Enchanted Night
Stephen Millhauser
Stephen Millhauser
“Pulitzer Prize-winning author Steven Millhauser returns with a dreamy novella that calls to mind A Midsummer's Night Dream, were it set in modern day Connecticut. Under a magical full moon, the restless dreamers and lovers of the town slip out of their homes, drawn towards adventure. Children are lured from their beds by a piper while their long-forgotten stuffed animals awaken in attics all across the town. A middle-aged writer leaves his mother's attic, where he toils away endlessly on his novel, for weekly late-night philosophical jousting with the mother of his childhood friend. A gang of teenaged girls roam the streets, breaking into people's homes at night to steal toothbrushes and refrigerator magnets, always leaving a note proclaiming, "WE ARE YOUR DAUGHTERS." A fourteen-year-old girl sheds her clothing to bathe nude in the bright moonlight, while two lovers rendezvous, young men look for trouble and a mannequin finally meets her long-time admirer. Millhauser suffuses the mundane landscape of safe, boring suburbia with the supernatural and the ecstatic. Enchanted Night is told in exquisite prose that leaps off the page, inviting the reader into a bewitching world where anything seems possible.”
from the Random House website.
78 comments:
Okay so this is the first book I'm reading and it's really keeping my attention. I think it's for two main reasons. When I stop reading, I forget what was going on in all of the mini stories the next time I pick it back up. So I try to stop reading as little as possible. That makes me love and hate the book all at the same time. But on the positive side, some of the mini stories really intrigue me. I think I'm most interested in Haverstraw and the women looking out her window at the swing. They both seem like really complex characters with intense stories behind them. That really keeps me reading. I want to know what happened to them.
As with Claire, this is the first book I am reading. I honestly haven't had much time to read yet this summer, which is kinda of disappointing, considering I love to read. But anyways, I am about half way through the book right now and I completely agree with Claire. The book is very small and I had hoped to finish it within one sitting, but that didn't happen. Each character in this book seems to be holding a hidden secret, that I want to find out, so it keeps me reading. But after a while, I tend to get the characters confused. Haverstraw and the band of high school girls are easily seperated from the others, but I have decided that I needed a new strategy in reading this book so I can fully understand it. I'm think of taking notes on each character. The chapters are very short, and if I jot down a couple facts about a character from the chapter and then refer back to them before I read another chapter on that same character, I think I'll understand whats going on better. We'll see how it works.
Like Claire and Jess I decided to read this book first because it was the shortest. It was very easy to keep reading this book. The way this book was set up reminded me of Grapes of Wrath. The book was broken down in different sections based on the time of night they were happening and each section was broken up by a very short chapter that had to due with something going on in nature. Similar to Grapes of Wrath these short chapters tied into what was going on in the book. What i liked about this book was how the character were so free during the night and did things they normally couldn't, like the dolls coming alive. Unfortunately it was just a short lived spell that came with the moon as soon as the sun started to come up everything went back to normal. It was a Cinderella deal where the characters only had so long to be someone or something different.
I found this to be the easiest book to read out of the three. The plot was simple and everyone had their own little adventure that night. I found the dolls in the attic to be the most interesting. The events that were happening between the dolls really expressed the characters even though they did not speak, which I believe is truly amazing. We knew the inner thoughts of the characters just by their actions.
This was such a cool book! I have never ever enjoyed a school book this much. It is so modern and bizzare. It captivated me in a strange way. I polished it off in a day or two. I could not put it down. The sort story-chapters all seemed so disconnected. Yet I knew they knew they would come together. Well at least I thought they should come together. Some did yet some did not. Laura moon bathing attracted the man with shiny black hair and Haverstraw comes to the rescue. Laura's restlessness was cured, the man with shiny black hair's plans were foiled and Haverstraw found the gratitude he had been seeking. Now I do not understand the Danny story. It did not seem to connect with anything. Maybe I am missing something. Overall the Enchanted Night was very enchanting. So what are people really doing in the dead of night. Struggles, physical and mental, do not go away at night. They must still be out and about roaming for the soloutions.
I kinda forgot about this book for a while and got caught up in other summer duties. But I did manage to finish it in one sitting. And like Grace said, I think this is one of the most bizzare books I have ever read! And yet, I compeltely enjoyed it and would add it to my list of favorites. Although I did get a bit confused in the middle of book with the numerous stories all occuring at once (and, by the way, if anyone struggles with that concept I would definately recommend jotting down notes on each chapter and referring back to them when you are lost), I loved how it all connected in the end with that one Dawn chapter. The structure of this book was so unique; it was written in style I only dare to write in. But the short chapters were nice, it makes me feel like im accomplishing a lot more when I'm reading it. I would have to say that one of my favorite characters was Laura. I was intrigued by her freedom and sense of captivation by the moon. All of these characters were very detailed and I could see their lives being very different under sunlight.
Adding to Grace’s comment my own observations, I found it interesting that all the problems of the characters still remained at the end—meaning they weren’t resolved. Christine also pointed this out. Even tho the night was so enchanting, and each character, I feel, did gain something or change slightly they still did not seem really happy or fully fulfilled once dawn came. It seems the next night each will still feel the same sorrows and face their same problems. This makes me want to ask others if they think happiness is something that can be achieved or only pursued. Is happiness a journey or destination?
However having problems remain in the end is not a bad thing because I suppose that is the realistic touch in this book, and one of the reasons I liked it. There is so much magic and enchantment, but at the same time when it’s all said and done- life isn’t fair, and everyone has their own problems. However one saying I’ve heard and love is: life isn’t fair, but it’s still good. I don’t know who said it, but I live by it because when there is a problem or annoyance or inconvenience it isn’t worth complaining about and wasting time and energy being mad or upset. I just stop and think to myself and then I remember – well life isn’t fair, nothing any one of us can do about it, but to enjoy the good of it. :)
To add on to what Sabina said this book seems so realistic because it has a balance between magic and conflict. The characters are able to find these moments where they are truely happy with no cares in the world, but when the moment passes their problems came back. To answer Sabina's question for the characters in the book happiness was just one step along their journey. Sabina's question is so hard to answer because it really depends on how you look at it. Happiness is something that can definately be achieved, but you can only hang onto for so long. Then something comes along and you're back to pursuing happiness. Some people will focus on all the small problems in life and never see the happiness right in front of them. Others will ignore the small flaws and be very happy. It reminds me of the question Is the glass half empty or half full?
It reminds me of the group of guys who break into the library. You have the leader of the group who starts telling this story about this girl he was with. This is his problem, the reason why he's unhappy. Then you have Danny who is so grateful for what he does have. He's happy even though he's never had a girlfriend and can't understand why his friend is unhappy. Sometimes you have to look to see the good things in life or else they'll just pass you by.
I totally agree christine! The question of happiness is a hard one, but it's because everyone's opinion varies. So, there is no right answer. I like how you compared it to the glass half full or empty because that's a good way to describe how life's all about how you CHOOSE to look at it and live it. And I'm so glad u brought up Danny! And I realized Grace had some questions about the point of his story too. So here's my take on it.
Personally I like the Danny story. It is of a young adolescent desiring love, not necessarily "deep forever love”, but a simple adoration for someone who returns the care and consideration, and of course lust. Trying to answer Grace’s wondering of how it “connects”, I don’t think his story really needs to connect in a plot or event with the other characters (whereas Laura, the man with shiny black hair, and Haverstraw came together). Don’t worry Grace, I don’t think your missing anything. Lol. I think it’s all about how each of us interprets the underlying meanings, which is one of my favorite things about Enchanted Night- the fact that the story is so simple and short but that there is still a lot to be discussed in hidden meanings and differing interpretations.
Like the others of you, this was my first book also. I happened to finish it in two sittings. Grace, my thoughts are almost completely the same as yours… this book was by far the most random, bizarre book I have ever read, and yet it made so much sense intriguing me in a way that I just wanted to keep reading until I finished. However, I wasn’t ever expecting the stories to intertwine at one point…but in a way, I think that the whole book and its meaning connected itself by way of the little “songs/poems of the night” and the constant “chorus of night voices.” These songs and poems seemed to have been heard by everyone of the characters even though they were in different situations at different times.
I also feel that this book puts everything into perspective...praising the goddess moon instead of glorifying the sun. The moon brings life and belonging to all it touches. Although it may seem backwards, it appears that everything was normal when the night came…Laura had time to connect with her own inner feelings and be “herself”, Haverstraw could walk and walk and walk under the moonlight to tell Mrs. Kasco his feelings of failures and doubt, the mannequin could finally be free from the almost "stone" casing that held her captive and on display, Janet could see her lover of whom she longed for all day long, and the women who lives alone had visitors.
My favorite story in this night was probably of the children. In almost every story I’ve read, all the action happens while the children are asleep…this one seems to have included the children who happen to be on a mission of their own. And yes, Sabina and Dono- I agree with you both as well…this book seems to have so much inner conflict and mystical perception…all of which seems to come out in play to be dealt with more at night (a time when all the action is on pause until resuming again until daytime).
yay vareed you've come to join our blog party! :) but in response to your last comment about how at night all the action is paused until daytime, I agree with part of what your saying, but it's a bit more complicated from the way I see it. Because as you said, the magic, mystery and inner conflict come to play, so not all is paused. Its not that simple. It seems like the night is when the important things come to life and can truly be dealt with and understood better. Whereas all other annoyances of the day that are distracting are on pause. Alright thats my analyzation let me know if you get what I'm saying or agree.
Hey Sab! Yeah, yeah, I guess I do understand what you're saying...maybe it is a little more complex than I observed. Perhaps it wasn't as "lulling" and solemn during the night as it may have seen...but yes, all the inner conflicts definitely come into play without the daily distractions of a normal day. From what I see, it seems that some of the characters (the piper, the dolls in the attic, the children) use the night as a peaceful exploration and a time to share their unheard song...whereas, you're right, people like Laura, Haverstraw, and Danny resolve their most complicated inner substances when all the rest the of the town is asleep. ~
To add on to what Vareed and Sabina are saying i think it makes sense that they're dealing with their problems at night. It may seem that the world is paused at night, but really its not. Some people believe that dreams are a way to deal with conflicts. A window into our unconscious that holds our deepest hopes, fears, and desires. In a way this whole book is like a giant dream. In real life dolls can't come alive and mannequins don't leave the stores. It seems more like the entire town is acting out their dreams and not worrying about the consequences. We find the characters doing things they wouldn't usually consider doing. Everyone has their own dreams and their own problems this is why most of the characters have their own little world within the book. At the same time some of the characters have similar dreams and this is when their paths cross.
I liked the way Sabina described Danny's story beacause that's the same thing i thought. I feel sorry for Danny because he thinks everything that happened to him is just a dream. He wants so badly to have someone who loves him and the moon goodess does love him (even if its in her own way) but Danny can never know. To me Danny's story sticks out because he's the only one of the characters to be asleep during part of his story. Everyone else will be able to remember what happened during this mystical night besides Danny.
As with most of you this was my first book too. I have read most of your comments and I agree with practically all of them. As Grace said I love how disconnected yet so together this book is. With each story it seems like the author has captured almost anyone in the audience. These different storylines as Claire said kept me intrigued and wanting to know more. Also as Christine and Sabina were commenting the night in this story creates a rather secure and protected environment where the characters can truly express themselves. As the daughters of the night have taken on the secret identity I think that it has helped them to explore and find their true self amid the night hours. Overall I really enjoyed the security and privacy that the night held for each character.
To connect my comment to Sabina's I believe that happiness is definetly something that can be obtained and reached. I find happiness to be a state of mind rather than anything one must need to work towards. I believe that if one focuses on the bad then they of course will be unhappy. Some people may say that to only focus on the good is being oblivious to real life and that it is setting yourself up for disappointment. However, one should not let themselves be disappointed. Keep working, with a smile, until you achieve your goal.
I believe that was the main problem with most of the characters. They were not at all intent on solving their problems. Like Sabina said, most still had their problems at the end. They did achieve some happiness, yet I think they could have gone a step further to truly be happy.
I found this book so interesting, as with most of you i liked the mini stories all going on at once.
I though it brought up a really neat point that everything appears different at night. Although this story exagerates with thinking dolls and moving manicans, there is some truth in the fact that everything feels different when the moons up and the world is suposed to be asleep. Every characture in the book had a secret, or a story, or a hidden passion at night. Every characture saw the night differently, and i think we do too.
I liked the following two quotes because i think they stressed upon the magic that the night holds. The first is from the chapter called YOUNG (page 102 in my copy) "When anything was possible in the night never ending." And the second was in CHORUS OF THE NIGHT VOICES (pg 103) "this is the night of the opening of the heatr."
This was also my first book to read, simply because it was the first one to show up at my house after we ordered it. i too enjoyed this book, although it did confuse me a little at the beginning just trying to figure out who was who with all of the different stories at once.
I agree with almost everything that has been said here so far. The night did provide a since of security to the characters to allow them to deeper understand who they were. I also read this book in one sitting on my way home form Uganda. It was neat because I could make connections between where I just was and the book. In Uganda, things come alive at night. With no electricity in the mud huts, the people come out to the town to spend much of their night. Though they have been one person all day long, the night provided a different setting, where they could be someone completely different than who they really are. This is just like the girls who ran from house to house with different names. They had to be one person all day long, so when night came, they were able to in a way, create a whole new being.
I do disagree however with the comment that the people solve their problems at night. We only saw these people during the night, so how do we know that they did solve their problems. Yes, things seemed to be going very well for these people at night, and I will agree completely with the fact that they were happy at night. But how do we know that the night didn't act as a metaphorical Red Bull. For a brief moment, they were happy. But the sun came up, and just like the energy from a Red Bull, all of the excitement and lust faded away. The manequin went back to her post, the lovers and loners on the beach left, the "Daughters" went home, and the lonely woman was again on her own. While for a few hours after the sun comes up they may remain happy, did anything really happen that will allow this since of bliss to continue. I guess that goes back to whether happiness is a journey or a destination.
I haven't finished reading this book yet, but I figured I would see what some people had to say. I found it interesting that each of the characters feel a similar connection with the night, that it is so different and so magical. I also agree with the many people who said that the night seems to temporarily take all their problems away. I am looking forward to finishing this book to see if and how each of these people come together in the end.
Lets talk about the night. It is key in this book. It is more than a setting. It is a mood to.
There were two main parts to the night in this book, darkness and the moon. To me darkness represents fear, mystery, and loneliness. The moon gives off light and light balences the dark. The light is happy, friendly, and comforting.
So this setting of night contains all of these emotions at once. The bad and the good come together to make one thing, night. Which goes along perfectly with the book. The characters are full of different problems and solutions that mesh together to create a whole picture of an Enchanted Night.
Enchanted Night was my first and favorite read of all of them. I love the way the author made all the stories which were so different flow together in a way. The night can be a time of revival, awakening, it can be mystical, serene. Everyone was awakening in a way to a different tune, things that held them back in the day were gone and they traveled with a new sense of freedom. I think this book is so successful because it has the magical elements in a realistic light, its not over-the-top, as many of you have said. I enjoyed the style in which it was written as well, I think it fit the mood of the stories. (and I really liked the dedication, on a weird side note).
I enjoyed Enchanted Night to a certain extent--I'm not too sure how I feel about the way the characters' problems were handled (or rather, weren't handled) at the close of the story.
One thing that I really liked was seeing the author use the Pierrot and Columbine dolls. I only recently found out about these two...folkloric? characters in another book I was reading, and Millhauser's writing combined with the nature of those two was really fun to read.
I have to send a nod of agreement Max's way re: Haverstraw and memory. I might go back and reread that right now to refresh my memory--that was a really excellent description (albeit pretty cynical).
On an arbitrary night in northern Connecticut, the world stirs. Life from the must mundane to the slightly less mundane finds itself filled with intention, with newfound feeling, with a furious yet calming passion to extricate itself from the confines of reality and to frolic under the moonlight of fantasy. Children sit up in their beds. More than one hit their heads upon an upper bunk or a ceiling, but think little of it, for the great escape promises a paradise greater or equal to a slight throbbing pain in the right temple. Lovers pull away from their partners, all thoughts of physical desire instantly renounced for the call of the wild, the inextricable pull of the moon. Like moths to a lamp, throngs of the enamored flock to the source of enchantment on this night, so special, but existing always deep in the hearts of many.
Linda Jones finds herself awake and sitting upright before she even realizes the dream is over. What was the dream? She does not remember, or care. The material and the immaterial have bonded in a spectacular display of magic this night, and she is powerfully drawn to the source of this extraordinary anomaly. Whatever clothing nearest her hand is briskly donned; the night is too sweet for such trivialities such as underwear, or that can of Mace. She darts through the silent house and bursts into the racket of a still night. The abrupt change in volume is startling.
The night is alive.
Several blocks away, down sociable streets and lines of lilac (listen to it sing!), past stores and glass windows, various inanimate merchandise straining to touch the sky, through grassy knolls of ancient oak trees and rather more contemporary dog poop, lies the home of Captain Parry.
This particular home commands a mighty shadow in the presence of the burning orb of fire floating in the sky. Moonlight pierces the dirty glass, small window, third floor, broken pane, old spiderweb, and inside Captain Parry lies wide awake on the hardwood thinking of Vietnam. The effervescent streams of light flowing around him, lifting him, buoying his thoughts, does rather little to staunch his depression. He gazes at the nearly full moon and remembers, he can hear Little Johnny and he can hear Fat Donald (he can smell Fat Donald too), the cries of agony as their various internal organs were decimated by Charlie bullets under the brilliant gaze of a full moon. So many years ago, but fresh and as vivid as the present. A persistent rustling draws his attention to the world outside, he hears the hushed voices of children. They do not appear to be in distress, and Captain Parry is bolstered by this small concession by his inner demons. The children are running through the streets, through the fields, through the fabric of life, drinking in the sweet taste of happiness. It is at this point that Captain Parry realizes that what do you know, it really is pretty spiffy out, maybe what this old dicky leg and wooden bladder need is a nice stroll in the brush.
Two miles away a man in a sport jacket sits at the base of a majestic birch tree. The diameter of the trunk of this magnificent beast is even too large for its guest to wrap his arms around. A sweet smell of mountain laurel fills the air, and the man climbs to his feet. For two-o'-clock in the morning, it sure is bright, and the air is quite clear enough to see young Linda Jones trotting along the beach in shorts roughly two sizes two small, and at this sign, like a beacon from God, the man rises from his extremely poor hiding spot and begins to follow the girl.
"Vagina," says Burt Lancaster, from his summer cottage window, gazing at the night full of life, and the world full of love.
And, two hundred thirty nine thousand miles away, the moon nods in agreement.
Hello everyone. I was on vacation the past week and I see the conversations have grown, and very interestingly!! Andrew your comment kind of freaked me out a little and confused me, but it was intriguing. You told a story about the story I guess. One thing that stands out that you said and I could understand was in the beginning something about lovers pulling away from their partners. However, I believe the night was bringing lovers together. Janet for instance is one who’s physical desire grew with the light of the moon as she waited by her window and Danny seemed to grow more impatient to satisfy his desires as well. Also, Haverstraw got to hang out with Mrs. Kasco who it sounds like was an old flame of his (and who I think there are still feelings for that no one has the guts to act upon). Actually I just realized, after listing those accounts of love or some sort of passion or adoration, the Enchanted Night was filled with romance, and that is one thing the moon is very often cliché-ly associated with. Something about the moon is always romantic. Whether you are walking by the railroad embankment (another pair of lovers united- the mannequin and Coop) or simply dancing in the attic, the moon sparks passion in us all; even Columbine shows a slip of affection to poor Pierrot when she thinks he’s dead and says “please”. I love all the love found in each story. One phrase that Andrew said that put it quite nicely was, “throngs of the enamored flock to the source of enchantment on this night, so special, but existing always deep in the hearts of many.” Well said. Yes, I believe the enchanting pull of the moon was a spark lighting a fire of love in all of the characters hearts. <3
On another note I love Rebecca’s unique comparison to Red Bull (and I also love Red Bull :-P) and I agree that the problems were not really resolved at night. This is one thing I had mentioned before. And like Mike I think I was a little disappointed about the problems just left unhandled because the story seems unfinished (maybe I just didn’t want it to end). However at the same time I did once say I think the remaining problems bring reality to the dreamy fantasy, which I like. So I have mixed feelings. And lastly, I love Sammi’s comment about not letting oneself be disappointed. I definitely do not think focusing on the good is being oblivious to real life-it’s enjoying it. So Sammi, although I wouldn’t call myself an idealist (who would be sort of oblivious to real life), because I’m in tune with reality, I am with you as a fellow optimist. :)
Andrew I found your story rather interesting and unusually mysterious, just as Enchanted Night was. I think you are a very good writer.
Thaaanks! But you really should also be thanking Stephen Millhauser for giving me something to make fun of.
* { Enchanted Night made an interesting read, and certainly contained enough imagery for a book twice the size. I can't honestly say it kept my attention very well, but it was well-written, and the characters were unique (amongst themselves). Haverstraw alone received my respect, because of his interesting philosophies on memory, and especially on observation. We really do alter our perception on retrospection, and it is this fantastic ability to delude ourselves that make humans such joyous and dangerous creatures.
Out of the two books I've read, this has been my favorite so far (partly because I could sit down and read it in one shot). I love that it was broken into mini stories and that some of them ended up connecting in the end, like Haverstraw and Laura, and the lonely lady and the gang of girls. I also loved the the more mythological or magical things like the dawn goddess and the dolls coming to life. The book played a lot on longing, lust, and love. Like the maniquin who got her longing to just let go for a while, how Janet went slightly wild with moon fever, and how Haverstraw got to play the hero, which meant his life had some purpose. The only part I didn't really like was that Laura seemed to get shot down in her little quest. None of the other characters had their adventures interupted, but got to spend their enchanted night living out their desires. Laura on the other hand was unknowingly stalked and possibly could have had something bad happen to her. She had to leave her moon-bath and run back to her stuffy room which she had spent all night trying to escape. So even though Haverstraw saved her and nothing bad had happened, I still feel almost as if she didn't get to use her night to the fullest, and would probably be scared to do anything that daring or freeing in the future.
Like the majority, this was also the first book that I read.(Although it was about a month ago)I also noticed that it had a Grapes of Wrath-esque feel with the shrort chapters and interspersed verses(Danny's Song to the Moon), however I feel like it flowed alot better that Wrath. What I like most about the book was that at some points it was so magical and fantasic(The mannequin), yet the theme of desire, freedom, and happiness was so realistic that the story of Columbine and Pierrot fit right along with the story of the hormonal teenage boys in the library. Prehaps my favorite storyline in Enchanted Night was that of Laura and Haverstraw. Both characters seemed like completely separate people, yet they are both liberated by the night. I liked the way in which their lives connected; with very little dialogue, but the silent action of Laura leaving the Lifesavers spoke volumes.
So I finally finished this book, and I came back to read many more comments. Andrew, I enjoyed your story on the story. I liked this book the best so far. I guess it's because I like the modern setting more, it's easier for me to see. All the different little storylines made me want to keep reading it. I also liked the characters because even though they each led very different lives, I could see where each character was coming from, and I understood how they all felt. Well, except for the guy who stalked Laura.
I think what Grace touched on was extremely important. The night represents both happiness and lonliness. I thought the author did a fantastic job of connecting all these ideas into the one night. That is what Enchanted Night is all about. The characters' thoughts, ideas, and fantasies come together to enchant the night for each individual.
Another thing that I really enjoyed about this book goes a long a little bit with what Bethany said. I thought the ending was terrific. Haverstraw and Laura seem to have absolutely nothing in common, except that they are wandering in the night. However, they come together at the very end, something that I personally did not expect to happen. They exchanged a wealth of information and feelings, even though they did not say much to each other. It tied together the whole theme of the night, and how everybody involved felt a special connection with the night.
I agree with Liz's comment. I liked the book for the same reasons Liz did. I loved the magical feel of the book and the fact that it took place in summer. If it had been winter some of the magic would be lost. Summer is always such a magical time because of the freedom we have. I can also see Liz's point that Laura got ripped off during the night. She didn't get to experience the magic as long as everyone else and she'll always remember what almost happened to her. Ofcourse she'll also remember that someone was willing to help her out and protect her.
Andrew's story was interesting. There were a couple lines that kind of confused me but overall I liked the writing style.
wow interesting book, just started last night! (i decided to read it only at night-regarding the name enchanted night)im only half way through and wanted to point out some small facts iv learned so far. In almost every little story/chapter the green and red light is expained. i think its some kind of symbolism. maybe the green represents the movement and actions of the children and the red obviously expresses motionless times. im not really sure yet. but i do think it has something to do with the book and how everything is suppose to connect. i do find it bizzare right now, but soon i hope the characters connect.
Ok so I finished the book last night and still don’t understand the point of this green and red light...maybe it's not a symbol at all. But I enjoyed the book so much because it reminded me of the magical summers when I was younger. And as mike said it didn’t touch on many of the characters issues at the end but the meaning still bounces back at you some time after finishing, like a ripple effect. Also I love how the author portrayed the adolescents and the experienced, the lovers and the loners. Each character has their own time of magic under the light of the moon!
Lastly the "Daughters" were my favorite part in this novel. They had the bravery and courage to carry out their actions. And I believe they were trying to express something less obvious than crime.
I know I read this book about a month ago so I might not remember everything. Kate I don't remember reading about any red or green lights. Maybe they were talking about the traffic lights being reflected? I don't think its anything important you need to worry about.
All right, two down, one to go. Like so many of these fine fellows that already posted, this was also my favorite book to read so far. I found it just easy and quick. I really enjoyed how the different stories occur at the same time. Not one story is focused on more than the other really. I also found it interesting, like sabina, that many of the characters problems were still not resolved at the end of this book. It kind of leaves a feeling that more needs to be explained while it also leaves you with the feeling that these problems should be left unsolved. I just found this book really interesting and enticing. I agree with max about Haverstraw and his philosophy on memory. It's kind of an odd comment to make but at the same time it does make sense.
This is the first book I read, but I definatly liked it best. Like Christine says, the characters only have a limited amount of time to be whatever their dreams tell them they can or might be. The breaking-up of the time frame made the "magic" of the night, without being too corny, more tangible. The moon pulls everyone out of their beds, like the old children's ryhme "Child, jump up formyour sleep...dance in the streets, leave your cares behind" and so on. A bit too much imagery, perhaps, but very different and flowy. It's cool how all these different people are separated, but they all feel the magic that makes the air feel different, that causes them to enter into fantasy and imagining so easily. It's probably a good read because everyone does enjoy wishing they could ignore their problems.
I read this book in one sitting because I couldn't find a spot to stop where I felt confident I would retain what was happening and the mood of the story. Like all the events in the book, the entire book had a surreal quality. When I fished the story, I sat for a while trying to figure out what I just read. The short chapters of seemingly unrelated events broken up with poetry creates the dreamlike mood. This choppy nature of the novella follows the pattern of dreams. In dreams your thoughts tend to skip and jump but in the end most connect. The short poetry reminds me of almost lullabies being whispered into the ear of a child fast asleep. I have one question though. How does the piper gathering the children with his music connect to the other events of the book?
Andrew, your story was absolutely amazing! Liz is right about this book and how the magical aspect makes it that much more enjoyable. All the stories are really interesting in their own way. Sammi, I totally agree with you about the dolls. How they showed their emotions through their actions was really interesting to read. It's also interesting how three of the stories ended up relating to each other in the end. I just thought reading all of the different stories at the same time was really cool even if it was somewhat confusing.
so...I went on vacation and got behind on reading but I am a little more than halfway through this book and much like a lot of you I am finding it hard to keep all the characters straight. In that sense it reminds me intensely of a "Midsummer Nights Dream" but it has its differences. (hey they can't be exactly alike).
This book is definitley the most easy to read and the most.... um changing I guess is a good word. Hopefully it will keep me interested and I can finish before school starts!!
This book was definetly my favorite out of all the required summer reading books. Like Jen Duell, I had to read the book in one sitting, because I felt that if I put it down, I wouldn't remember the characters the next day. I thought the book was really enjoyable to read. I especially liked how the characters' actions revolved entirely around the moon and the inner feelings and thoughts that arise in each person just by simply being captivated by the power of the moon. I know that in some cultures the full moon is seen as a crucial time and a time of change and mysterical occurences. The way the book was set up, it was hard for me to really distinguish the plot and climax. In the end, I liked how it all came together in a sense, but not completely as Sabina said. I really liked the author's description of the mannequin early in the book, describing how she yearned to let her hands fall rather than be confined in the store window posing, and how she truly wanted to experience movement in every sense of the word. I also liked how the woman who lived alone was actually happy to see the girls in her quiet and almost abandoned house. This just showed how lonely she really was and her desire for company. The entire book was just so different than anything I had really ever read. Although there were a lot of characters to keep track of, I think it only added positively to the book. I liked how each character became lured by the night and the various emotions that stirred inside themselves. It was almost as if the night and the moon were liberating to the chracters and they each acted upon the chance to step away from their troubles, even if only for the night.
This book is by far one of the more confusing books we read this summer, but it has to be my favorite. It was a very interesting story, or should I say stories, of many different peoples lives. As many have stated the key element in this book seems to be a moonlight summer night, and how the moon seems to affect all the actions of the characters of the book in different ways. Anyways it was a very good book, and it was a nice change of pace to the other books we have read this summer.
This book was almost painful for me to read. I think I had a problem because only had the time to read a few pages per sitting, which made the story difficult to follow. I feel that the characters were too intricate for the shallow situations they were all in. As I began to read, I thought the book was going to become more indepth and explain the characters. As I read on, I realized nothing was being explainded, which made me indifferent to the characters. I wanted to better understand the complexity of the characters and tyhe motives behind their actions. When I finished the book, I didn't seem to know anything about the characters. For me, the book was just a play-by-play of a night. The story did not feel like it moved at all.
The Author of this book must have a mild case of multiple personality disorder because how else do you explain the number and diversity of characters portrayed in the novel. One can hardly believe that this is the work of a single mind it seems much more plausible that it is really the combined efforts of many different entities all controlling the same pen.
I agree with christine's comment on my earlier statement. I hadn't thought about how maybe since Laura was rescued by Haverstraw she would now have more trust in humanity, even though that's probably how everyone else thought of it.
Other than that, I have opposite ideas compared to Alex's. I feel like the characters were supposed to represent different members of society, and if they had been any more indepth then they wouldn't have been general enough to cover large groups and be relatable to everyone. It was written in a kind of tableaux style, so that one little action could represent a whole range of emotions. I like it better this way as opposed to just having every aspect of the character explained, so the reader can interpret it however they choose, rather than how the author chose.
Okay so I’m finally starting in on this last book of the summer and so far it’s going quite quickly. Right now, I can’t see one big plot but many small ones surrounding the separate characters. I'm hoping that further on in the book, some of these plots will connect or the characters will run into each other etc.
The characters all seem very complex but because of the way the story is told/set up, I am only getting a glimpse of each one.
Right now, I think I like Andrew’s story better than the real one…anyways back to reading. :)
Andrew where does your mind come up with these things? Nicely done sir.
Andrews story there was yes a bit ridiculous at points but, never the less, it completely captured the writting style of Enchanted Night. Many people have stated that this is their favorite selection from the summer reading. This is not just because it was short but because it drew them it. The book's bizzareness made it really interesting and in my mind a key component was the writting style. It is not your typical dusty plot line with big woods and dripping with detail. That is why I think I get tired of the "classics". There is so much stuff packed in. Yes sometimes the detail is necessary and yes sometimes it is artfully described but still it can drag on. It can take away from the moment.
Bob shot John can turn into Bob with a firey glare raised the pistol which felt cold in his tight grip which was not so tight becase his palms were sweaty...
In Enchanted Night I was never bored becase something was always happening. The chapter things were so short I was left wanting more. "No no no don't end here, what happens to Laura!" (my cammpers thought I was crazy when I read this book)
The modern writing style really did it for me. The short tidbits of stories keep the pages turning and my mind thinking.
I actually enjoyed the wide array of characters, and how each individual had their own encounter within the night. I especially enjoyed how some characters' destinies intertwined with others (Coop and the Mannequin, Haverstraw and Laura/the black haired stranger, and the various sitings of characters by other characters) throughout the book, because it gave a faint flow and consistency to an otherwise scattered novella.
Maybe it was a bit difficult to follow at parts, but that's probably because it was a dramatic change from the classic reading material one usually recieves from school. This wasn't just an average story where one character sets out on a harrowing journey and, eventually, finds what he/she's looking for; there was no single trail or climax, no tragic or epic ending.
Enchanted Night is the collection of many protagonists' (and, I suppose, antagonists?) fleeting adventures -some of which have no climax, no twist, and no absolute closure. Will the moon ever uplift the sleepy town again? Did the beautiful mannequin actually save Coop from his lonely, drunken plight? Will the pierrot be forever trapped within the love opera of The Attic? Most likely, the theives will continue their mysterious missions, but will anyone besides the old woman ever come within such close contact to them?
In the morning after life will continue for the neighborhood, uknownst to the audience whether or not anything has changed, but for that one brief night, with the divine moonlight shining, and the cloven-hoofed piper playing, everyone was entranced by the Enchanted Night.
Shanti you finally joined us. I have to say i love shanti's summary of the book. I couldn't help but wonder some of the same things. I liked how more than one story was goinig on at the same time. It made the book more exciting for me because you didn't get bored just reading about one person. I know some people were talking about the depth of the characters and I think the book would lose some of its magic if we knew more about the characters. With the characters being so vague you're able to come up with you're own conclusions about you they act a certain way. It's also easier for more people to relate to the characters. I think most people liked this book because it wasn't depressing like the other two books
I LOVE Jen’s comment about the choppy style of the novella is like the pattern of dreams. So true! Very nicely put jen! Dreams totally skip around, parts don’t make sense and jump from one scene to a completely different one, sometimes connecting the same people or event and some parts that are separate and irrelevant to other parts. I also like the poetry lullaby comparison, although I thought the random poems/songs were a bit odd.
As far as the discussion about the amount of detail or depth of the characters or whatever, I think what alex was trying to say was NOT that the characters needed more detail, but that the plot and events needed to be more developed for the quite intricate characters. I may be off here, but let me know…
I finally finished Enchanted Night! It was definitely one of the most random books I have ever read. Even the style in which it was written was unique from other books.
I thought that the characters and their conflicts were very realistic. At the same time, the whole story had a magical, dreamlike quality. Enchanted Night united these two different characteristics and this was what made the story most interesting to me. I also liked how the story ended. It seemed fitting that it concluded at dawn even though the characters problems were not necessarily resolved. It would have been unrealistic for all of the characters to solve there conflicts in one night…even if it was an enchanted one.
Finally, I thought Haverstraw’s view on memory was kind of intriguing. The concept that “Memory is an act of forgetting” is opposite of how most people think of memory.
This is my last book and so far, I have fallen in love with the whimsical writing style and set up of this refreshing and enchanting story. I definitely agree with Shanti's opinion of this book in how each character has their own interesting encounter with the moon. Each scene is creative and thought-provoking. I about half-way through and I am curious how each of these small "stories" are going to end.
I just reached the end of this book and it was truly my favorite book out of the three books we were required to read. Like Kayla, I found Haverstraw's opinion on memory to be extremely intriguing. I also loved the swing in Janet's backyard and the notion of how you swung into and out of darkness. It is as the swinger in passing into and out of the day, the night, reality, imagination, thought, and truth. But yet it is all one continuous motion.
Overall, I thought this book was such an unique, and artistic story with the bits and pieces of true feelings, emotions, themes, and realities. The ending worked perfectly because in real life, problems and dilemmas are not solved overnight. It takes time and bits of the problem remain in memory...apparently only to fade as time goes on.
I thought Lindsay's ending comment about the relation to real life and how problems still remain and how memories fade after time was really insightful and so true. Good job Linds!
Also I don't really understand Haverstraw and the kind of person he is. Do we really find out or understand his big project on memory that he hopes will one day make him successful? I don't understand what compelles him to live with his mom and work all day, unless his dream of completing the project drives him. He's definetly an interesting character. I thought it was also nice how Laura (I think that's her name) left the lifesavers behind, intentionally or not we don't know. However it made Haverstraw feel like he accomplished something by saving the girl's dignity.
Yay for this book! Way better than return of the native, I liked how this book had few, very specific and descriptive words instead of a bajillion slow words like that other book. At first I thought it was weird that it was called enchanted night because although there were enchanted things going on, there was a lot of regular and sad-human things going on. Later in the story and at the end, every character seems to have something enchanting happen to them caused by the moon, and they each have their own reaction to it. Super cool. Oh and the children waking up from their DREAM with the piper... thats like saying that kids' dreams happen in real life, but they remember them as regular dreams. Yay book!
hahah oh cheryl..i love how much u love this book. I can just picture you understanding all the weird parts that don't make sense :-) not that that's a bad thing. anyways adding to max's comment that laura left the lifesavers on purpose. I found the part in the very end of the book where it does indeed mention Laura "hopes the man understood that she has thanked him," even if it was in her own little secretive way-sometimes those are the best!
So when I finished this book I was mad! I really wanted to know what happened after. I was waiting for some kind of sequel. Like I read in Sabina's comment. ALl of the problems remained! The one that's getting to me the most though is the lady looking out her window at the man. I know they get together that night, but who is he? Just a random man off the street? This killed me. But I have to say besides searching for another hidden chapter at the end, I really enjoyed the book. It was very imaginative. The stories were all very interesting to me. But...I'm still waiting for a sequel, maybe that was the authors idea though.
So I just read more people's comments towards the bottom like another one of Sabina's and it got me thinking about the part with the life savers. Maybe the reason so many end are left open is because that's what the book is all about, finishing the story yourself and making inferences. Just a thought.. who knows.
This book was the last book on the reading list that I read. It was much easier for me to read this one than "The Return of the Native" and "Hedda Gabler". All the characters had some strange, interesting trait that made them very easy to follow (for me, at least). I liked the writing in this novel much better than in "The Return of the Native" because while both were filled with illusion and were very rich, this writing style was less wordy and much easier to focus on. This book was my favorite of the three.
Thinking about claire's latest comments, it kinda seemed to me that the problems weren't solved, but they were getting better. Havenstraw got to help someone else and maybe saw that his existence was important, at least to the girl. The girl with the lifesavers never got to be alone, but she was lucky that she wasn't alone with the creepo. The lonely lady got to chat with the bandits. Maybe the book is suggesting that they'll eventualy get over their problems? Or not, you know. Just what I thought.
Claire's comment also got me thinking about the ending of the story and how everything seemed to be left at least partially unanswered. I hate not knowing what happens. I wonder why the author wrote a book like this, I mean what was his inspriration, and why in Connecticut? Nonetheless, the book was enjoyable to read in one sitting.
This was the second book I read, in early August. I think it was my least favorite, because it was to sureal. Its not that I mind fantasy, but this was more of a jumble of ideas rather than a concrete idea that simply could never be, like the knight saving the princess from the dragon. Enchanted Night is more a series of ideas woven into a story, and I think, to a logical type thinker, such stories are confusing and frustrating, because one has to dig for the meaning of the story. Claire said it-there are many side stories going on at the same time, and I was never sure which was the main story, and which were more sidenotes. Its also hard to keep the different stories straight. This being said, I did like the fact that the book is written entirely in the present. I have read stories by amateurs, and I hate when the author alternates between past and present tense. I don't think I've ever read a story written solely in the present tense, so this was something of an experience for me.
I agree with what Max said, the touches of classicism made this book, because while this book was readable there were many points where I just rolled my eyes. Millhauser makes the moon out to be a diety which I believe works in the instance with the boy asleep in his backyard, but in the case of Laura and the old woman who lives alone it seems a little malodramatic.
I would have to agree with Andrew though, the characters are all unique and Haverstraw was my favorite. I do think that Summer Storm deserves props.
I too found Enchanted Night to be an interesting read. As many people have noted, the problems the characters faced weren’t all solved by the end of the book, and I feel like, despite the persistence of their issues, so comes the dawning of a brand new day, literally and personally for the characters. One night has ended, and at the end of the book dawn is just breaking. The world goes on, but the characters are have been affected and change, even if it’s slow, is likely to come.
The fact that the moon changes meaning for characters is just one example of the changes in their outlooks that occur. I was really intrigued when Haverstraw mentioned he felt betrayed by the moon and the night—to him, I think, the night casts a shadow on the failure he believes his life to be, and he can separate himself from his problems by slipping into darkness. But suddenly the moon illuminates all these problems and self doubts he’s trying to hide from himself with his cynicism. He immediately tries to hide from the moon by walking through the trees, but it’s the moon-bathing Laura he saves, bringing the moonlight back to him again.
By saving her, Haverstraw has perhaps changed his mind about the world and facts being hopeless. The moonlight and situation has “illuminated” him in more ways than one, and not just for himself but Laura also. The way he kept checking to see if the Lifesavers were still in his pocket leads me to believe neither he nor Laura will be forgetting what happened that night; maybe it will no longer necessarily be about forgetting and fading memories. Specific details may be forgotten in time, but I don’t think the meaning of the event will ever be lost to him.
On a different symbolic note, I liked the constant references to streets, highways, bridges, railroads, and traffic lights. It was important for all the characters in the beginning to get up and begin moving, and most of them seemed to travel along or near different roads. One of the things the mannequin can see from her window is a street light changing from red to green and back. She is waiting for a chance to release herself, like the signaling of a traffic light. Haverstraw is constantly moving during the night (even taking the long way home) and is lost in his thoughts. It’s only when he stops and helps Laura that he has a new sense of direction; suddenly, he decides to get to bed as soon as possible because he has work to do; he actually believes things will turn out okay, which is a much different view than he had earlier. Pierrot is in constant pursuit of Columbine; when he stops, and she perceives him as being dead, she realizes she would much rather have him alive and chasing after her than stop altogether.
In response Kevin, I don’t think there was one main story—rather, everything was happening at relatively the same time for many different characters in the same setting, and all of their adventures comprised the events or story of the night itself.
I actually enjoyed reading this book. As a kid, anyone else ever wonder what it would look like if you were to be up on the moon and look down on a small town? I feel this book was able to grasp that for me. It was able to let me see into a small bit of many different lives. I've always thought it would be kind of cool to just be immersed into another person's life, just for a little bit, to see what they saw, to feel what they felt. This book gave me that feeling. To me, it was ok that the stories were short and choppy. Just like what Jen said, it felt like a dream. I have always felt there is something "magical" about a full moon and eerie the way that on some nights, it can literally light up your whole back yard.
I also liked how the author was able to portray many different angles about the moon. That is can reveal, give hope, but also cast shadows to hide in and cover. Even in something that is good, lurks evil.
I really enjoyed this book. It gave me a good break from the traditional, one main overall plot with the same characters that usually all have something to do with eachother. I also loved the authors deep description, even on the smallest of details. His description actually made me thought that some of his mini-stories would make excellent children stories right before bed. As a kid, I always loved the stories that gave description you could vividly see, taste and smell. I got that same feeling in this book.
I think the night represents a quick fix to these characters that all humans are looking for. In all honesty, until forced to, how many of us are will look for the quick fix to our problems that will fade away until forced to find one that will last. At first, i was irritated with this aspect of the book, not really understanding how it related to humans in general, but now I am seeing how it does, and it's not just a random book. Whether it be drugs, alcohol, sparknotes, etc.. until we our eventually forced to SOLVE our problems, we, just like the characters in this book with the night, will find the easiest, nonlasting solution to our problems to put it out of our mind just long enough to get a few minutes of peace.
After reading others' comments on this book, I tried to be more open minded to it. I still find the book to be absurd. These seemingly normal people all go crazy because of the moon. That is ridiculous. I think the only real character in the book is Coop, the drunk. I think he imagines everything that happens in the book. Some of the other characters may be real but what happens to them in the story is all made up in Coop's drunken, blurry mind. Actually it is also possible Haverstraw is the only real character, he has multiple personalities, and becomes Coop when he is drunk. This could make sense. As a writer he has a wild imagination. He switches in and out of reality. He confuses the characters of his mind and real people. Then he adds alcohol to the mixture, which explains all of the nonsense. He believes dolls and manniquins are coming to life. He maybe, in his head, takes true stories of burglary and turns them into the group of teenage girls. This is the only way I can explain to myself the many unexplained stories in this book.
To Alex's remark, I agree with her in the fact that the book is confusing and doesn't seem to be terribly realistic. But I believe that this lack of reality is supposed to be the point of the book. I believe that the book is supposed to be sort of crazy and unreal. Many times through out the book the authors makes references to dreams and fantasies, and I think that the book reflects this. Anyways the book is confusing, what I just wrote was probably confusing, but I hope it helped some.
As a habitual procrastinator, I just finished this book last night. It only took me about three sittings. I was not completely engrossed in it, but like Gabler it kept my attention and I thought it was good. I did not care much for Haverstraw. He seemed overly pessimistic (sp?) and he was awfully bitter for a middle-aged man. He insults the word "I". I mean, come on! However, I did admire his sense of happiness at the end despite a situation that society frowns upon. Like Alex, I belive the manequin was just a figment of the man's imagination. I believe that the power of the moonlight had the effect on Coop to make her real. But then again, who can really know? It sounds like the classic Calvin and Hobbes mystery. Is Hobbes real?
Oh! And one more thing. I think Millhauser ripped some material from X-Men. Think about it. Summer Storm? She's the leader of the group right? Scott Summers (Cyclops) and Storm are two of the top dogs in the X-Men. Coincidence? I think not!
I really love KLachut's p.o.v. of the book. The writing style truly does give the reader a sense of standing on the edge of the moon and looking down at all the people below. It was almost like you were observing the town, glancing for a moment or two into the lives of others. When reading about all the situations these characters were in, it felt as though the whole story was just a stream of consciousness, a lofty dream with poetic intermissions flitting in and out of jumbled scenes. And once again, agreeing with KLachut, this was a nice change from the usual, singularly focused novels that one usually reads.
Greg, I don't know how much I can support you on your x-men theory (though, it was very amusing to read (: ) but I do like your allusion to Calvin & Hobbes. I'd like to think that they're both real and kicking, but then again, I tend to enjoy believing in the improbable. But I guess as long as the mannequin's real to Coop, that's all that matters, right?
I personally did not enjoy reading this book, possibly because of how it was set up (kind of like the Grapes of Wrath which is one of my least fav books in the world) but mainly because it skipped around so much. Though, I did find a few of the characters interesting, they were the dolls in the attic. The relationship between Pierrot and Columbine is like an angst fairytale romance. Pierrot's obsessed with trying to obtain Columbine's attention and love, but for some reason she refuses to give it to him choosing to snub him. One of the only times that the reader is able to tell that she actually cares about him is when he stages his death for the second time.
This book is SOOO confusing!! I can't handle the wswitching of characters and stories every other page! It's driving me nuts. I read it in one day and pretty much without breaking a lot in between which kind of helped, but it was still very hard to keep track. Not to mention the mannequins and dolls coming to life. I don't particularly like fistion stories such as this because I can't relate to it at all and this book was way over the top. I just find it very hard to interpret because it's so unorganized and I can't seem to focus on any "hidden meanings". :(
In response to Cassandra's blog about how difficult it really is to interpret the meanings behind Enchanted Night I did the following.
After reading Enchanted Night, the thought came to mind that it might be easier to understand Millhauser's book if I could learn more about his own life experiences. I typed in his name in Microsoft Encarta and found out that he wrote a book called From the Realm of Morpheus. The description of this book stated by Encarta is as follows: "a young man enters the subterranean world of the ancient Greek god Morpheus, the god of sleep and dreams, and returns with wondrous stories." Since these are Encarta's exact words, here is its bibliographical information.
"Millhauser, Steven." Microsoft ® Encarta ® Reference Library 2005. 1993-2004. Redmond, WA: Microsoft Incorporation, 2005.
(If you read this, sorry Andrew.) Unfortunately, the above information does not reveal any details concerning Millhauser's personal life which might have had an influence over the dreamlike style of the writing he employs in Enchanted Night. Also, the fact that he wrote this novella poetically brings me back to our Honors English III days when we studied Edgar Allan Poe. Remember the worksheet we received from Mrs. Morrison titled Edgar Allan Poe--The Architect of Dreams (which is really a study guide from the movie we watched with the same title)? This worksheet states (what I believe is a direct quote from that movie) "Poe viewed short stories (his own and others') as inferior to poetry because stories speak to the mind of the reader rather than the soul, as poetry does." Perhaps this was exactly Millhauser's goal when writing Enchanted Night. In what way his novella speaks to the soul is left to the interpretation of the individual reading it.
I agree with Kayla that some of the tales would make good bedtime stories. The story of the Pan-like piper calling the children with his music was surreal and mysterious. It’s like the children were entranced in this strange dream, and that’s how one should feel while being told such a story in the night.
So, I know I'm a little late but I finally finished all of the books. This was my last read and easily my favorite one. It kept me very into it which is a huge change because usually books bore me easily. But, I think the change between stories kept me interested. It was confusing but I think that's what I liked about it. The fact that I never knew truly what was going on and that I never totally grasped each story but by the end I felt like they were all completed. It was extremely strange but I absolutely loved it! An amazing and fast read.
This was my first book and i would like to say that i buzzed through it. At first i felt like i needed to take detailed notes on all of the different people and thier story lines but after a while i got the feeling that it was ment to be like that, not be confusing, but to exagerate the fact that there were so many different people with various but similar desires. Enchanted Night was definitely my favorite out of the 3.
Thanks kevin for looking that up and trying to help. I just don't really understand what I was supposed to be getting out of that story is what im trying to say, I guess. I figured out a few of the stories but I still don't fully get what happened with Danny or the dolls in the attic. In the end when it was finishing off all the stories, the doll part threw me off and im not sure what happened there.
Post a Comment