I've read The Merlin Conspiracy multiple times

[conuly]

and somehow or another I still can never recall the plot. I'm not even sure if the problem is that I never understand the plot as I read it or if the problem is that I understand it just fine but forget it immediately thereafter.

And yes, I've read Deep Secret. It's not as helpful as it ought to be. Anyway, just boasting, because that makes this an even better find than usual!

**************

Lichens can survive almost anything, and some might survive Mars

Hunting the Wild Mushrooms of New York City

On the Origin of the Pork Taboo

Why do sifakas pogo?

44 Photos That Show The Materialism And The Misery Of The Gilded Age In True Color

ClickFix: How to Infect Your PC in Three Easy Steps

American Crying

The Authoritarian Regime Survival Guide

An Algorithm Deemed This Nearly Blind 70-Year-Old Prisoner a “Moderate Risk.” Now He’s No Longer Eligible for Parole.

Why are incarcerated people dying from lack of food or water, even as private companies are paid millions for their care?

Five dead and more than 700 injured in blast at key Iran port

Inside a City Swept by Roving Gunmen, Deadly Grudges and Fear

Schumer invokes Senate ‘blue slip’ to block Trump US attorney nominees

California sues the Trump administration over the president's sweeping tariffs

Trump touts ‘clean coal’ — but cuts programs that protect miners

Comments

[magid]

I think some of the challenge of The Merlin Conspiracy is that time runs at very different paces in different places, so it's more jump-hoppy than it seems. Also that it's told from the perspective of kids who really don't have a clear sense of what's going on a lot of the time.

(I love Deep Secret best, if you can't tell from my username :-) )

[conuly]

What's weird is that I remember lots of individual scenes really well, I just can't make them cohere!

(Also, definitely remember the insight into DWJ's specific trauma that comes in this book. There's one every book with her, and I just want to go back in time and rescue her and her sisters from their awful parents.)

[lil_shepherd]

To be honest, I have never been able to finish that book and that's the only work of DWJ's that I can say that about. I adore 'Deep Secret' but that may be because I know the hotel and some of the people the secondary characters are based on...

[conuly]

I don't even dislike the book. I just have no idea what's going on it.

(On a surface level. On a deeper level I'm pretty sure what's going on is that DWJ's horrible parents are doing terrible things all up and down the story.)

[scripsi]

I remember the plot now, but it took several re-reads before it stuck. Very weird.

[conuly]

There is something about that book!

Now that I think about it, the last time somebody looked for the book at least 50% of my identification was based on "I have no idea what the book was about, the plot didn't make any sense".