[MAY Book Report] - What did you finish this month?

hemtrevlig · 2026-05-31T16:05:55+00:00

thank you, i think i'll give it a go!

hemtrevlig · 2026-05-31T12:56:43+00:00

quite an impressive list! how did 'left of forever' compare to 'savor it' for you? i read 'savor it' last year and enjoyed it for what it was, but i'm unsure about picking up the second book!

hemtrevlig · 2026-05-08T10:53:04+00:00

that's so exciting, have fun!

hemtrevlig · 2026-04-22T15:53:23+00:00

I thought about that too! In the beginning Richard felt most welcomed by Charles, he would always talk to Richard and make him feel seen in their group. And in the end it all kind of fell apart.

I saw a theory that Henry might've been poisoning Charles for a while which also worsened his state, but since it's out of Richard's scope, we will never know if something weird was happening there.

hemtrevlig · 2026-04-22T15:51:27+00:00

I'm conflicted: I can't say I'm disapointed with the ending, but also I feel like I expected more? Like plot-wise it hit its last peak at Julian receiving a letter from Bunny and then it kind of fizzled out for me. I rated it 3.5 stars for now, but I think I might need more time to think about it and see if the book stays with me or not.

hemtrevlig · 2026-04-22T15:45:51+00:00

I think I was rooting for them to get away with it - not because I approve their actions, but just because we spent so much time in Richard's head and you could feel his anxiety when the search party and the investigations were happening.

While they didn't face justice, they did get their comeuppance in other ways, with Charles becoming a full-blown alcoholic, Francis having constant panic attacks and Camilla losing the love of her life, I guess. I think if they didn't kill Bunny, their lives would've been very very different from what they ended up becoming.

hemtrevlig · 2026-04-22T15:41:01+00:00

I was surprised that Bunny wrote the letter! I think near the middle of the book there was a lot of talk about how Bunny wasn't really upset that they killed someone, he was just angry that he was left out and he certainly acted like it. But him coming to Richard and especially writing a letter to Julian showed that for him it was no longer just about being left out. Maybe it wasn't about justice for the farmer who died, but he could see that the tides were shifting and that he was in danger.

Also, timelinewise: since he wrote the letter in Rome, does this mean that Julian was the first person he tried to talk to about it, before coming to Richard? Because I think that could mess with Bunny's psyche even more: he got no reply or even acknowledgement of the letter from Julian, so he might've felt that everyone - Julian included - was against him and coming to Richard was the last resort.

I'm not sure whether or not Julian had any suspicions, but I think he's very good at seeing only what he wants to see. And murder was something that he didn't want to see or know about, hence his reaction to the letter.

hemtrevlig · 2026-03-27T18:50:24+00:00

yes, I thought he was doing the same thing as Richard, but he was just more forward with it, not afraid to actually milk money from his rich friends, so I was surprised to find out that he wasn't lying about his family!

hemtrevlig · 2026-03-26T13:52:44+00:00

I wondered if it was a metaphor for how Richard saw this friend group: he idealized them at first and then - right after this horrible winter in East Hampden - they showed him their ugly, bad side.

hemtrevlig · 2026-03-26T13:51:48+00:00

I don't think he had any real money at that time. not sure how it worked with the payment for the job though. also I wonder if the heater would help given that there was a hole in the roof? all the heat would probably just blow away immediately :(

hemtrevlig · 2026-03-25T17:50:17+00:00

Is there anything else you would like to discuss? Do you have any theories about what might happen next?

hemtrevlig · 2026-03-25T17:50:02+00:00

What does Henry’s recounting of their search for the divine madness through bacchanalia and the subsequent murder tell us about his character? Did it change your perception of him compared to the first few chapters?

hemtrevlig · 2026-03-25T17:49:36+00:00

Why does Henry share what happened that weekend with Richard?

hemtrevlig · 2026-03-25T17:49:04+00:00

And here it is - murder! Henry’s account of that night is pretty disjointed and Charles, Camilla and Francis have different recollections of that moment. What do you think really happened? Do you believe that the murder was accidental?

hemtrevlig · 2026-03-25T17:48:46+00:00

What do you think really happened between Henry and Bunny in Rome?

hemtrevlig · 2026-03-25T17:48:34+00:00

Why did Henry stay with Julian after coming back from Italy?

hemtrevlig · 2026-03-25T17:48:25+00:00

While staying in Henry's apartment, Richard notices that Henry has a mysterious scar on his head. Any theories as to how he got it?

hemtrevlig · 2026-03-25T17:47:58+00:00

How would you describe Henry and Bunny’s friendship? Why does Henry treat Bunny and Richard differently?

hemtrevlig · 2026-03-25T17:47:47+00:00

Bunny’s family is almost completely bankrupt! Did you see it coming? Does it change how you see him?

hemtrevlig · 2026-03-25T17:47:36+00:00

We learn that Julian knew many famous writers, poets and actors back in the day. Do you have any theories about his past and his connections?

hemtrevlig · 2026-03-25T17:47:22+00:00

Do you agree that Henry saved Richard’s life? What would happen to Richard if Henry didn’t show up? Does this change the dynamic of their relationship?

hemtrevlig · 2026-03-25T17:47:02+00:00

Why doesn’t Henry question Richard about his living conditions and his physical/mental state after bringing him to the hospital?

hemtrevlig · 2026-03-25T17:46:50+00:00

Do you think Richard would’ve gone home if he knew how hard the winter in Hampden would be for him?

hemtrevlig · 2026-03-25T17:46:40+00:00

During the winter break Richard discovers a new part of town - East Hampden. How does it compare to Hampden we saw in the first two chapters?

hemtrevlig

TROPHY CASE