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Tropical Location Novels with Juliet Faithfull · The Read Carpet Report

• Jackie O: Welcome to the Red Carpet Report, your backstage pass for celebrity book clubs, book adaptations, and new book releases. I'm Jackie. And I'm Kirsten. And we're your hosts. Today's episode is Kirsten: Welcome to the Red Carpet Report, your backstage pass for celebrity book clubs, book adaptations, and new book releases. I'm Jackie. And I'm Kirsten. And we're your hosts. Today's episode is a plot twist. A little late, but it's still here. We're gonna be talking about tropical location Jackie O: talking about tropical location Kirsten: novels, which is just a fun thing to be talking about in August or any point in time in the summer. Before that, we're gonna talk about the red carpet rundown, specifically the Emmy nominations. This is so exciting because there were so many Emmy nominations. Jackie O: the Emmy nominations. This is so exciting because there were so many Emmy nominations that are book related. Kirsten: Book related. Jackie O: Leading the pack is slow horses, which is based on the book by Mike. Kirsten: Lady in the Pack is Slow Horses, which is based on the book by Mike Heron. it's got nine nominations, including Outstanding Drama. It's one of those thriller Jackie O: It's got nine nominations, including outstanding drama. It's one of those thrill Kirsten: books about like a unit designed to solve crimes and things in England. Jackie O: interesting. I haven't read this or watched it. Kirsten: I haven't read it either. I think my husband has watched it and really likes Jackie O: Okay. Kirsten: it. Jackie O: one I did watch was all her fault. I didn't watch that. I didn't realize it was based on the Kirsten: one I did watch was all her fault. I didn't watch that. I didn't realize it was based on the book by Andrea Mara, but it has seven nominees. Yep. Including Outstanded Limited Jackie O: No way. Kirsten: Series and Outstanding Female Lead. wow. So that one Jackie O: Female lead. wow. So one Kirsten: was about a little boy. Jackie O: A little boy who was taken and it's his mom and his dad and all of these people like trying to figure out what happened to their son. And he is twisty and it is thrillery, and the show itself is phenomenal. My husband and I ripped through it. I think it's on Apple TV, might be on Peacock. but it's just it's one of those thriller shows that are great for everybody in the family. Kirsten: Who was taken. And it's his mom and his dad and all of these people like trying to figure out what happened to their son. And it is twisty and it is thrillery. And the show itself is phenomenal. My husband and I ripped through it. I think it's on Apple TV, might be on Peacock. but it's just, it's one of those thriller shows that are great for everybody in the family. Jackie O: I'm excited. We just Kirsten: I'm excited. We just Jackie O: got our Apple TV Kirsten: C D. Jackie O: subscription back because we have to do it in time for Ted Lasso. yeah. So I don't I don't watch a ton of TV, but we got the Apple TV subscription back so that we can binge watch the entire new series of Ted Lasso, which has nothing to do with any book. Kirsten: time for Ted Lasso. yeah. So I don't I don't watch a ton of TV, but we got the Apple TV subscription back so that we can binge watch the entire new series of Ted Lasso which has nothing to do with any book. However they have since made a book about Ted Lasso. So that is true. So can we Jackie O: However, they have since made a book about Ted Lasso. So I don't know. So can we call that book adjacent? I mean not really, but but I think Kirsten: I mean, kind of, but I think also on Apple TV is Margot's Got Money Troubles, which you haven't had a chance to see yet. Jackie O: You haven't had a to see yet. I have not, but I read the book and loved it. I've seen tiny little snippets, but I haven't been able to see the whole entire thing and I think it's f gonna be phenomenal, or it obviously is if it was nominated. So it has eight nominations, including Outstanding Comedy and Wow, Al Fanning. Kirsten: But I haven't been able to see the whole entire thing and I think it's gonna be phenomenal, or it obviously is if it was nominated. So it is. It has eight nominations, including outstanding comedy and Al Fanning for lead actress. And I've seen it. Jackie O: And I've seen it. Kirsten: I thought it was really fun. My husband didn't like it as much as I thought he was going to. Yeah. Because I thought Jackie O: didn't like it as much as I thought. Really? That's interesting. Kirsten: the whole OnlyFans of it all would make him intrigued to be like, What? But Jackie O: interesting. Yeah. Kirsten: Yeah, it's OnlyFans and Wrestling and Motherhood and it's a strange combo, but it works so well. Jackie O: It is. Do you remember when I was telling you about this book? And I was like, what are you reading? I know, Kirsten: And I was like, What are you reading? Jackie O: I know. And I I loved it. It came together so well. So I'm really happy that they did such a great adaptation of Kirsten: They did such a great adaptation of Jackie O: it. Kirsten: Next up, we have some fun ones. Bridgerton is nominated for outstanding period costume and also like outstanding hairstyles. You know what? They have the best costumes and hair on this show than any show I've ever seen ever. The Queen's hair in Bridgerton deserves its own category. Jackie O: Is nominated. No way! Outstanding period costume and also a like outstanding hairstylist. You know what? They have the best costumes and hair on this show than any show I've ever seen ever. The Queen's hair in Bridgerton deserves its own category. I think Kirsten: I think we know who Jackie's rooting for. Jackie O: we know who Jackie's rooting for. I mean, it is Over the top and stunning to look at. I mean, half of what I love about the show is these fantastic costumes and hair. So yeah, I hope they win. Kirsten: Top and stunning to look at. I mean, half of what I love about the show is these fantastic costumes and hair. So yeah, I hope they would. It's up against the Gilded Age, which I think also does a phenomenal job with the costuming. And interestingly, and this proves our point that we're older than we would like to admit, love story. Is in the same category because it's from the nineties. It's 90s costuming. Which I just find so embarrassing. But I did see that they put a lot of effort into matching outfits and tracking down pieces that she actually wore and he actually wore. that's the Carolyn Bissett Kennedy and John Kennedy love story situation. Jackie O: Embarrassing. But I did see that they put a lot of effort into matching outfits and tracking down pieces that she actually wore and he actually wore. that's the Carolyn Bissett Kennedy and John Kennedy love story. I mean, did they have some stirrupants in there? Kirsten: They have a lot of Calvin Klein pieces. I guess she wasn't really the Jackie O: yeah, yeah, yeah. Okay. Well I guess she wasn't really the stirrup pant type. She was not. She was Kirsten: She was not. She was a little classier than that, but I mean and the costuming is not classy. Jackie O: Are you calling my stirrup pants not classy? Cause I think my stirrup pants with my matching neon sweatshirt were very classy. Kirsten: matching neon sweatshirt we're very that's a little more eighties than nineties that's a little more eighties that's true Jackie O: No, that's true. That's true. Kirsten: I'm gonna be really curious because like to me like yeah Jackie O: To me, like yeah. Kirsten: they did a lot of effort with Love Story but Bridgerton and Gilded Age it's down to the detail like you are totally transported to a different era not just Jackie O: Gilded age. I don't know. Like you are totally transported to a different era, not just Kirsten: Pulling up some Calvin Klein from forty years ago. Jackie O: Calvin Klein from forty years. Putting on some Clav and Klein jeans and a button up and some penny loafers does not compare. Kirsten: here's another fun one. People we met on vacation. Emily Henry, outstanding movie. Jackie O: here's another fun one. People we met on vacation no way. wow, good for them. Kirsten: that was a really great adaptation. I got feels on that one. That was really a fun one. And that's coming from someone who's like a little iffy on Emily Henry in general. The last one that I thought would be fun to talk about with three Emmy nominations is Remarkably Bright Creatures. Jackie O: the nominations, it's remarkably great for the church. Yay! Including Outstanding Mumi and Outstanding Lean Actress Rosalie. Yay! that makes me so happy. That was just the feel good, heartwarming, delightful, everything I could have dreamed of for that adaptation. We got it in that adaptation. I agree. Yeah. Kirsten: including Outstanding Movie and Outstanding Lead Actress for Sally Yay! that makes me so happy. That was just the feel good, heartwarming, delightful, everything I could have dreamed of for that adaptation. We got it in that out. I agree. I think the problem with adaptations in general, especially when they're movies versus TV. Because for all of us now, they're kind of one in the same. Like you really don't go to the movie theaters anymore unless it's like a blockbuster, like the Odyssey or the new Jackie O: Right. Kirsten: Spider-Man or something like that. So, you know, a remarkably bright creatures as a movie on Netflix, as opposed to any of these other ones that are series on Netflix, I feel like the series generally have more legs and people talk about them longer because they're more involved for longer periods of time. Yeah. So Jackie O: you know, a remarkably bright creatures as a movie on Netflix as opposed to any of these other ones that are on Netflix. I feel like the series generally have more legs and people travel them longer because they are involved for longer periods of time. Yeah. So I feel like we were Kirsten: I feel like we were hearing about Bridgerton, we were hearing about Margot's Got Money Troubles, we were hearing about these other ones Jackie O: hearing about these other ones right? Right, because you have an hour and a half to two hours versus eight hours. Kirsten: eight hours. Right. Right. To like really dive in and get like the juicy best. Right. Jackie O: Right. Kirsten: I'm really sad. I hope people watched the people we meet on vacation. I hope people watch remarkably bright creatures because they were just so good. Yeah. And there's something so great about sitting down watching a show for two hours and getting the entire story. Yeah. Right? it's it's like Jackie O: Yeah. And there's something so great about sitting down watching a show for two hours and getting the entire story. Yeah. Right? it's it's like it's like a standalone fantasy. We got the whole story instead of having it be a multi-book series. Kirsten: It's like a standalone fantasy. We got the whole story. Right. Instead of having it be a multi book saga series. I will say that I was watching I'm not afraid to admit it, okay. I was post surgical infection and I was stuck in bed and I had no energy. And as you know, I've like I've haven't really been able to like type as much. I can't really look at screens like up close as much to my computer or my phone. So do you know what your girl dived into? I actually, while watching it, was like, I think this is the Jackie O: This is the Kirsten: book adaptation that put book adaptations back on the map when it came out a million years ago. Bada bada bada. Jackie O: I I know what you're saying. I don't I'm I'm blanking. Kirsten: Twilight. Okay. Listen, the original Twilight, hear me out, Jackie O: Listen, the original Twilight for Mia. Kirsten: was absolutely awful. The the cinematography, the costumes, the like, it was ridiculous, okay? It was ridiculous, but it was Jackie O: my god, you know that it's ridiculous. Hold on. Kirsten: so good. The production value goes up for every subsequent movie. You don't have to justify this to me. Do you know Jackie O: You don't have to justify this to me. Do you know how many times I've seen Twilight? Okay. I can recite the whole stupid movie for you off by heart. My kids like to sit and watch to watch me recite all the lines. And whenever I'm in a really bad mood, my husband just sits me down. He goes, Shh, it's okay. He was on Twilight. But think about it, okay. Kirsten: Twilight, okay. I can recite the most stupid movie for you out by heart. My kids like to sit and watch to watch me recite all the lines. And whenever I'm in a really bad mood, my husband just sits me down. He goes, Shh, it's like I was on Twilight. But think about it, okay? So I had this before I had kids. So my oldest is 14. So this movie is some I don't know, 18 years old, 15 years old, 17 years old. Terrible. And it wasn't good, but they also, it's because the first line, they didn't know it was gonna be the phenomenon that it was. So they didn't give it a lot of money. And nowadays they throw money hand over fist to book adaptations, especially if they have a cult following. Jackie O: Eighteen years old, fifteen years old, seventeen old. it's terrible. And it wasn't good. But they also it's because the first line they didn't know it was gonna be the phenomenon that it was, so they didn't give it a lot of money. And nowadays they throw money hand over fist. Yeah. Now I know what you're saying. Now it's I was thinking of a TV show. Kirsten: Right. Right? Like Jackie O: Now I know what we're talking about. We're on the beach. And Edward and I mean Jacob and Bella are walking on the beach. mean, they're Kirsten: I mean, there are some iconic how you're like in the rain, girl. Jackie O: And so And so the lion fell in love with the lamb. What a stupid lamb. what masochistic lion. Kirsten: What a sick masochistic lion. I put it on my family, it was so embarrassed, but I'm like, this is what we came from. This is what started the craze Jackie O: Yes. Kirsten: that allows all of these books to be adapted and so popular and getting Emmy nominations. So Maddie turns around and she looks at me and she's like, This is so cringe. It's so Jackie O: Yes. It's true. It's true. Maddie turns around and she looks at me and she's like, This is so cringe. Kirsten: cringe. But do you want to know what else? I listen to the soundtrack. I think all of the soundtracks they are. Jackie O: It's amazing. All of this actually. Yeah, they're Kirsten: Phenomenal. They're amazing. I Jackie O: phenomenal. They're amazing. Kirsten: know. I know. Don't mess with Twilight because it broke down the door to allow this to happen. So Yeah. Jackie O: It did. It did. Kirsten: Yeah, so we should all say thank you to Twilight. Jackie O: Yeah, so we should all say thank you to Twilight. Kirsten: so Twilight Walked, so all of these could run. And Jackie O: Okay. Kirsten: I stand by the fact that Twilight is incredible. So I agree with you. There we go. Jackie O: It's incredible. Yeah. I agree with you. There we go. Kirsten: but moving on. I have got no sequiturs for this one. So we're just gonna go Jackie O: Okay. Okay. Kirsten: right into tropical location. Jackie O: Great. Kirsten: Because Twilight doesn't really vibe with a tropical location. So we're just gonna talk about it. Yeah. We're near Seattle. Jackie O: Not at all. Set in Seattle. Yeah or near Seattle. We chose Kirsten: We chose books set in a tropical location to dive into this month Because it is our August book club pick. Jackie O: books set in a tropical location to dive into this month Because it is our August book club pick. Kirsten: That's right. It's our reading challenge prompt. It's our book club pick. And it's part of both summer bingo and year-round bingo. And so we wanted to talk about fun tropical locations. We picked Jackie O: Yes. Kirsten: setting because Jackie O: Yeah. Kirsten: we're in the middle of summer and like who doesn't want to just be all in on the summer vibes? Jackie O: Be all in on the summer vibe with a fun book set in a really hot space. Yeah, a hundred percent. Especially since if you look at the books that are starting to publish in August, they are a lot of fall books, and we are not ready to embrace fall at the beginning of August. So we're diving full into. Kirsten: With a fun book set in a really hot space. Yeah, a hundred percent. Especially since if you look at the books that are starting to publish in August, they are a lot of fall books and we are not ready to embrace fall at the beginning of August. So we're diving full into summer vibes. Jackie O: Summer vibes. Kirsten: That's right. My first pick will surprise absolutely nobody. Not one person if you followed us for a long time. No. I'm pretty sure it is actually Jackie O: No. I'm pretty sure it is actually Kirsten: only available on like Kindle or Pango at this point because it's like out of print in physical form, which is such a shame. Jackie O: It's like out of print in physical form. Which is such a shame. Kirsten: it is Castle of Water by Dane Hucklebridge. Look at her, she knew, Jackie O: I date how it looked at you. Kirsten: she knew it. It is if you liked the Tom Hanks movie, is that Survivor? Jackie O: No. Kirsten: No. What's it called? The one where he's stranded on the island? It's not called the Survivor, that's the T V show. I know, but what's it called? Jackie O: Stranded on the island. It's not called The Survivor. That's the TV show. know, but what's it called? So I don't know. Okay. Kirsten: Survivor. Okay, well if you like that Tom Hanks movie that may or may not be called Survivor, that where he is there's a plane crash and he's stuck on the island with like Wilson his tennis ball. I mean volleyball. Jackie O: He there's plenty of crash and he's stuck on the island with like Wilson his tennis ball. I mean his volleyball. Kirsten: if you liked that movie, that's sort of similar to this. But it's better. I it's way better. Jackie O: Yeah, but I I it's way better. I did not love that movie. I thought it was completely ridiculous. Not that Tom Hanks didn't do an outstanding job. I just didn't like the movie. But this book is so much more than that. It's really fabulously written. It's such a good story. It seems like it's pretty realistic too. Kirsten: I just didn't like the movie. But this book is so much more than that. It's really fabulously written. It's such a good story. It seems like it's pretty realistic, too. And it's really emotional. So Sophie and Barry together survive a plane crash in a remote Jackie O: Together survival plant grass. Kirsten: island off of like Fiji. So there's all these kind of undiscovered islands over there. And they need to figure out how to live on the land. Jackie O: And they need to figure out how to live on the land. Castaway. Castaway, castaway. Sorry. Kirsten: Castaway. That's the one. Sorry. Castaway. And it's kind of a little bit like Blue Island. Like you remember how that Jackie O: Yeah, yeah. Kirsten: with Brooke Shields? it's sort of similar to that. And they are uniquely equipped to do that Jackie O: and they are uniquely equipped to do that. Kirsten: because they each have a background that kind of allows them some of this ability to survive on this land by themselves while trying to figure out how to escape. Jackie O: but they hated each other at first and so they have Kirsten: But they hated each other at first. And so they have to kind of become friends and maybe more. And it is so emotional and Jackie O: Yeah. And it is so emotional and so gut wrenching and just like and every single person I've ever recommended it to has loved it. Am I right? Yes. Kirsten: so gut wrenching and just like and every single person I've ever recommended it to has loved it. Am I right? Jackie O: A hundred percent. I feel like on our website, this is one of the most underrated books on there. Of all time. It is. Kirsten: Of all time, it is in my top ten best books that I've ever read in my life. Yeah. It's it's fantastic. So if you have a chance to find it either at the library or on Kindle, or a used copy somewhere, it is well worth your time. And it's tiny, it's n it's not Jackie O: Yeah, it's it's fantastic. So if you have a chance to find it either at the library or on Kindle or a used copy somewhere, it is well worth your time to read this book. Yeah. Kirsten: a long book, but does it pack an emotional punch? Yes. Yes. Right? No extraneous words. We're not like just trying to fill the pages. Jackie O: Yeah, it's like we call it like a a nugget. Yes. Yes. Right? The no extraneous words. We're not like just trying to fill the pages. Kirsten: No, but it's so, so good. Someone should Jackie O: Yeah. Kirsten: be reading this. So if you haven't read it, go with that one. The next one is one that I chose that is a historical fiction. It's The Island of Sea Women by Lisa C. This book was so unbelievable to me. It sticks with me to this day. It is based on a real situation, real women, Jackie O: The next one is one that I chose. It is a historical fiction. It's The Island of Sea Women by Lisa C. This book was so unbelievable to me. It sticks with me to this day. It is based on a real situation, real women. Kirsten: off. Jackie O: Off in a little island called Jeju in Korea, where what had happened was men were not allowed to be fishermen Kirsten: in a little island called Jeju in Korea, where what had happened was men were not allowed to be fishermen Jackie O: because of the conflict with the Japanese. And so in order to survive, in order to have a living, the women started doing the fishing, but they weren't allowed. Kirsten: because of the conflict with the Japanese. And so, in order to survive, in order to have a living, the women started doing the fishing, but they weren't allowed Jackie O: To Kirsten: to Jackie O: take out boats so that these women ended up diving in freezing cold water for abalone and stuff like that. It this is a true story. These are real women whose bodies actually had like. Kirsten: take out boats so that these women ended up diving in freezing cold water for abalone and stuff like that. It this is a true story. These are real women whose bodies actually had like Jackie O: Physiological adaptations to be able to swim in the cold water, their body temperature, when they were measured by scientists afterwards goes so low everyone else would be dead from hypothermia and they're totally fine. And the women are taught how to do this from a very, very young age. The men stay and take care of the kids. It's an unbelievable story. I just think these women are the most amazing, outstanding women. Kirsten: Physiological adaptations to be able to swim in the cold water. Their body temperature, when they were measured by scientists afterwards, goes so low, everyone else would be dead from hypothermia and they're totally fine. And the women are taught how to do this from a very, very young age. The men stay and take care of the kids. It's an unbelievable story. I just think these women are the most amazing, outstanding women. Jackie O: I've ever read about and I love the story. Huh. Yeah. Very interesting. Very, very cool. Kirsten: I've ever read about and I love the story. Huh. Yeah. Very interesting. Very, very cool. does it still exist today? This island of JD. Yes. Yes. The island still exists. I think the women still do some fishing, but I think it's not the same as it used to be. Jackie O: Yes. Yeah. The island still exists. I think the women still do some fishing, but I think it's not the same as it used to be. Kirsten: Got it. Okay. Well, mine is also a historical fiction. It's called River Sing Me Home by Eleanor Jackie O: Mm. Kirsten: Shearer. And it was a GMA pick, but as we've talked about before, it was underreviewed. Not a lot of people read it, Which I think is a shame. it's the story of Rachel who lives as an enslaved woman in Barbados, and she is freed. And over the course of her life on the plantation, she had given birth to five children who had been sent away. Jackie O: And she is freed. And over the course of her life on the plantation, she had given birth to five children who had been sent away. And so she's now on a hunt with her freedom to go and find each of her five children. wow. And what's fascinating in the way the author does this is each child sort of embodies what would happen to an enslaved person after they were. Kirsten: And so she's now on a hunt with her freedom to go and find each of her five children. And what's fascinating in the way the author does this is each child sort of embodies what would happen to an enslaved person after they were free. So they all sort of take a different pathway, which is the different pathway that you would see that was typical for an enslaved person. I think Jackie O: They all sort of took a different pathway, which is the different pathway that you would see that was typical for an enslaved person. Got it. Kirsten: one girl might be passing. Jackie O: and it's married, but it's all like do they wanna Kirsten: and is married, but it's all like do they want to reconnect with their mother? Do they not? There's emotions there and feelings of abandonment and change, just like the impact that slavery had on families, which is devastatingly emotional. And it's set in this backdrop of this lush, tropical, vacational place. Like that's what we think of as vacation. And here Jackie O: There and feelings of abandonment and change, just like the impact that slavery had on families, which is devastatingly emotional, and it's set in this backdrop of this lush, tropical, vocational place, like that's what we're talking Right, right. And here, these are places that people were enslaved. Got it. And Kirsten: These are places that people were enslaved. Got it. And so the juxtaposition, I think, of the setting and the topic work really, really well to enhance the story. Got it. and she's just she's phenomenal. So yeah. That sounds fantastic. I have so many good books. There are a lot of good books on this list. So my last one is. Jackie O: So the juxtaposition, I think, the setting and the topic work really, really well to enhance the story. Got it. and she's just she's phenomenal, yeah. That sounds fantastic. I have so many good books on the on this one. So my last one is Close Your Eyes and Count to Ten by Lisa Unger. And Kirsten: a little thriller vibe. Jackie O: Yes. So this is totally different vibes than the other one. If you're looking for something that is really fun and twisty and turny, it is about a woman, her husband was about to be arrested for I think embezzlement or something like that, and he disappears. So she is left with her kid. They don't have a lot of money. And she has an opportunity to be on Kirsten: Really fun and twisty and turny. It is about a woman, her husband was about to be arrested for I think embezzlement or something like that, and he disappears. So she is left with her kid. They don't have a lot of money. And she has an opportunity to be on Jackie O: A TV show. it's a reality show, and the winner Kirsten: a TV show. it's a reality show, and the winner. Jackie O: gets a ton of money. So she's like, I'm totally gonna do this. She goes on to the show, and nothing is really as it seems. And it basically turns into a fight for her life. And is she gonna be able to get home it it was fantastic. So this is just like a really, really fun one. Kirsten: gets a ton of money. So she's like, I'm totally gonna do this. She goes on to the show and nothing is really as it seems. And it basically turns into a fight for her life and is she gonna be able to get home And it it was fantastic. So this is just like a r a really, really fun one. It set on a tropical island and tropical storms and all of that that comes with it. Jackie O: sat on a tropical island and tropical storms and all of that that comes with it. Kirsten: I love it. I love anything set in this location, Especially when there's a tropical storm or something fun. Like it just Yeah. There actually aren't as many books set in these tropical Jackie O: Yeah. There actually aren't as many books set in these Kirsten: locations as you would think. I know. But they are really fun settings. Really, really for lots of different things. Yes. And you could do so many different things. Jackie O: No, but they are really fun settings. Really, really You could do so many different things. Kirsten: The last book we're gonna talk about is our book club pick for August, but we don't actually have to talk about it and explain it to you because Juliet Faithful is here to do it for us. Kirsten Baritz: thank you so much for joining us. I'm so happy to have you here today. Can you tell us a little bit about your book? JULIET FAITHFULL: Sure. I'm so happy to be here. Laia's Dice is set in nineteen seventies Brazil during the height of the military dictatorship. And it's about identical twins, Dolores and Mita, who grow up in a little village in rural Brazil. And one carnival, when they're about seven years old, Mita has a fit and falls over, and she is never quite the same. They don't really know exactly what's wrong with her, but Dolores becomes her protector until one day. Dolores wakes up and finds her sister gone. Her parents have sent her to live in an institution. And the story is really Dolores' fight and rebellion against this decision and her quest to get her sister back. And she gets into all kinds of trouble in the streets of Rio, really finding her way back to her sister, and in the process, kind of growing up and coming to terms with Rio, Brazil in the 70s. Dictatorship, there you know, she learns how to read and write, she's illiterate. So, one of the first things she does is try to learn to read and write so she could write to her sister because her sister is in another country, and then that takes her on a different adventure, and she discovers a found family that really this is also a novel about literacy and found the power of found family because Dolores befriends a girl whose mother. who lives in the red light district of Rio and Andrea and her mother and her mother's a sex worker and so this community takes her in and they take care of one another and they show her how to survive in the streets of Rio and how to fight for you know the people that you love and she learned some important lessons. Kirsten Baritz: Now Brazil Rio itself was almost another character in the book. Why did you choose to set it there? JULIET FAITHFULL: Well, I I'm from Brazil so it's like homesickness. It took me back there to write. I just love writing in Rio and and also the interior of Brazil I couldn't remember very well, so it was partially invented. But then later I went back to do research. But I think I really wanted you know, the re Rio itself, the different parts of Rio are such so important to the novel. In the first Kirsten Baritz: Mm-hmm. JULIET FAITHFULL: paragraph, Dolores is looking out the school window and she can't read and write. And she notices Christ on the mountain, which is that iconic Christ in Rio. And she notices that he looks over certain beaches like Ipanema and Leblon, the rich areas, and that he can't see the slums which are under his armpits. So immediately you have a sense that class is going to be important in this novel. And Kirsten Baritz: Mm-hmm, mm-hmm. JULIET FAITHFULL: it is. It's a novel about class differences, and Rio is a beautiful city. It's so gorgeous, but it's also violent and it's also full of contradictions. So I wanted all that to be part of the novel and part of what Dolores has to contend with as she goes up. Kirsten Baritz: I love that so much. Is there anything that you want the readers to know before reading the book? Or is there anything you want them to take away after they've read the JULIET FAITHFULL: Hmm. Kirsten Baritz: book? JULIET FAITHFULL: I I think a little bit of the historical context, both of Brazil, but also about what was the norm for in for disabled children in the sixties and seventies. I think it's Kirsten Baritz: Mm. JULIET FAITHFULL: part of because I noticed that younger readers are like, how could this happen? You know, how could parents send their children away? And the Kirsten Baritz: Mm-hmm. JULIET FAITHFULL: truth is that when I was growing up, not just in Brazil, but here in this country, I've many families, doctors recommended that disabled children live in institutions. And it was actually the norm. And I think I wanted to write about the disenfranchised kind of frozen grief in these families because they f they made that decision and then they didn't talk about it. And I think that was also much more normal in the sixties and seventies where your your business was private. And there was no sense of explaining Kirsten Baritz: Yes that's not the case today. JULIET FAITHFULL: to children like anything. It was sort of like we'll protect them by keeping by not talking about it. So Kirsten Baritz: Yes, yes. JULIET FAITHFULL: So that's part of the atmosphere that I wanted to capture that Dolores contends with. And then the silence in the family sort of echoed by the silence in the country, because at the time Brazil was disappearing, its own people. It was like the height of the dictatorship. So there was censorship, there was violence, there was even one of the sub-store. Like I feel like the minor characters, I hate that word minor, because I think of them as major, they just take Kirsten Baritz: Right. JULIET FAITHFULL: up less space. But Sofia's story. shows you the violence, the how the government and the dictatorship targeted the trans and queer community in Brazil at the time. And I wanted I guess I want readers to get a sense of all that, both the wonderful parts of Rio, but also what it takes to survive in a dictatorship. And there's Kirsten Baritz: I will say that in reading the story, that context is so helpful because it's all through the eyes of this twelve year old. And we as readers, we can infer some things that she doesn't even understand are happening. And you captured that so incredibly well. JULIET FAITHFULL: God, that thank you. That was the hardest thing because I was so tempted as a writer to squeeze in a little historical detail and Kirsten Baritz: Mm-hmm. JULIET FAITHFULL: to go well thing because I knew you know American readers might not know certain things and sometimes I would put it in a dialogue of an adult, but then I would think would cause Dolores is telling you and it's first person present tense. So you're really close into her and I'm like, would she really notice that detail? And then I would take it out again because I really want Kirsten Baritz: Right. JULIET FAITHFULL: voice to be really important. So sometimes I sacrificed Kirsten Baritz: No, it was done. JULIET FAITHFULL: like historical background for a voice. Kirsten Baritz: Well, it was fantastic. It was fantastically done. I cannot wait for our book club JULIET FAITHFULL: So glad. Thank you. Kirsten Baritz: discussion. It's really gonna be amazing. It's gonna be fantastic. Yeah. Our readers are gonna love it. So thank you. Thank you so much. JULIET FAITHFULL: Thank you. Okay, it was such a pleasure. Okay. Look forward to August. Jackie O: If you want to read Liar's Dice with us and ask questions to Juliet, now is your chance to join the book club. We will put all the links below. We're meeting at the end of the month and you can read. We have book club questions for you. We have a reading guide and you can send us any questions that you want us to ask Juliet. And then you can pop on the Zoom and have a conversation with her. It's a Kirsten: If you want to read Liar's Dice with us and ask questions to Juliet, now is your chance to join the book club. We will put all the links below. We're meeting at the end of the month and you can read. We have book club questions for you. We have a reading guide, and you can send us any questions that you want us to ask Juliet, and then you can pop on the Zoom and have a conversation with her. It's a Jackie O: Fabulous time. We can't wait to talk to her about the book. You still have time to join. Kirsten: Fabulous time. We can't wait to talk to her about the book. You still have time to join. And we absolutely love our book club members. I consider them friends at this point. It's always the same people popping in and actually talking. and if you just Jackie O: Yeah. and if you just Kirsten: wanna watch it on recap or you're too introverted to even turn your camera on and you want to put questions in the chat, that's all okay too. Absolutely but we just look forward to Jackie O: too. Absolutely. But we just look forward to Kirsten: our book club discussions every single month. And the authors that are coming on are just Jackie O: They make you love the book even more. Even more. And I can't wait to talk about this long apart because whoo, what a book. Yes. And we've finalized all Kirsten: They make you love the book even more. And I can't wait to talk about this one with her because whoo, what a book. Yes, and we've finalized all Jackie O: of our book club authors for the rest of the year. So stay tuned because the last few months are going to be insane. Kirsten: year so stay tuned because the last few months are going to be insane. Yes they are. Okay, so the final thing today is the bookmark. It's Kirsten's turn for a bookmark today, but Kirsten is here with some berries. Jackie O: Okay, so the final thing today is the bookmark. It's Kirsten's turn for a bookmark today, but Kirsten is here with some very Kirsten: Just finish the sentence, you got it. Hi guys. I'm here. You're crying. She's crying. And this is incredible. Jackie O: She's crying this is incredible. I care. So Okay, I'm gonna get it together. with two my class and personal friends. Please meet Will and Harry. They're here because we're talking about the Kennedy and Kirsten: I'm here with two of my close and personal friends. Please meet Wills and Harry. They're here because we're gonna be talking about the Kennedys and the Windsor. They're here to talk about the story of two dynasties, Jackie O: Two times. Kirsten: one born and one made. Jackie O: Ha ha Kirsten: And poor Jackie is really having a hard time taking me seriously. See, I don't see them, so it's okay. We're all together here to talk about Caroline's book. They appreciated Jackie O: Talk about Caroline's book. history. Kirsten: the history and the parallels that were drawn between their family and the Kennedy family. If you loved Love Story or The Crown or My Handsome Friends, this is the book for you if you like a nonfiction. Jackie O: Between their family and the Kennedy family. If you loved Love Story or The Crown or my handsome friends, this book for you, if you like nonfiction. Essentially, the Kennedy clan Kirsten: essentially the Kennedy clan. Jackie O: really was started and its dynasty as political just royalty here in the States started because the founder. Kirsten: Really was started and and its dynasty as political just royalty here in the States started because the founder of the family became a British ambassador over in England. And their stories of the Windsor family and the Kennedy family sort of intertwine a lot Jackie O: became a British ambassador over in England and their stories of of the Windsor family and the Kennedy family sort of intertwine a lot. Kirsten: throughout history, especially because JFK met Queen Elizabeth. Jackie O: History, especially because JFK met Queen Elizabeth. They were together shortly before his death. She's met Jackie O numerous times. Other members of the Kennedy clan came out as debutants. you know, a lot has been written about both families, but not a lot has been written about the ties of the family together and how intertwined their histories are. And so that's what the story is. And has Kirsten: They were together shortly before his death. She's met Jackie O numerous times. Other members of the Kennedy clan came out as debutantes. you know, a lot has been written about both families, but not a lot has been written about the ties of the family together and how intertwined their histories are. And so that's what this story is. And it has Jackie O: The Royal Seal of Approval I hear from my friends. So Kirsten: the royal seal of approval right here from my friends. So Jackie O: if you are looking for a nonfiction that is also bee tree and you are a royal history lover, this is the one for year. Kirsten: if you are looking for a nonfiction that is also a beach read and you are a royal history lover, this is the one for you. That was an epic book. They're just gonna stay with us for the end. Jackie O: That was an epic bookmark. They're just gonna stay for the end. we're not taking them away. It's not fair to ask them to come all this distance to only have them for a short period of time. The reader question of the week is Kirsten: Short period of time. The reader question of the week is clubs. What do you think of authors being on multiple celebrity book club lists? Jackie O: What do you think of authors being on multiple celebrity book club lists? Kirsten: That's it for us today. Like, follow, and subscribe. So epic reading. you're Jackie O: So epic rating Kirsten: so much better at that than I am. See you next week.