Hellobee Boards

Non-New Yorker here: I have always dreamed of visiting New York, it's definitely on my 30 to do before 30 list. This book does make me want to visit NY even more, to really understand the neighborhoods & to understand how people interact. As for wanting to visit Red Hook, it probably wouldn't be a stop I would "have" to make on my vacation

I have a childhood best friend (who is still my BFF) and I always when reading books about friends try to put us in the roles, in this case I don't think we fit nicely with June or Val. I think growing up I (we)would identify a little more with Val, I was a late bloomer who watched everyone else get curves way before I did so I was always watching everyone "grow" up when I still looked like a kid.

I think June is still alive, I have hope, I think she ran away or decided to go with someone, which turned out to be a bad situation & I don't think we have met the culprit yet. I think *someone* who we have met knows more about the situation and that we will learn from them in the future. Right now I'm leaning toward the young man who they knew from the past (the sister's friend, I'm drawing a blank on the name.)

So far I really like the book, I had to force myself to stop reading so I could really talk about the 5 chapters objectively and without knowledge/conflit, but can't wait to move forward with the next 6!

I've never been to NY and while the author describes it really well it does not make me want to visit Red Hook. The description of the water is just gross to me.

I think me and my BFF at that age would be able to identify more with Val. Although I did have some friends who were more like June.

I agree with @IRunForFun: that Val remembers more than she admits to. I'd like to think that June is still alive out there.

I'm not sure that we've met the culprit yet.

I'm liking the characters in the book and can't wait to read the next 6 chapters.

I've never been to red hook.

I don't have a BFF, I really wish I did.

I think June is dead and we haven't met the culprit.

Wow, my first fiction book club and mystery and I am excited....great questions. I was so engrossed and I meant to stop but read to 7 before I caught myself.

When I was a kid, my same age cousin was my best friend. I guess I was a little like Val. Wiry and an introverted mastermind. My cousin was loud and boy crazy. I think the main culprit is Cree's (ghost?)dad or the kid on the cover of the news who wasn't from around there. Monique knows something.

I have visited New York several times so yes, I am up for something new and wouldn't mind checking out Red Hook. The revitalization is good news. Last year, I stayed on the NJ waterfront with our hotel room looking out past the Statue of Liberty at the NYC skyline so I can totally visualize the events.

Did anyone catch what year is this taking place?

I think June is dead, if only because (no offense to June!) it would make for a better mystery. I honestly didn't identify with either June or val, but I live in NYC so I could definitely envision the scene.

I don't think we've met the culprit yet, but I think val knows more than she has let on for sure.

@808love: I didn't catch the year yet, but for some reason it feels like the 50's or 60's, quite a while ago.

@808love: @illumina: @LuLu Mom: Oh I actually thought it was supposed to be fairly recent! Like, in the 21st century at least! Maybe early to mid 2000s? At the very beginning of the book there's a part where it talks about June scrolling through her phone incessantly and having lots of boy's names in her phone...so I'm thinking cell phone makes it recent!?

@IRunForFun: Ahhh you're right, I forgot about the phone reference, so yes it would probably be this decade or present day. Some of the descriptions of the racial divide made me think it was set further back!

@IRunForFun: I totally forgot about the phone part!!

2006 huh? The way it is told, the language and descriptions used still make it feel dated to me though!

Can someone explain the term "projects"? Is it a US word for social/sheltered/low income housing?

@illumina: It's a term used to mean the equivalent of "ghetto" I think and is typically lower-income...but not government subsidized low-income housing or anything.

ETA: I looked it up and was totally wrong. The term projects does mean government subsidized low-income housing. Does anyone know if it's become synonymous with all areas that are largely inhabited by low-income families, not necessarily subsidized, though?

<< The term projects does mean government subsidized low-income housing. Does anyone know if it's become synonymous with all areas that are largely inhabited by low-income families, not necessarily subsidized, though? >>

@IRunForFun: Do you mean, if you're in a poor neighborhood, will people refer to it as the projects?

@IRunForFun: Where I grew up, there were a few well-known projects and when anyone referred to the projects, they meant something really specific. Maybe things have changed over time? A lot of housing projects have been torn down and residents given Section 8 vouchers... it's a controversial topic as to whether or not that's increased or decreased crime overall:

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/04/05/public-housing-demoltion-crime_n_1406952.html

@IRunForFun: i've never heard of the projects referring to just any low income neighborhood...in nyc when i hear someone talk about projects i just think of gov't subsidized housing...i could be wrong though! i think this is because in many neighborhoods you are seeing projects across the street from new expensive high rises going up and there's always a bit of a controversy over it, so in many areas there are projects but they are not (or no longer) low income neighborhoods. and then there's the Section 8 housing, as Mr. Bee referenced.

For the non NYers does her description make you want to visit Red Hook? No, not at all. By how it's described, it's a place I'd like to avoid.

Did you have a childhood best friend? Were you June or Val? I'm definitely more of a Val and interestingly enough, a lot of my best friends as a kid were Junes!

What do you think happened to June? Do you think she's alive? Not sure what happened, but my hunch is it's got something to do with Cree. I think she's alive, but not in state where she can communicate. Perhaps in a state of shock or in a coma.

This is the firs time I've read a mystery! It's not usually my genre.

Oh good questions! I've really been liking this book so far!

I have never visited NY. I'd love to but I don't think that I would add Red Hook to the list of places in NY that I need to visit! The author did a fabulous job of describing the location though because I could totally picture it...even without ever having been anywhere like it.

I had a childhood BFF and we're still good friends! I would say that we'd both lean more toward being Vals.

I think that June is dead and I also think that there are people who know more than they're saying/we know so far. I do think that Val knows more than we have heard so far. I'm feeling suspicious of everyone!

Sorry I’m late to the discussion! Just got home from vacation.
I’m not from New York, and the description of Red Hood, at least at first, seemed very fictitious to me. Maybe because of the generalized areas that were described, but I the thought never crossed my mine that it was real. I probably wouldn’t have visited Red Hook before I read this book (it doesn’t seem like there is much to do or see there) but I might want to go after so I can place all the events I’ve read about.
I had/have a childhood best friend. We took pretty different paths in life and don’t talk often, but she will always be one of my closest friends. She was a little more boy crazy and the boys were definitely more attracted to her than me. We were both pretty silly/immature and would have thought taking a raft out on the water would have been a great idea, but probably too cautious to actually try it.
Does anyone else get confused by their names? I think the character June sounds more like a Val and vice versa.
I kind of think June is alive, but in a bad situation. When Val’s dad tells Jonathon “she’s either dead, or worse” and Jonathan asks “What’s worse than death?” I think something really bad happened to her. (Kidnapped, kept in a basement, starved, rapped, etc.)
I think we have met the culprit, but it’s not one of the characters featured yet. Someone like any of the boys hanging out with Val and June’s friend before they reached the shore or the Greek across the street from the bodega.

@locavore_mama: just following the thread!

I'm late in my response but I've been reading the thread. The book isn't doing it for me yet. Maybe because I don't read mysteries.

Anyways, I've never been to NYC and would love to visit one of these days. The description of Red Hook doesn't make me want to visit it.

I had a childhood BFF and we're still friends. I would say I'm more like Val and she's June but neither of us really fit well with either character. I knew by the description of June that she would b the one who would end up missing.

I agree with others in that someone knows more, maybe that Cree guy. I'm not sure whether we've met the perp dor not. I unfortunately think June is dead or worse like one of the characters said.

Kind of OT from the questions, but does anyone else think it was absolutely ridiculous that they went on a pool raft at night in the harbor? I just can't get over what a dumb idea that was. Seems unrealistic to me. I would never at their age do something so dumb. Maybe because I was too much of a goody goody and a scardey cat. I just cannot relate with it.