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Starting this thread for our buddy read discussion of The Seeds of a Daisy, by Alison Caiola.

It looks like there are 26 chapters in this book. How about if we read it and discuss it in "chunks". Does everyone think they can get the first 5 chapters (through page 97) read by July 1st?

Or would people prefer to read the whole book, and then discuss it when we are done?

I could manage 5 chapters by July 1st. As for reading in chunks or the whole book, either way is fine with me. But discussing chunks would maybe be easier.

I prefer chunks, but whatever everyone else wants is fine.

I like chunks too, so lets plan on this:

July 1st: discuss chapters 1-5 (up to page 97)
July 8th: discuss chapters 6-12 (up to page 202)
July 15th: discuss chapters 13-19 (up to page 297)
July 22nd: Discuss chapters 20-epilogue (finish the book)

That divides it into 4 fairly equal sections of about 100 pages a week.

Sounds great Sheila, I'm gonna finish few of my current reads and look forward to July 1st:)

Looking forward to this discussion :-)

Here are some questions relating to the first five chapters of this book to start our discussion. Answer any or all, to whatever extent you would like. :o)

1. What are your initial thoughts on Lily. Do you like her or dislike her? Is she someone you would like to be friends with? Why or why not.

2. There are many cultural and social references in this book. Are you enjoying them? Do any of them bring back memories for you (such as the discussion of the Rodney King incident and the subsequent riots)

3. In these chapters we are taken to a Hollywood party attended by Lily and her boyfriend. What are your thoughts of this party and the Hollywood scene that is generally surrounding Lily in the beginning. Does this lifestyle seem attractive to you? Why or why not.

4. Lily and her boyfriend have a big fight following the Hollywood party. Telling her mother about the fight is the last conversation Lily had with her mom before the accident. What are your thoughts on Lily's boyfriend? Do you like him, or think he is a cad? Based on what you know of him so far, do you think she should she dump him, or give him another chance?

I think Lily seems surprisingly down to earth despite her surroundings and "star" status. Jamie is a likely a selfish young man - not so very unique.

I thought Lily seemed quite self-centered. She relates to everything and everyone as she sees them relating to her.

I'm trying to remember what other time references were made in this book; this one seemed to be put in as a backdrop to Lillian's flashback thoughts on the airplane (if I remember correctly).

I thought the Robert Redford reference was hysterical and wish more of the book had been written with this sense of humor.

Typical party scene and again, I think if it were Lily's movie she would have wanted to stay; I don't think she liked not being the centre of attention. Natalie was definitely Nasty!! I wouldn't have been as discreet as Lily was.

I don't like him but then again I don't like any cheating man or woman. I felt for Lilly in regards to her last phone conversation with her Mom. Doesn't it always seem that way; we say something we shouldn't have said and then often there is not the chance to unsay it and it haunts us.

Oh, will start reading tonight. Thanks for posting the questions Sheila, will be back shortly.

Good questions, Sheila.

I'm still undecided as to if I like Lily or not. Like Cathie said, she seems self-centered. She also seems completely unable to stand on her own 2 feet. I get that with her mom's condition, but she keeps repeating, "oh, if only so-and-so were here," and "how will I get through this?"

I like books that are now coming out that make references to events I've actually experienced. However, I would worry that they may become dated as time passes.

I have pretty low expectations for people (especially actors and actresses) from Hollywood, so Jamie and Natalie are pretty much what I would expect. However, I do realize that most of what we hear about Hollywood is scandal and there are probably a great deal of people from there who have morals and integrity, but that doesn't sell magazines. I have a really low threshold for drama and immature behavior, and using such for "fame." I don't watch any of the "real Housewives" "Keeping up with anyone" or any of the other shows that make their keep on people behaving badly.

*I* think Jamie's a royal jerk, but I don't know that Lily will or should dump him at this point. I don't think Lily is mature enough to realize that she can do better and that there are better men out there.


I have to say, I was behind in my reading and only picked this book up yesterday afternoon. Fortunately, it reads really fast, and I like that about books. So far, so good!

I haven't started the next section yet, but I was wondering what people thought of Daisy and Lily's relationship? Is she too involved? I'm sure the opinions of Daisy will change by the end of the book.

From the first five chapters, I picture Daisy and Lily as being a little bit too close. Daisy too involved in her daughter's life. I think that is why they had the disagreement on the phone the last time Lily talked to her mom, about her boyfriend. Her mom was trying to tell her what to do. I think that Lily loves her mom, but this tension is probably because Daisy was Lily's manager and protector when she was a child actress.

I have a feeling that the whole relationship between mother and daughter is going to be exposed in this book.

I think the relationship does seem awfully close for an adult daughter, but I chalked it up to her being still so young and that her "career" started when she was still a child. I thought her mom probably need to be over involved when she was a child actor. Maybe they never grew out of it?

I think Daisy's been too involved for a long time. The scene where Lily's tutor wasn't doing his job stuck out to me. Daisy could have called a supervisor and had a new tutor assigned, but instead she just took right over.

I've started the next section and we discover a diary. Did/do any of you keep a diary?

Good question, Jennifer. I used to keep a Diary, when I was a preteen and teen I had one for years, and then I did a few times in my 20's, but I have not kept one for a long time.

My mother keeps a diary/journal though, as did my grandmother and my great grandmother. I have 16 years of my great grandmother's diaries, from the 1950's and 1960's. She died when I was about 6 years old, so it is fascinating to be able to read about her and her life.

When my grandmother died 2 years ago, my mom found all of her diaries, and is now reading them. And my mom has told me that her diaries are mine to have after she dies.

I keep a diary; not daily, but yearly logs of things that have happened, emotions I have felt, etc.

I kept a diary when I was about 11. I've never been very faithful about writing, though. I also had to keep a journal in college for my internship. I like going back and rereading them and wish I could be more disciplined about writing.

I have heard from writers that keeping a diary provides rich material for their books. I never felt I had anything interesting enough to document or say in a dairy. Tried a few times but never faithfully.

Here are some more questions from our second section of reading for discussion:

1. In Daisy's diary, Lily learns that her grandfather was abusive, and not the man she thought he was when she knew him. Why do you think the author made the grandfather abusive? How is this going to play out in the story? What did you think of the abuse that the grandfather did...taking Daisy behind the barn and stomping on her foot and breaking her toe?

2. We now have a mystery of Daisy having been in a car with a man that nobody knows when she was in the accident. Why was this mystery included do you think? Any ideas as to where this story might be headed?

3. Okay, is anyone else getting "Lily is pregnant" vibes? LOL Swollen boobs, nausea, etc... She mentioned that she thought her period was going to start, but I get the feeling that she is pregnant. I could be totally wrong though. :o)

4. Had anyone else been wondering about the cover? We now have learned that the cover is Daisy, and this is a photo that Lily finds in one of the diaries. Any comments on the photo?

I thought the dairy entry about Daisy's father was to contrast the early childhood's of Lily and Daisy. I also thought it set the stage for Daisy's strength. It seemed that Daisy was determined to male Lily's childhood very different from her own and to support Lily's aspirations.

I'm really enjoying the book! I had to make myself stop reading so I didn't get too far ahead of the conversation.

I think the bigger question is why did Daisy's father mellow out? What made him into the kinder man Lily knew growing up? Daisy's mother is a bit of a mystery to me, too. I assume she was abused as well. Usually other members of the family who are also being abused won't be tender towards the abusees.

I think Daisy and the other man angle is the most interesting part of the story thusfar. I'm voting that it's Lily's father, or if he's younger, maybe Lily's brother?

I hadn't thought Lily could be pregnant, but I can see it. Especially after she faints. Though she could just be totally stressed out. Stress makes me pukey.

I like how Daisy's first boyfriend worked out. I don't know that I have any specific thoughts on the photo, but I think it's cool for daughters to see their mothers as young, beautiful and vibrant. Those are the favorite pictures I have of my mother.


By the way, I found a typo in Daisy's diary. On page 188 she writes "But, like Mrs. Farber my English teacher says, "Lily Edwards, you are digressing!""

I noticed that one and a couple of others too; better or more proofreaders needed ;-).

I think the father reflects on Daisy's life as a single mother and woman.

I know where the story is heading, so I won't commit on where it is going, lol.

The cover reflects the diary entry and it is of Daisy. However I felt the cover was not very appropriate as this is Lily's story. And also the cover makes this seem like a very young YA novel (which I know is all the rage now). I think the cover would have been more appropriate for Daisy's story or if it had a more faded aspect to it, like a photograph from the 60s.

Jennifer, good catch on that typo! :o)

Cathie, I also feel that the cover photo does not fit very well for this story. The cover does make it seem like this would be a very YA book (for preteens and younger teens), and though the writing is more YA style (large spacing between the lines, easy to read sentences), the characters in the book are older, so I don't really picture this as a YA story. Seems like a miss-mash of genres.

Found another typo last night.

I was reading the next section and Lily found some more pictures, including one of Daisy as an adult in a garden. That one probably would have made more sense for the cover picture.

Something I forgot to mention early, I wonder at Lily's lack of memory of a lot of things. Especially where she didn't remember the day she requested to be an actress. Given that all it took was 1 request (as opposed to when I had to beg and whine and plead to get what I wanted as a kid!), I would think she would remember. it seems like a pretty monumental day.

A few more questions/comments from section 3 of our reading:

1. Yep, Lily is pregnant. LOL Any thoughts on this one?

2. Ok, so the guy in the car accident is Lily's half brother, who Daisy put up for adoption as an infant after her boyfriend was killed in the war. I guess I am not surprised that she put the baby up for adoption, but the nature of this "reveal" seems a little out there.

3. We also learn that Daisy is brain dead. Were you surprised at this? I actually could see that coming too.

I know several of you are done, so I will finish up the last section of this book so we can discuss our thoughts on the whole thing. Personally, it is reminding me of a TV Soap Opera. :-)

Yeah, I thought it was a mini soap opera too, but it sometimes is nice to just have some fluff.

I thought the half brother story line was out there too at first but then again you need something to fill a book :-)

I didn't mind the half bother, but I wish the journal confirming the fact had been left at the house for Lily to find. I also wish she had read the end of Daisy's relationship from her journals. It seems like they could have been used more effectively.

A soap opera is an apt description. I wonder if Daisy is the character with whom we are suppose to relate? I think she is the most interesting of the two.

I liked Daisy's story better too, as told through Lily reading her journals and from Daisy's friends recollections.

Lily didn't really interest me and I thought of her more as the secondary character in this book which she wasn't.

Cathie, I agree.

Okay, I finished this book last night. It looks like most of the ladies on this thread have finished also? Is everyone ready to discuss their thoughts on the whole thing? I don't want to throw out spoilers if someone is still wrapping this one up.

I'm ready to discuss whenever others are ready :-)

Ready.

I'm finished.

Okay ladies. So what did you think, honestly?

Did you like or dislike Lily?

What did you think about her relationship in the end with her new-found half-brother's adopted brother?

Would you have liked to know more about Daisy?

Were you surprised that Daisy died?

What did you think of the ending (or non-ending...second book coming?)

Would you have preferred more of an ending for this one?

Do you think you will read the next book (if there is one?)

And anything else you can think of. Free for all discussion. :-)

I disliked Lily; I don't know why, maybe because she was so ordinary? I think Lily could have been any woman, anywhere. There seemed to be no identifiable personality character trait that made me want to feel something for her and I think that her being an actress could have been supplemented with her being a waitress or a construction worker, or any old job. It was like the Hollywood aspect was thrown in there for an "ooooo" effect that didn't make it. I think the movie industry showed more of what Daisy was made of then what Lily was made of. Daisy worked for everything that Lily got; Lily just took what others had given or prepared for her and acted like she had done something herself. Lily to me was pretty non-descrip...I can't even remember her being described in physical terms or her likes or dislikes about anything?? (Doesn't mean it wasn't in the book, just that I can't remember anything about it???)

I thought the relationship with her new found half-brother was ok, as there was no blood links and I think the attraction would have been there if the Daisy ties weren't already in place. What I didn't find ok was the half brother's reaction to it (sounds like there was always a feeling of "I'm not good enough" in him, probably due to being given up at birth) and the huge ENORMOUS MISTAKE that Lily slept with new found lover with ever telling him she was already pregnant!!! Again, just the selfish Lily who wants what she wants now. What if he had been sincerely willing to stay with her; would she have just casually thrown it into a conversation and expected him to still love her once he found out she was not old enough emotionally to tell the truth or to be honest? I can maybe see her sleeping one time with someone who doesn't know, but when it gets to be a relationship ... HELLO????

I liked the ending actually; I thought it ended like life; you don't know the next chapter of what's going to happen. I thought the ending, again, brought it around to Daisy, (Lily's start to writing her story) which in my mind was the true main character of the book that I cared for (funny as how she was only ever in a coma and her life was told through memories of what she was like, but she was the most interesting character; far more than Lily.)

I would read the next one if it is about Daisy; she had character and was a survivor not just a floater.

I liked this book; it was fluff that I enjoyed reading while I was reading it. I know from my comments it may seem that I didn't but it kept me wanting to find out more up to the end. Sometimes fluff is what I need to read, like a leisurely float in the pool before or after doing laps; a nice break to hectic :-)

Lily going right to bed with her new lover just didn't fit right with me. I mean, come on! Her mom is dying. She knows her mom is dying, probably the next day. This whole coma things was still new and fresh. The whole half brother thing was new. Plus she just found out she was pregnant from her last boyfriend (who apparently had been her only boyfriend if I recall). Yet she sees her new brother's brother, swoons, lets him take her home, invites him to spend the night, and invites him right into her bed? Either she was a heartless slut at heart, or I'm reading it all wrong. LOL

I think Lily's personality is that she looks for love anywhere; as long as someone loves her...or feigns interest in her...it's all about her after all

So you think she went to bed with her brother's brother because of her starlet complex? That does make sense. Plus he was a doctor, and she plays a nurse on TV, right? :-)

Could be her starlet complex; I just thought it was her ego-centric personality, but yeah, the starlet complex makes sense...what are you if somebody doesn't love you... and she knew she was going to be losing Daisy, and had lost her boyfriend; must have been a very lonely, frightening state of mind when all her self worth came from others loving her.

I'm still not entirely sure what I feel about Lily. As a book character she was good enough. As someone I'd want to hang out with, not so much.

I thought the new relationship was totally way too fast. I think I could believe it if Daisy and Lily's brother lay in the hospital for weeks lingering on, then they would have had time to get to know each other, but a day?? Though, I think her relationship with Jamie started pretty quickly, too.

I would have liked Lily to read more of the journals. We would have gotten a better view of Daisy.

I'm kind of glad Daisy died (that sounds so horrible). I feared for a completely "happily ever after" ending. Though my least favorite part of the book was Lily's hallucination of her mother and their chance at goodbye. I think Lily needed to deal with the uncertainty, she needed to live with the last argument, etc.

I think the book ends, it ends with Lily writing the book we've just read.

Jennifer, you know I was actually glad that Daisy died too! I really didn't want the happily ever after story.

The hallucination scene was overboard though, I agree. It really made the whole death almost too easy for Lily. It was not "real", at least for me.

Maybe you are right, that Lily is writing the book we just read. So is she giving up Hollywood to become a writer like her mom?

Do you think the diaries were introduced just to have a way to fill in the missing back story? Things that Lily couldn't learn from her mom's friends?

If Daisy and Lily were so close, why do you think Daisy never told Lily about her half brother, especially if she had been looking for him for so long? Ashamed?

Interesting question about why Daisy didn't Lily about her half-brother. I think it raises the issue about the stigma of unintended pregnancy, giving a child up for adoption. It seemed to me that there was socially constructed shame despite the fact that it may have been the best option for the baby. I definitely think think Daisy is the more interesting character.