable end of this story will be?

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MODERATOR THOUGHTS

So, let me say that the more we learn about our characters the darker this book gets. At first I wasn't sure why this was even called Ghost Story. I kept thinking that Peter Straub was holding out on us. Now? Well, I stand corrected. He was building things up, and it's been well worth the wait. I ramble though. The purpose of The Chowder Society, in my eyes, is to try to stay sane. These poor men. These poor, guilty and troubled men. They're banded together because they are the only ones that believe one another.

As for Don Wanderly, I'm not sure how I feel about him at this point. It's clear that he was the missing piece of the puzzle. He arrived, and suddenly things hit a downward spiral into madness. I think Don isn't even sure how he feels about himself. He knows that something mysterious happened to him, he knows that the paranormal has the ability to exist, I think he just isn't sure how he feels about all of that. How do you admit that to yourself?

Which brings me to the most chilling part of this whole novel, and that's the fact that this darkness is still unnamed. We're getting closer to the truth. Slowly things are being explained, and it's obvious that this same darkness has been in Millburn before. Still, it's hidden behind this sheet of the unknown. People have died, violence has happened, but I feel like there's a greater threat lurking in the shadows still!

I think Lewis, is probably the character that's changed the most. I know that he was always pegged as a "ladies man", but now we're finding out that he did it more for company than anything else. Now, as things get creepier, he's becoming less outgoing and more introspective. He's actually become the most interesting character to me because of that fact. We're discovering so much about his past!

So what's the ending going to be? I wish I knew. Yet, I don't. I can't wait to find out though!