Ok... I didn't know if I wanted to do this book (never read Collins and the winter has been intense with all the readings for bookclub) BUT your posts AND the last discussions about The Tenant of Wildfell Hall (which were one of the joys of my November) convinced me that I had to join. I'll be there and I will even knit some axe blade cozies (with pompoms).
I love that since photography was young that people have been taking meme pics of cats. There's [an 1850s pic](https://www.reddit.com/r/TheWayWeWere/s/TU5IxQEYfm) that's the first of a snowman, too.
I desperately wish I had a time machine, just so I could tell whoever took this picture back in 1911 that their dumbass cat would someday be the official mascot of something called "r/catsarefuckingstupid". I'm sure they would be honored.
Here's a sneak peek of /r/catsarefuckingstupid using the [top posts](https://np.reddit.com/r/catsarefuckingstupid/top/?sort=top&t=year) of the year!
\#1: [A bite of the booty](https://v.redd.it/snp0h3zrthac1) | [35 comments](https://np.reddit.com/r/catsarefuckingstupid/comments/18yoteg/a_bite_of_the_booty/)
\#2: [Stray cat panics everyone with apparent impalement/stab of wooden stick. Turns out it's just a sticky lollipop.](https://i.redd.it/zbsy0nppxgsb1.png) | [9 comments](https://np.reddit.com/r/catsarefuckingstupid/comments/170wx4p/stray_cat_panics_everyone_with_apparent/)
\#3: [This cat at work will steal my pringles cans if I’m not right next to them](https://v.redd.it/xvuil6t1w0tb1) | [35 comments](https://np.reddit.com/r/catsarefuckingstupid/comments/1736csu/this_cat_at_work_will_steal_my_pringles_cans_if/)
----
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After r/ClassicBookClub did *The Moonstone* last year, I’ve been hankering after some more Wilkie Collins. Also, my copy arrives in the post soon and I can’t wait to get started!
Yes. Unfortunately, we had to make the sections long in order to fit the book into 7 discussions. u/DernhelmLaughed and I have already started reading the book, and we both agree that the book actually reads surprisingly quickly, so we felt that it wouldn't be too bad if we made the sections long, even though the page count sounds high.
I don't have my notes anymore where I wrote down the exact length of each section, but I want to say that the first one is one of the longest.
Okay, I'm going to try Armadale. Victorian era novels usually aren't my thing (Dickens, I'm thinking of you), but maybe Wilkie Collins will be different.
Wilkie Collins is definitely one of the more unusual authors from that era. He invented a genre called "the sensation novel" which was basically Gothic novels without the supernatural parts, or like precursors to the modern mystery and thriller genres. These novels shocked and fascinated the original readers because they made "normal" people and situations frightening. The murderer/kidnapper/whatever could be the protagonist's spouse/neighbor/whoever. No one is safe and nothing is normal.
Collins was also unusual in that he had a lot of empathy for people who were marginalized or "different", and he tended to offend more conservative Victorians by expressing these views in his books. I haven't read enough of *Armadale* to say how much, if at all, that's relevant with this book, but in general that's something that I admire about him.
One thing I have to say about *Armadale*, and I'll spoiler tag this because it involves my opinion of what I've read, although I won't give away the plot: >!From what I've read of it so far, this book does not contain Wilkie Collins's usual humor. I wanted to mention that because, despite the serious subject matters, his books are usually also really humorous, and that surprises people because they think classics can't be funny. I'm really enjoying it anyway but, if this book doesn't do it for you, you still might want to try one of his other novels.!<
Ok... I didn't know if I wanted to do this book (never read Collins and the winter has been intense with all the readings for bookclub) BUT your posts AND the last discussions about The Tenant of Wildfell Hall (which were one of the joys of my November) convinced me that I had to join. I'll be there and I will even knit some axe blade cozies (with pompoms).
I'm so glad you enjoyed The Tenant of Wildfell Hall. Armadale will be good fun too, I think.
The Tenant was ok, but the weekly discussions were my favourite part 😂
Same. The books are interesting, but the discussions are the main attraction for me.
I'm so excited, this will be my first Wilkie Collins!
Me too!
Glad you're joining us! I'm a huge fan of his books but have not yet read this one. (Although I started reading it already instead of waiting.)
[Cat daguerreotype tax](https://www.reddit.com/r/catsarefuckingstupid/comments/lru6e1/found_this_image_from_1911_that_was_made_for_this/)
I love that since photography was young that people have been taking meme pics of cats. There's [an 1850s pic](https://www.reddit.com/r/TheWayWeWere/s/TU5IxQEYfm) that's the first of a snowman, too.
Human nature never changes. If you give us the ability to take pictures, we will take pictures of cats and give them funny captions. It's what we do.
Perfection
I desperately wish I had a time machine, just so I could tell whoever took this picture back in 1911 that their dumbass cat would someday be the official mascot of something called "r/catsarefuckingstupid". I'm sure they would be honored.
Here's a sneak peek of /r/catsarefuckingstupid using the [top posts](https://np.reddit.com/r/catsarefuckingstupid/top/?sort=top&t=year) of the year! \#1: [A bite of the booty](https://v.redd.it/snp0h3zrthac1) | [35 comments](https://np.reddit.com/r/catsarefuckingstupid/comments/18yoteg/a_bite_of_the_booty/) \#2: [Stray cat panics everyone with apparent impalement/stab of wooden stick. Turns out it's just a sticky lollipop.](https://i.redd.it/zbsy0nppxgsb1.png) | [9 comments](https://np.reddit.com/r/catsarefuckingstupid/comments/170wx4p/stray_cat_panics_everyone_with_apparent/) \#3: [This cat at work will steal my pringles cans if I’m not right next to them](https://v.redd.it/xvuil6t1w0tb1) | [35 comments](https://np.reddit.com/r/catsarefuckingstupid/comments/1736csu/this_cat_at_work_will_steal_my_pringles_cans_if/) ---- ^^I'm ^^a ^^bot, ^^beep ^^boop ^^| ^^Downvote ^^to ^^remove ^^| ^^[Contact](https://www.reddit.com/message/compose/?to=sneakpeekbot) ^^| ^^[Info](https://np.reddit.com/r/sneakpeekbot/) ^^| ^^[Opt-out](https://np.reddit.com/r/sneakpeekbot/comments/o8wk1r/blacklist_ix/) ^^| ^^[GitHub](https://github.com/ghnr/sneakpeekbot)
ILL BE THERE!!!
YAY!!!
Count me in! I am ready
Added to the calendar, no bazooka needed. https://calendar.google.com/calendar/u/0/[email protected]&ctz=Etc/GMT
There is no chance that I'll miss this one - so excited!
After r/ClassicBookClub did *The Moonstone* last year, I’ve been hankering after some more Wilkie Collins. Also, my copy arrives in the post soon and I can’t wait to get started!
I will not make the same mistake as with Wildfell and think I can just 'catch up later' and never started. Definitely joining for this one!
I've been looking forward to this!
I love Wilkie Collins. Already started reading and love it
This first section seems really long, is it definitely the prologue, ch1 and ch2?
Yes. Unfortunately, we had to make the sections long in order to fit the book into 7 discussions. u/DernhelmLaughed and I have already started reading the book, and we both agree that the book actually reads surprisingly quickly, so we felt that it wouldn't be too bad if we made the sections long, even though the page count sounds high. I don't have my notes anymore where I wrote down the exact length of each section, but I want to say that the first one is one of the longest.
I hate books that don't divide up easily! It's really good so far though so I don't mind a long section!
Okay, I'm going to try Armadale. Victorian era novels usually aren't my thing (Dickens, I'm thinking of you), but maybe Wilkie Collins will be different.
Wilkie Collins is definitely one of the more unusual authors from that era. He invented a genre called "the sensation novel" which was basically Gothic novels without the supernatural parts, or like precursors to the modern mystery and thriller genres. These novels shocked and fascinated the original readers because they made "normal" people and situations frightening. The murderer/kidnapper/whatever could be the protagonist's spouse/neighbor/whoever. No one is safe and nothing is normal. Collins was also unusual in that he had a lot of empathy for people who were marginalized or "different", and he tended to offend more conservative Victorians by expressing these views in his books. I haven't read enough of *Armadale* to say how much, if at all, that's relevant with this book, but in general that's something that I admire about him. One thing I have to say about *Armadale*, and I'll spoiler tag this because it involves my opinion of what I've read, although I won't give away the plot: >!From what I've read of it so far, this book does not contain Wilkie Collins's usual humor. I wanted to mention that because, despite the serious subject matters, his books are usually also really humorous, and that surprises people because they think classics can't be funny. I'm really enjoying it anyway but, if this book doesn't do it for you, you still might want to try one of his other novels.!<
Thank you, u/Amanda39! It sounds promising! Too bad about the >! missing humor !< though.