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Hi teachers,The context:Later, back in the office, Felix was very quiet. Suddenly he looked at Adam across the desk, and said:‘We can’t get Dinon’s book in this country. Do you know it, Adam?’Was Felix very talkative in the office? Explain your answer.No, he wasn't. He was very quiet.Thanks in advance.

Blue Jay · Accepted Answer

Looks good to me.

AlpheccaStars · Answer

I would use 'that,' not 'it.' And probably the past "did" rather than "do." It just sounds more natural to me.

‘We can’t get Dinon’s book in this country. Did you know that, Adam?’

Tenacious Learner · Answer

Blue JayLooks good to me.

Hi BJ,
Thanks for your reply.

TL

Tenacious Learner · Answer

AlpheccaStars‘We can’t get Dinon’s book in this country. Did you know that, Adam?’

Hi A-

s,
Thanks for your reply too.
Unfortunately I can't change that sentence; it's from a book, 'The President's Murderer', by Jennifer Bassett.

This sentence, ‘We can’t get Dinon’s book in this country.', itself is very weird because the book has never mentioned that he was a writer. It only says that he had murdered the President of the country. Only a couple of pages ahead we know it because he says to his wife, 'And because of my book about the old President, and the government of this country ...'

TL

AlpheccaStars · Answer

Tenacious LearnerThis sentence, ‘We can’t get Dinon’s book in this country.', itself is very weird because the book has never mentioned that he was a writer.

Generally mystery writers reveal the secrets and clues very carefully...it adds to the suspense.

Tenacious Learner · Answer

AlpheccaStarsGenerally mystery writers reveal the secrets and clues very carefully...it adds to the suspense.

Hi A-

s,
Right! They do that. But that doesn't seem to be the case this time. Because this sentence, 'We can't get Dinon's book in this country', means, if I'm not mistaken, 'We can't obtain/find Dinon's book in this country., and it doesn't sound logical at all.
The book was never banned or something like that. There's no mention of the book at all until this point. If that sentence wasn't there it won't do any harm to the reading. The readers will find that out when he says to his wife, 'And because of my book about the old President, and the government of this country ...' Then, the reader finds out that he did, in fact, write a book, besides being accused of the President's murder.
Well, that's my opinion.

TL

BudVitoff · Answer

There's always the possibility that this is a mistake on the part of the author which wasn't caught by the copy editors.

Tenacious Learner · Answer

BudVitoffThere's always the possibility that this is a mistake on the part of the author which wasn't caught by the copy editors.

I have considered that as a possibility too.

TL

AlpheccaStars · Answer

Tenacious LearnerWe can't obtain/find Dinon's book in this country., and it doesn't sound logical at all.

It is a deliberate literary device of the author to peak the reader's curiosity. The readers will ask themselves "What book are they talking about? Was it one that belonged to Dimon, or one he wrote, or a book about him?" You are overhearing a conversation, and not privy to other discussions. That is what makes a mystery a mystery.

Tenacious Learner · Answer

AlpheccaStarsThe readers will ask themselves "What book are they talking about? Was it one that belonged to Dimon, or one he wrote, or a book about him?"

Hi A-

s,
Hmm! That's a very interesting point. I don't want to sound as stubborn as a donkey, but I still don't understand the meaning of 'get' in the sentence, 'We can't get Dinon's book in this country', if it means 'obtain; find'.

AlpheccaStarsYou are overhearing a conversation, and not privy to other discussions. That is what makes a mystery a mystery.

You are very right!

TL

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