November 2019 - Bruno Schulz - The Street of Crocodiles and other Stories
December - John Bennett - The Catastrophist
January 2020 - Fiona Valpy - The Beekeper's Promise
February - Charlotte Bronte - Jane Eyre
Dear Members, dear Readers,
after six years of pretty diligently posting here, we are starting to lose the energy a little bit, it seems.. maybe it will pick up again in the future. Thank you to all Clapton Library Reading Group Members for writing such lovely posts here all these years. I look forward to seeing all of you again when I'm back from my Sabbatical.
Cordula
Monday, 23 December 2019
Wednesday, 9 October 2019
"The City & The City" by China Mieville - October 2019
The City and the City – China Mieville - 3 October
Starting positively the book throws you straight into the fantastic, and highly original, idea of two cities existing coincidently both side by side and in places overlying each other. The two cities share characteristics and can be seen by each others citizens but those citizens must endeavour to “unsee” the other city. There is the ever present threat that if they fail to do this, they will commit “Breach” and Breach will come for and take them. Breach along with the debatable nature of the cities existence – is this a physical reality that there are two cities, existing in the same time and space, or is it more of a psychological Berlin Wall situation, are unexplained and un-understood, even by the citizens of the cities. These ideas are not over explained or deeply investigated. They are accepted as the phenomena of everyday life, while the cities themselves have distinct identities and different economies.
Within this setup, which perhaps surprisingly is located within a recognisable wider modern world, the reader is then taken into a classic murder mystery, the answers to which hinge on the premise of a supposed third city, existing between or even before the current two. The murder is investigated by the upright, fundamentally decent police inspector, Borlu, and is complicated by the fact that the victim appears to have been murdered in one city but left in the other one. The victim, a foreign student, was also investigating the myth of the third city. Borlu is an inspector in Bezel, which is portrayed as the shabbier, less advanced, poorer and more exotic city – its atmosphere is a mix of run-down ex communist eastern European, while its twin Ul-Quma is shinier, more up to date, modern and better resourced.
The consensus of the group was that the first part of the book which introduces us to these ideas and themes was nicely done and atmospheric, setting the scene well. However, we further agreed that after that the book became rather laboured, and not a particularly good thriller. Although we were grateful for the character of Borlu, a decent jobbing copper without any of the usual hang-ups which so many of fictional police seem to be burdened with. +We wanted to like it better than we did. But the police procedural wasn’t engaging enough, and the information about how the cities cross over and interlink were repetitively over explained deadening the impact of the novelty, while failing to explore these concepts in more depth.
There were a lot of ideas to consider about these ambivalent, ambiguous, co-located cities – themes of identity for citizens, immigrants, and refugees; political and national identities, and how these are established and maintained through culture, architecture, language, religion, alphabet/writing and food. However, the novel does not follow these up after the introduction of these possibilities in favour of the detective noir trope. Following the zesty introduction to this world the novel became laboured and even to a certain extent bogged down with the need to progress the investigation. To us this suggested a lack of confidence in the ideas, and a certain amount of caution which we wished had been thrown to the wind. We also felt that the story became over burdened by description and explanations about the duller aspects of the narrative, when we wanted to explore more of the esoteric, weird, even sci-fi aspects than those of the crime novel. However, while we were somewhat disappointed by this book, which many of us had looked forward to reading, we also agreed that one of the great strengths of the reading group is that we all read books that we would otherwise not have picked up. Even when a book may not live up to anticipated expectations, it is well worth reading different writers. And in respect of this read, more than one of us intends to try other works by this author.
Starting positively the book throws you straight into the fantastic, and highly original, idea of two cities existing coincidently both side by side and in places overlying each other. The two cities share characteristics and can be seen by each others citizens but those citizens must endeavour to “unsee” the other city. There is the ever present threat that if they fail to do this, they will commit “Breach” and Breach will come for and take them. Breach along with the debatable nature of the cities existence – is this a physical reality that there are two cities, existing in the same time and space, or is it more of a psychological Berlin Wall situation, are unexplained and un-understood, even by the citizens of the cities. These ideas are not over explained or deeply investigated. They are accepted as the phenomena of everyday life, while the cities themselves have distinct identities and different economies.
Within this setup, which perhaps surprisingly is located within a recognisable wider modern world, the reader is then taken into a classic murder mystery, the answers to which hinge on the premise of a supposed third city, existing between or even before the current two. The murder is investigated by the upright, fundamentally decent police inspector, Borlu, and is complicated by the fact that the victim appears to have been murdered in one city but left in the other one. The victim, a foreign student, was also investigating the myth of the third city. Borlu is an inspector in Bezel, which is portrayed as the shabbier, less advanced, poorer and more exotic city – its atmosphere is a mix of run-down ex communist eastern European, while its twin Ul-Quma is shinier, more up to date, modern and better resourced.
The consensus of the group was that the first part of the book which introduces us to these ideas and themes was nicely done and atmospheric, setting the scene well. However, we further agreed that after that the book became rather laboured, and not a particularly good thriller. Although we were grateful for the character of Borlu, a decent jobbing copper without any of the usual hang-ups which so many of fictional police seem to be burdened with. +We wanted to like it better than we did. But the police procedural wasn’t engaging enough, and the information about how the cities cross over and interlink were repetitively over explained deadening the impact of the novelty, while failing to explore these concepts in more depth.
There were a lot of ideas to consider about these ambivalent, ambiguous, co-located cities – themes of identity for citizens, immigrants, and refugees; political and national identities, and how these are established and maintained through culture, architecture, language, religion, alphabet/writing and food. However, the novel does not follow these up after the introduction of these possibilities in favour of the detective noir trope. Following the zesty introduction to this world the novel became laboured and even to a certain extent bogged down with the need to progress the investigation. To us this suggested a lack of confidence in the ideas, and a certain amount of caution which we wished had been thrown to the wind. We also felt that the story became over burdened by description and explanations about the duller aspects of the narrative, when we wanted to explore more of the esoteric, weird, even sci-fi aspects than those of the crime novel. However, while we were somewhat disappointed by this book, which many of us had looked forward to reading, we also agreed that one of the great strengths of the reading group is that we all read books that we would otherwise not have picked up. Even when a book may not live up to anticipated expectations, it is well worth reading different writers. And in respect of this read, more than one of us intends to try other works by this author.
"Nights at the Circus" by Angela Carter - September 2019
--- The group met, but I don't think anyone wrote a review... ---
Thursday, 15 August 2019
"The Reader" by Bernhard Schlink - August 2019
The Reader – Bernard Schlink - 1 August
This was a stimulating read which gave the group such a lot to discuss that we concentrated on discussing the book and the issues it raises for the whole session and could probably have continued for longer. Once again we had to take into consideration the issue of translation, and in this instance the film of the book which some readers had seen, and felt set out some of the aspects of the novel more explicitly and effectively than the book itself.
Although not especially long the book touches on a lot of big issues; its primary theme, astutely identified and summarised by one of our group, being how the rising generation address the legacy of WWII and the Holocaust on both the national and personal level at a time before the need for remembrance and responsibility were officially recognised and taught. We did not necessarily wholly agree that the author succeeds in what he appears to be attempting
We began by considering the initial relationship between the narrator and his lover Hanna. Hanna is 21 years his senior when they begin a sexual relationship, he is 15 (although she assumes that he is 17). While recognising that attitudes to sexual liaisons between adults and young adults would have been considerably different at the time this is set, the early 1950’s, and especially if the genders were reversed, many of us felt that this was an abusive relationship which damaged both participants, as the war has damaged both those who took an active part and the next generation. However, as we only ever have the narrator’s view point about the relationship it was unclear to us whether the author was implying that this was the case or leaving it for the reader to draw their own conclusions. The boy’s involvement with the older woman isn’t so much of a surprise, sex, and adolescent intensity of feeling – he thinks that he loves her – Hanna’s involvement with him is somewhat harder to fathom. Although Hanna is living a lonely and circumscribed life, as a result of both her (secret) illiteracy and her work as a camp guard, she has more to lose by getting involved with this boy and she struggled to cope with the intimacy of the relationship because she was hiding so much. Because of the rather emotionally bland tone of the narrator it sometimes seems as if both participants were at a similar level of emotional development even though at times there are signs of her attempting to retain a more adult role such as through the use of belittling pet names for him. However, we also recognised that people don’t necessarily behave rationally in relationships, and pet names may often seem disparaging, so it might be unreasonable to label this behaviour abusive. The metaphor being that while he was the rising generation who lived through the war years as children, and not as active participants, she is of the active and guilty generation who need to take responsibility and shoulder the blame for their actions.
Many of us struggled to entirely understand why Hanna continued to hide her biggest secret, illiteracy, so completely. She took on the role of a camp guard rather than reveal it, and left her job, as a tram conductor, and home when once again promotion would have revealed this, and ultimately takes the blame and a lengthy prison sentence because she can’t read. However, people are ashamed of such things and can be driven to extremes by attempts to cover up. This is also in keeping with the metaphorical nature of the story. Lack of acknowledgement and awareness of war crimes at the time, followed by attempts to disown and distance responsibility for them following the war, follows a similar pattern to Hanna’s dissimulation about her illiteracy. In failing to use the only defensive she might have she is also seen as beginning to take responsibility for the guilt which she bears both personally and metaphorically. Her journey to literacy during her time in prison, and her end also indicate her recognition, and by default her generation’s recognition of their responsibilities for the holocaust. The dead are always with her. The key question which Hanna asks at her trial is “What would you have done?” but we did feel that perhaps not enough was made of that.
The book left many of us somewhat disappointed by the lack of emotional depth, yet this deliberate tone can empower the reader to approach to the issues of guilt and responsibility, and complicity, remembrance and reparation with greater sensitivity and understanding than a more emotive approach might have allowed.
Reading is obviously a theme throughout this novel, self-referentially for us as readers, for Hanna, who had prisoners read to her when she was a camp guard, and for Michael who reads to her both when they are lovers and later on tape. Reading to someone is often associated with parents and children, reversing role perceptions in Michael and Hanna’s initial relationship where she is significantly older. Hanna’s comments about her listening show her to be an intelligently critical woman, as does her own reading when she finally overcomes her resistance to learning. Interestingly, many of the group had experiences beyond childhood of either being read to or reading to someone and all felt it was an interesting and enjoyable experience.
By Karen
This was a stimulating read which gave the group such a lot to discuss that we concentrated on discussing the book and the issues it raises for the whole session and could probably have continued for longer. Once again we had to take into consideration the issue of translation, and in this instance the film of the book which some readers had seen, and felt set out some of the aspects of the novel more explicitly and effectively than the book itself.
Although not especially long the book touches on a lot of big issues; its primary theme, astutely identified and summarised by one of our group, being how the rising generation address the legacy of WWII and the Holocaust on both the national and personal level at a time before the need for remembrance and responsibility were officially recognised and taught. We did not necessarily wholly agree that the author succeeds in what he appears to be attempting
We began by considering the initial relationship between the narrator and his lover Hanna. Hanna is 21 years his senior when they begin a sexual relationship, he is 15 (although she assumes that he is 17). While recognising that attitudes to sexual liaisons between adults and young adults would have been considerably different at the time this is set, the early 1950’s, and especially if the genders were reversed, many of us felt that this was an abusive relationship which damaged both participants, as the war has damaged both those who took an active part and the next generation. However, as we only ever have the narrator’s view point about the relationship it was unclear to us whether the author was implying that this was the case or leaving it for the reader to draw their own conclusions. The boy’s involvement with the older woman isn’t so much of a surprise, sex, and adolescent intensity of feeling – he thinks that he loves her – Hanna’s involvement with him is somewhat harder to fathom. Although Hanna is living a lonely and circumscribed life, as a result of both her (secret) illiteracy and her work as a camp guard, she has more to lose by getting involved with this boy and she struggled to cope with the intimacy of the relationship because she was hiding so much. Because of the rather emotionally bland tone of the narrator it sometimes seems as if both participants were at a similar level of emotional development even though at times there are signs of her attempting to retain a more adult role such as through the use of belittling pet names for him. However, we also recognised that people don’t necessarily behave rationally in relationships, and pet names may often seem disparaging, so it might be unreasonable to label this behaviour abusive. The metaphor being that while he was the rising generation who lived through the war years as children, and not as active participants, she is of the active and guilty generation who need to take responsibility and shoulder the blame for their actions.
Many of us struggled to entirely understand why Hanna continued to hide her biggest secret, illiteracy, so completely. She took on the role of a camp guard rather than reveal it, and left her job, as a tram conductor, and home when once again promotion would have revealed this, and ultimately takes the blame and a lengthy prison sentence because she can’t read. However, people are ashamed of such things and can be driven to extremes by attempts to cover up. This is also in keeping with the metaphorical nature of the story. Lack of acknowledgement and awareness of war crimes at the time, followed by attempts to disown and distance responsibility for them following the war, follows a similar pattern to Hanna’s dissimulation about her illiteracy. In failing to use the only defensive she might have she is also seen as beginning to take responsibility for the guilt which she bears both personally and metaphorically. Her journey to literacy during her time in prison, and her end also indicate her recognition, and by default her generation’s recognition of their responsibilities for the holocaust. The dead are always with her. The key question which Hanna asks at her trial is “What would you have done?” but we did feel that perhaps not enough was made of that.
The book left many of us somewhat disappointed by the lack of emotional depth, yet this deliberate tone can empower the reader to approach to the issues of guilt and responsibility, and complicity, remembrance and reparation with greater sensitivity and understanding than a more emotive approach might have allowed.
Reading is obviously a theme throughout this novel, self-referentially for us as readers, for Hanna, who had prisoners read to her when she was a camp guard, and for Michael who reads to her both when they are lovers and later on tape. Reading to someone is often associated with parents and children, reversing role perceptions in Michael and Hanna’s initial relationship where she is significantly older. Hanna’s comments about her listening show her to be an intelligently critical woman, as does her own reading when she finally overcomes her resistance to learning. Interestingly, many of the group had experiences beyond childhood of either being read to or reading to someone and all felt it was an interesting and enjoyable experience.
By Karen
"The Tottenham Outrage" by M.H.Baylis - July 2019
We didn't write a review for this one... I think the heat was eating our brains
Wednesday, 19 June 2019
"Sofia Khan is not obliged" by Ayisha Malik - CityReads London (every year) - June 2019
Clapton’s reading group members were positively inclined towards this year’s issue of the “CITY READS LONDON” initiative, where London’s reading groups receive free copies of a London-based novel. But we weren’t overly convinced by it! Some thought it was repetitive in places, and could have done with more editing – a common theme in our group, when it comes to the more recently published novels we read. (Is the art of editing in crisis? Or is it just us??)
With Ayisha Malik’s “Sofia Khan is not obliged”, the advertising (“a Muslim Bridget Jones’ Diary”) seemed spot on – a light read, easily and flowingly written, easy to digest, slightly fluffy romanticism with a couple of deeper topics thrown in, especially regarding the protagonist’s attempt to find balance between two cultures. But whereas Bridget Jones’ Diary was an exciting innovation at the time, “Sofia Khan...” couldn’t completely live up to the hype. In the feedback forms that we sent back to the CityReads charity, nobody ticked the box that asked: “I feel inspired to read more books by writers like her”! But at least two (of four) respondents said that they “learned something new about living in London as a Muslim” and about Muslim women’s experiences, so I would call that a success, in terms of what the book set out to do, at least partly.
The content of the book was interesting, but maybe the most telling comment by one of our members was that in romance, no matter what culture you’re from, or living in, everyone has the same human problems.
I’ll add more comments regarding content if I receive any from our members!
By Cordula
With Ayisha Malik’s “Sofia Khan is not obliged”, the advertising (“a Muslim Bridget Jones’ Diary”) seemed spot on – a light read, easily and flowingly written, easy to digest, slightly fluffy romanticism with a couple of deeper topics thrown in, especially regarding the protagonist’s attempt to find balance between two cultures. But whereas Bridget Jones’ Diary was an exciting innovation at the time, “Sofia Khan...” couldn’t completely live up to the hype. In the feedback forms that we sent back to the CityReads charity, nobody ticked the box that asked: “I feel inspired to read more books by writers like her”! But at least two (of four) respondents said that they “learned something new about living in London as a Muslim” and about Muslim women’s experiences, so I would call that a success, in terms of what the book set out to do, at least partly.
The content of the book was interesting, but maybe the most telling comment by one of our members was that in romance, no matter what culture you’re from, or living in, everyone has the same human problems.
I’ll add more comments regarding content if I receive any from our members!
By Cordula
Wednesday, 8 May 2019
"The Master and Margarita" by Mikhail Bulgakov - May 2019
The Master and Margarita – 2 May
This somewhat challenging read gave us much to think about, and in some cases great amusement. A modern classic, this has been called one of the great books of the 20th century, and is often included on lists of must read books before you are whatever age/die (take your pick). However, like so many books which we’re all supposed to have read, or know, this is no easy read, but it is all the better for that. It is a treasure house of incident, story, joyful absurdity, spiteful self interest and greed, regrets and cowardice, self awareness and recognition, philosophical and religious query, full of vivid images and symbolism. Although several of us struggled with it, following our discussion at least two members determined that they would now go back and finish it.
Written in a 1930’s modernist style reminiscent of work by Pirandello , Ionesco and Brecht, the book, which was not published until the late 1960’s, has three main story elements. One, a satire of society in post revolutionary Moscow, with its favoured elites being taken to task, in ridiculous and sometimes tragic ways by the Devil, here called Woland, and his appalling and comedic sidekicks, in the form of, primarily, Behemoth – very large talking cat who walks on two legs, and Koroviev a sinister clown/entrepreneur. Another, the seemingly affectless depiction of, primarily artistic and entertainment, society presents fascinating glimpses into and observations on life in post revolutionary Russia which is seen to still contain many different classes of citizens. The third, the story of Pontius Pilate and Yeshua (Jesus), told by both the Devil and the Master. The former relating it as lived experience, the latter as a writer whose work is rejected as entirely out of keeping with the sensibilities and values of an officially atheist culture.
The different stories, numerous characters, and avant-garde style can make it tricky to get to grips with. The introduction and notes on the text where helpful here. However it is intriguing, and for some the Pilate story provided the way into the book, presenting interesting historical points and an empathetic character which many of the Muscovites were not. Despite this many of the episodes with the Devil and his sidekicks are full of a frenetic idiocy and joy, and scenes such as after the clothes exchange at the theatre, Margarita smashing up the apartment, the riot in the foreign food shop, and money changing can be laugh out loud funny. There is also a wealth of realistic and interesting detail about daily life, from the Bunsen burners of shared kitchens and the accommodation shortage, to the realistic responses of the doctors and nurses in the mental hospital to their patients' apparently fantastical reports.
The somewhat detached, even matter of fact, tone makes discerning the author’s position on the many issues the book raises easier said than done. Bulgakov does not offer us a clear view about religion, the nature of goodness, and its opposite, and the relationships between these themes and atheism, communism and morality, nor for that matter does the devil. Are the readers being asked to defend religion, or is this a philosophical exercise in what happens when you banish it? Interestingly, despite these questions there is no sense of nostalgia for pre-revolutionary Russia; people just want things to work better. There is anger that elite groups continue to get favourable treatment, which is expressed in the fact that it is the places where these groups gather, and their members which are the main targets for come-uppance at the hands of the Devil’s sidekicks. Nearly all the others who suffer as a result of money grabbing are the greedy, and the hoarders, very much in keeping with the soviet viewpoint and also a high degree of morality. The reader must make up their own mind.
By Karen
This somewhat challenging read gave us much to think about, and in some cases great amusement. A modern classic, this has been called one of the great books of the 20th century, and is often included on lists of must read books before you are whatever age/die (take your pick). However, like so many books which we’re all supposed to have read, or know, this is no easy read, but it is all the better for that. It is a treasure house of incident, story, joyful absurdity, spiteful self interest and greed, regrets and cowardice, self awareness and recognition, philosophical and religious query, full of vivid images and symbolism. Although several of us struggled with it, following our discussion at least two members determined that they would now go back and finish it.
Written in a 1930’s modernist style reminiscent of work by Pirandello , Ionesco and Brecht, the book, which was not published until the late 1960’s, has three main story elements. One, a satire of society in post revolutionary Moscow, with its favoured elites being taken to task, in ridiculous and sometimes tragic ways by the Devil, here called Woland, and his appalling and comedic sidekicks, in the form of, primarily, Behemoth – very large talking cat who walks on two legs, and Koroviev a sinister clown/entrepreneur. Another, the seemingly affectless depiction of, primarily artistic and entertainment, society presents fascinating glimpses into and observations on life in post revolutionary Russia which is seen to still contain many different classes of citizens. The third, the story of Pontius Pilate and Yeshua (Jesus), told by both the Devil and the Master. The former relating it as lived experience, the latter as a writer whose work is rejected as entirely out of keeping with the sensibilities and values of an officially atheist culture.
The different stories, numerous characters, and avant-garde style can make it tricky to get to grips with. The introduction and notes on the text where helpful here. However it is intriguing, and for some the Pilate story provided the way into the book, presenting interesting historical points and an empathetic character which many of the Muscovites were not. Despite this many of the episodes with the Devil and his sidekicks are full of a frenetic idiocy and joy, and scenes such as after the clothes exchange at the theatre, Margarita smashing up the apartment, the riot in the foreign food shop, and money changing can be laugh out loud funny. There is also a wealth of realistic and interesting detail about daily life, from the Bunsen burners of shared kitchens and the accommodation shortage, to the realistic responses of the doctors and nurses in the mental hospital to their patients' apparently fantastical reports.
The somewhat detached, even matter of fact, tone makes discerning the author’s position on the many issues the book raises easier said than done. Bulgakov does not offer us a clear view about religion, the nature of goodness, and its opposite, and the relationships between these themes and atheism, communism and morality, nor for that matter does the devil. Are the readers being asked to defend religion, or is this a philosophical exercise in what happens when you banish it? Interestingly, despite these questions there is no sense of nostalgia for pre-revolutionary Russia; people just want things to work better. There is anger that elite groups continue to get favourable treatment, which is expressed in the fact that it is the places where these groups gather, and their members which are the main targets for come-uppance at the hands of the Devil’s sidekicks. Nearly all the others who suffer as a result of money grabbing are the greedy, and the hoarders, very much in keeping with the soviet viewpoint and also a high degree of morality. The reader must make up their own mind.
By Karen
Monday, 29 April 2019
"To Kill a Mockingbird" by Harper Lee - April 2019
To Kill A Mockingbird by Lee Harper published 1960
Without exception, we all thought this book stands the test of time, despite its complex topics which include racial injustice, violence, rape and sexual prejudice.
Lee combines the narrator's voice of a child (Scout) aged between 6-9 observing her small town life, but with a grown woman's reflection on her childhood. This narrative method allows us to read a "delightfully deceptive" story that mixes the simplicity of childlike (not childish) observation with adult situations, which are full of hidden motivations, prejudice and unquestioned tradition.
The detailed, but compact and simple observations of people, places and situations bring all the characters to life and with very little imagination we can see the places, people and situations so clearly that the group felt that it made the story more personal and therefore more engaging.
Within the seriousness of the subjects are hidden gems of humour, satire and irony, which lift the reader away from the temptation to judge and moralise as things are seen through the eyes of the children, and makes you laugh, so the story moves along with ease.
The main character of the lawyer Atticus Finch is of course the moral compass of the novel, as he teaches his children, and indeed the whole town, lessons of courage, honesty and honourable behaviour. Two of the members of the group said they knew people who had read the book and decided to follow the legal profession as a direct result of reading it, and being inspired by the strength and veracity of the character.
The book certainly deals with tragedy and injustice, heartache and loss, (rather like a Greek tragedy) but it also includes a strong sense nobility, courage, compassion, selflessness, and an awareness of how we can become better human beings, which is inspiring and thoughtful.
The book still rouses feelings of indignation and disgust, particularly in the way individuals are degraded, but also forces readers to question current issues about race, class, and society, and this is probably why we felt that it was still a relevant and challenging book for today.
Without exception, we all thought this book stands the test of time, despite its complex topics which include racial injustice, violence, rape and sexual prejudice.
Lee combines the narrator's voice of a child (Scout) aged between 6-9 observing her small town life, but with a grown woman's reflection on her childhood. This narrative method allows us to read a "delightfully deceptive" story that mixes the simplicity of childlike (not childish) observation with adult situations, which are full of hidden motivations, prejudice and unquestioned tradition.
The detailed, but compact and simple observations of people, places and situations bring all the characters to life and with very little imagination we can see the places, people and situations so clearly that the group felt that it made the story more personal and therefore more engaging.
Within the seriousness of the subjects are hidden gems of humour, satire and irony, which lift the reader away from the temptation to judge and moralise as things are seen through the eyes of the children, and makes you laugh, so the story moves along with ease.
The main character of the lawyer Atticus Finch is of course the moral compass of the novel, as he teaches his children, and indeed the whole town, lessons of courage, honesty and honourable behaviour. Two of the members of the group said they knew people who had read the book and decided to follow the legal profession as a direct result of reading it, and being inspired by the strength and veracity of the character.
The book certainly deals with tragedy and injustice, heartache and loss, (rather like a Greek tragedy) but it also includes a strong sense nobility, courage, compassion, selflessness, and an awareness of how we can become better human beings, which is inspiring and thoughtful.
The book still rouses feelings of indignation and disgust, particularly in the way individuals are degraded, but also forces readers to question current issues about race, class, and society, and this is probably why we felt that it was still a relevant and challenging book for today.
Friday, 8 March 2019
"Map of Love" by Ahdaf Soueif - March 2019
"My thoughts -
Irritating and fundamental flaw in construction of story. Where did Anna's letter come from? Did she keep copies of all her correspondence? did she go around collecting all the letters she had written? it makes no sense that the letters wrote are the ones in the trunk rather than the ones she received.
Found the history fascinating and horribly poignant. Next time any European complains about waves of migrants from Africa they need to be reminded of past behaviour. Spent a great deal of time gnashing my teeth and feeling very cross, ashamed and downright furious that matters have got worse instead of better.
Central love story charming but somewhat Mills and Boon. Anna just a bit too perfect, Sharif a cliched tall, dark handsome hero."
Irritating and fundamental flaw in construction of story. Where did Anna's letter come from? Did she keep copies of all her correspondence? did she go around collecting all the letters she had written? it makes no sense that the letters wrote are the ones in the trunk rather than the ones she received.
Found the history fascinating and horribly poignant. Next time any European complains about waves of migrants from Africa they need to be reminded of past behaviour. Spent a great deal of time gnashing my teeth and feeling very cross, ashamed and downright furious that matters have got worse instead of better.
Central love story charming but somewhat Mills and Boon. Anna just a bit too perfect, Sharif a cliched tall, dark handsome hero."
Thursday, 28 February 2019
"Loyalties" by Delphine de Vigan - February 2019
"I found the book really quite engaging. It's a very easy read, and has a wealth of social issues which keep up the momentum, but I felt the ending left things a bit high and dry, and I wanted more so that's probably a good thing! I'm not so sure the idea of loyalty was the best concept, I felt it was more fear (of loss, being found out, change etc) which is a very common childhood thing, and the desire to climb inside the bottle of forgetfullness was well presented."
"Delphine de Vigan's LOYALTIES was a short and easy read; undemanding in length, but not in content and that was the major problem that most members of the book group had with it.
It was too short to deal with its serious content in any meaningful depth and the interconnected stories, of the four main protagonists, were not fully believable. The main story of twelve year old Theo's self destructive drinking needed greater explanation. How did no one, in or out of school, notice his drunken state and take action? How was Helene, his teacher, not aware that his problem was intoxication and not physical abuse, that he was not suffering from the same plight as she, as a child, had? Couldn't she smell him? Theo's father may have been made almost catatonic by depression, but why was his mother so blind to his situation? The adults in this book behaved like unthinking children, it was the two children, and particularly Mathis, who showed mature loyalty.
The problems of this book were not limited to the main characters and the storyline, but also applied to the lack of development of secondary characters, for example, Cecile's patronising husband and the awful cardboard character gym teacher.
The majority verdict on this brief novel was that it was an unsatisfactory read and the particular translation may have played a part in that."
"Delphine de Vigan's LOYALTIES was a short and easy read; undemanding in length, but not in content and that was the major problem that most members of the book group had with it.
It was too short to deal with its serious content in any meaningful depth and the interconnected stories, of the four main protagonists, were not fully believable. The main story of twelve year old Theo's self destructive drinking needed greater explanation. How did no one, in or out of school, notice his drunken state and take action? How was Helene, his teacher, not aware that his problem was intoxication and not physical abuse, that he was not suffering from the same plight as she, as a child, had? Couldn't she smell him? Theo's father may have been made almost catatonic by depression, but why was his mother so blind to his situation? The adults in this book behaved like unthinking children, it was the two children, and particularly Mathis, who showed mature loyalty.
The problems of this book were not limited to the main characters and the storyline, but also applied to the lack of development of secondary characters, for example, Cecile's patronising husband and the awful cardboard character gym teacher.
The majority verdict on this brief novel was that it was an unsatisfactory read and the particular translation may have played a part in that."
Friday, 4 January 2019
"Lady Worsley's Whim" by Hallie Rubenhold - January 2019
This account of a true divorce scandal of late 18th Century Britain was also very interesting to discuss. What counts as infidelity in a marriage, what motives did the husband have for divorcing her, how did this woman remain financially fluent when her property was in her husband's hands, how did the media influence public opinion. Many interesting topics.
"Brighton Rock" by Graham Greene - December 2018
A great thriller, engagingly written, believable characters.. a lot of plot points, social observations and character development to discuss. We had a lively group session about Brighton Rock.
Wednesday, 14 November 2018
"Blood Sister" by Dreda Say Mitchell (or is it?) - November 2018
I would like to write this blog post as a letter to Ms Mitchell, because I feel terrible about the bad things we will have to say about "Blood Sister"! Dear author, please believe that we meant well! But it might be that we were slightly misled, anyway - more on that later.
The group, I believe, was ready to give this Hackney author, who has been nationally lauded, who has received literary awards, who has been consulted by political and social panels dealing with crime, housing issues, politics etc., her fair due, and we were looking forward to a crime story that would let us peek into the criminal underworld of a local council estate, and to the astute psychological analysis the author is supposedly capable of. However, having either read the entire book or tried very hard to get through it, most group members' impressions and comments were, I'm sorry to say, devastating. The hyperbolic commentary on the book's jacket, possibly mostly referencing the author's previous works instead of "Blood Sister", didn't prepare us for the slightly unbelievable, formulaic, and stodgy story (and not enough editing) on this fictitious and seemingly unrealistic criminal East End estate near the Roman Road. Now, there were enough plot points to keep us on track to discuss the content of the book for a while, but to be honest, it was mostly to debate how believable (mostly: not very) the plot was. Specifically, a lot of the action didn't match up with the characters and their evolution - we found that scenes were written not organically happening out of the actors' development, but rather, the personalities of the characters were shoehorned into the story to fit the required action. Except for the younger of the two sisters, Tiffany, most characters were so undefined as to seem blurry; no clear picture of them could form in our minds.
We were puzzled at the portrayal of the only black character of the book, who seemed to a) not be much more than a collection of shallow stereotypes, and b) undergoes a baffling, disappionting character change which kind of lets her life drift into nothing and nowhere, which enhanced the feel of formulaic writing. Where was the cleverness that was mentioned in the beginning, where did it lead her? The lives described felt that we were reading a very stretched out episode of EastEnders! We didn't like the way that we were apparently supposed to like John as a "lovable rogue", even though he's literally a murdering drug lord. We didn't feel that we got an in-depth character picture of any of the actors, that would have enabled us to care about them enough. And we had been looking forward to learning something, gaining some perspective on a world that is so near yet so far for us - it would have been exciting to gain some real knowledge about a criminal scene, albeit fictitious, in Hackney. Instead, we felt pelted by shallow stereotypes and dreary repetition.
Not that every comment about this book was bad, or that we couldn't find any enjoyment in reading. Despite the repetition, it's written smoothly enough that you can kind of keep zipping along. But the discrepancy between the hype and the result was so vast, that we felt almost baffled. What was going on?
Then, at the end of the group, one of our members made a seemingly small discovery. What was written there, in the editorial section at the beginning of the book? The rights of *who* to be identified as the authors of this work - Emma Joseph and Anthony Mason? Hmmm...
We didn't know what to think - we were intrigued how and by whom this book was written, and whether that had anything to do with our critical thoughts about it? Dear Ms Mitchell, we would have loved to discuss this in person! All I can do is apologise that we didn't like the book better, and hope it won't put any of us off trying out more of her work in the future.
By Cordula
The group, I believe, was ready to give this Hackney author, who has been nationally lauded, who has received literary awards, who has been consulted by political and social panels dealing with crime, housing issues, politics etc., her fair due, and we were looking forward to a crime story that would let us peek into the criminal underworld of a local council estate, and to the astute psychological analysis the author is supposedly capable of. However, having either read the entire book or tried very hard to get through it, most group members' impressions and comments were, I'm sorry to say, devastating. The hyperbolic commentary on the book's jacket, possibly mostly referencing the author's previous works instead of "Blood Sister", didn't prepare us for the slightly unbelievable, formulaic, and stodgy story (and not enough editing) on this fictitious and seemingly unrealistic criminal East End estate near the Roman Road. Now, there were enough plot points to keep us on track to discuss the content of the book for a while, but to be honest, it was mostly to debate how believable (mostly: not very) the plot was. Specifically, a lot of the action didn't match up with the characters and their evolution - we found that scenes were written not organically happening out of the actors' development, but rather, the personalities of the characters were shoehorned into the story to fit the required action. Except for the younger of the two sisters, Tiffany, most characters were so undefined as to seem blurry; no clear picture of them could form in our minds.
We were puzzled at the portrayal of the only black character of the book, who seemed to a) not be much more than a collection of shallow stereotypes, and b) undergoes a baffling, disappionting character change which kind of lets her life drift into nothing and nowhere, which enhanced the feel of formulaic writing. Where was the cleverness that was mentioned in the beginning, where did it lead her? The lives described felt that we were reading a very stretched out episode of EastEnders! We didn't like the way that we were apparently supposed to like John as a "lovable rogue", even though he's literally a murdering drug lord. We didn't feel that we got an in-depth character picture of any of the actors, that would have enabled us to care about them enough. And we had been looking forward to learning something, gaining some perspective on a world that is so near yet so far for us - it would have been exciting to gain some real knowledge about a criminal scene, albeit fictitious, in Hackney. Instead, we felt pelted by shallow stereotypes and dreary repetition.
Not that every comment about this book was bad, or that we couldn't find any enjoyment in reading. Despite the repetition, it's written smoothly enough that you can kind of keep zipping along. But the discrepancy between the hype and the result was so vast, that we felt almost baffled. What was going on?
Then, at the end of the group, one of our members made a seemingly small discovery. What was written there, in the editorial section at the beginning of the book? The rights of *who* to be identified as the authors of this work - Emma Joseph and Anthony Mason? Hmmm...
We didn't know what to think - we were intrigued how and by whom this book was written, and whether that had anything to do with our critical thoughts about it? Dear Ms Mitchell, we would have loved to discuss this in person! All I can do is apologise that we didn't like the book better, and hope it won't put any of us off trying out more of her work in the future.
By Cordula
Friday, 5 October 2018
"Kafka on the Shore" by Haruki Murakami - October 2018
This Murakami book was charming, compelling, surreal, unputdownable. The characters were interesting, the detailed descriptions created a wonderful atmosphere, and the ending wasn’t done in a trite way, but pleasantly and realistic, with plenty of loose ends, which felt right to our readers, more realistic and subtle. We appreciated that Murakami is awlays interested in food, and writes in loving detail about it. We discussed the unpleasant bits – a boy who cuts the heads of cats, urgh; the Americanisms in the translation (“Jeez, Louise!”) – but didn’t have much worse to say about the book for it. Some of us started reading it with low expectations, and were pleasantly surprised. The books atmosphere was very meditative and like sitting in a Japanese Zen garden. The surrealism (talking to cats, UFOs) didn’t detract from the novel, as Murakami has the ability to render it so realistically, charmingly, and make it so naturally part of the story, that it enhances the message /the plot, without distorting it. It seems one of this author’s great gifts to be able to integrate magic and surrealism without grating on the reader. People were amazed by the incredible kindness and caring of strangers in Japan, and contrasted it with the harsh embarrassment felt by families towards their own outcasts. We also appreciated how the main character, despite being underage, seems to be treated with the kind of respect by the people he meets that grants him his autonomous life choices, he isn’t questioned on where he’s going or if he belongs to anyone. We talked about the character of Crow, and whether he functions as an imaginary talking buddy to Kafka, or if he’s a symbol of a schizophrenic alter ego, or quite who he really symbolizes. He seems to disappear when other people are with Kafka, so the group members thought of him as a shadow image or just an inventive inner reflection. Overall, the group was left with the impression that anything can happen in a Murakami novel, and found this partivular one “bizarrely charming”!
Thursday, 20 September 2018
Wednesday, 19 September 2018
"Suite Francaise" by Irene Nemirovsky - September 2018
General Feel and comments about the book:
- Presented a horrible story; horrible characters and horrible scenes of war
- There are many vignettes of different characters; it was so hard to remember all of them
- Everyone behaves differently because of the difficult situation
- It seemed excessive in some places
- It was a very detached writing of a story, there was no emotional involvement of characters
- It was almost written as if a picture is moving in front of you
- It was very French, an obvious standard translation with only slight changes
- When I read this book many years ago, it did not engaged me so much but now, I had a different feel of the stories and details
Specific comments:
- The focus on Fr. Philippe presents so much violence on its own
- It was so violent to kill a priest
- There were specific vignettes about the aristocratic French families
- The author had more negative details about the French than the Germans
- The German lieutenant was presented as an upper class German with a good family background and attractive physical appearance
- The love affair between Lucille and the German lieutenant was not credible; even how desperate that woman was, would she fall in love for him?
- Lucille was a strange character, she did not have a life; everything she did was controlled
- On the other hand, the love affair presented a “sense of oasis” in a desert
- I like the vignettes of people because you learn more about their character, especially the Mischaunds, the Perricands, the Perrins,etc.
- I feel sorry for Madeleine because Bennoit is someone who can run into a fistfight any time
- The author conveyed well about what happened to the dancer and the young man
- There was not much details about how WWII came to France. It seemed to show how France did not put up so much resistance to the Germans and instead just entered into terms of surrender with them to gain peace
- Towards the end, the book presented details of the intense rivalry between the farmers in the village and the towns people
Comments and feelings about how the author ended her book:
- It presents the challenge and reality that life has to go on
- It suggested that the country life would assert itself
- It describes how the ordinary people suffered from war and how it impacts them
- People involved in war are actually people
- One scene of the German lieutenant and Lucille seemed to suggest the relationship will go on; there was hope expressed to see each other again and to be together to enjoy life
- The ending was nice and likeable
- I like the ending as it suggests that the rural life should go on.
By May
By Lesley:
I did enjoy Suite Francaise although I must admit, I did not warm to some of the characters at first, despite them being well described and cleverly observed so that I felt that I knew some of them from personal experience(!). Then I read the really interesting Appendices, which pulled it all together and I was able to go back and appreciate the subtleties and conflicts much more clearly. I found it to be a book which made me ask more questions than I normally expect, and was tantalisingly understated in the face of such upheaval and destruction which is its background. For me, it was definitely a good read with depth and understanding of the fickleness of the human condition!
"H is for Hawk" by Helen Macdonald - August 2018
Members found this autobiographical work quite difficult to read, but it seemed appropriate, since it reflected a personality going through a mentally difficult time. The writing, and the characters that appear, felt disjointed. Some people didn't feel sympathy for what she was going through, so it was difficult to establish sympathy for the author herself, and made it quite hard to enjoy the book. Also, because the author was using her hawk to hunt, and got into the hunting process, made it harder to enjoy or commiserate with her. However, other group members were able to feel for the author's loss (the book is about her dealing with the sudden death of her father) and felt for her sinking into depression. It was lovely that she had learned patience from her father when bird-watching, for example. But it was difficult to follow the time scale of the book, no dates were mentioned, which corresponded with her state of grief and the feeling that her identity was dissolving after her loss. The hawk gave her back a focus to hold on to. The violence of hunting, and her use of hunting practices that were controversial, made it hard to fully be on her side, though, as it had too many aspects of cruelty.
Thursday, 2 August 2018
"Americanah" by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie - July 2018
"Americanah", like the author’s "Half Of A Yellow Sun", is a love story, but like the other book it is also much more. Through the story of Ifemelu, a young Nigerian woman, Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie gives the reader a layered view of the political situation in Nigeria and of what it is like to be a non-American black in America. It is a book of descriptions, attitudes and episodic experiences.
It is also a book about race and identity and it is very well written. Adichie is a skilled writer, she has a light touch, but she writes about serious issues and she can often be very amusing – the opening chapter at the hair braiders and Ifemelu’s clever and frequently caustic blog offerings being examples.
Adichie never bores in her writing, but for this reviewer Ifemelu lacked empathy and treated her lovers in too cavalier an attitude. She simply leaves Blaine, her black Yale lecturer boyfriend and seems to deliberately sabotage her relationship with Curt, the "Hot White Ex” of her blog, and (spoiler alert) whilst she does get back together again with Obinze/Ceiling, there is no thought about the wife and child he leaves behind to be with her. Such a narcissistic character was difficult to care for and, whilst the rest of the reading group did, this reader didn’t.
By Jasmina
It is also a book about race and identity and it is very well written. Adichie is a skilled writer, she has a light touch, but she writes about serious issues and she can often be very amusing – the opening chapter at the hair braiders and Ifemelu’s clever and frequently caustic blog offerings being examples.
Adichie never bores in her writing, but for this reviewer Ifemelu lacked empathy and treated her lovers in too cavalier an attitude. She simply leaves Blaine, her black Yale lecturer boyfriend and seems to deliberately sabotage her relationship with Curt, the "Hot White Ex” of her blog, and (spoiler alert) whilst she does get back together again with Obinze/Ceiling, there is no thought about the wife and child he leaves behind to be with her. Such a narcissistic character was difficult to care for and, whilst the rest of the reading group did, this reader didn’t.
By Jasmina
Thursday, 14 June 2018
"A History of the World in 100 Objects" (Neil MacGregor) and "The Muse" by Jessie Burton - June 2018
Our Group read one of our rare(r) non-fiction books for the May meeting, A History of the World in 100 Objects, but the May group had to be cancelled, as Clapton library was closed that evening for the 3rd May elections. So we decided to discuss two books together in our June meeting, which was also the yearly "CityReadLondon" event, featuring Jessie Burton's "The Muse".
All group members were very impressed with the gorgeous "History of the World.." . The objects were all beautiful and interesting, the articles well informed, the format lent itself well to reading in increments, and reading it out loud to others made you sound like a BBC radio presenter. Some group members had already admired the book on the Radio 4 programme. Going through history in chronological fashion via the diverse objects was fascinating. It was a book that you would be glad to keep on your permanent shelf and read again and agian.
We mentioned some objects that we found especially gorgeous or interesting: the feathered helmet from Hawaii, and the swimming reindeer sculpture. They represented the intensity and complexity with which humans
from much earlier eras and very different cultures analysed and interpreted the world, and taught us something about the serious investment that human cultures have always given to creating art, thus connecting with the world and its meaning for human life. Enormous time and effort was invested even thousands of years ago in order to represent artistically, with no immediate function for survival, animals, objects and ways of life. It showed that even early humans thought about meaning and engaged in deep thought about the world aroudn them.
In our second half of the meeting, we turned our attention to this year's CityReadLondon book "The Muse". It had been hyped in the press as a "Captivating" and "dazzling" second novel from the author of "The Miniaturist". Set in London in 1967, and in Civil War Spain in 1936, the reviews promised superlatives that the book could hardly live up to! Again, readers commented that it was a book that could have used a better editor, and that the language of the 1960's represented in it was anachronistic. We seem to have read several books now that deserved both these criticisms. A young English shopkeeper, for example, would not have called a black person "black". In the 60's, the custom was to say "coloured" person, and using "black" would have been seen as unforgivably rude. These kind of mistakes become grating and take you out of the flow of reading.
The content didn't fare much better. Although the premise of the story was interesting, the "dual timeline" ploy seemed a bit forced, and the characters bent into shape to fit the narrative, making them a bit flat and unbelievable. Some of the plot points were too predictable, and also too reliant on outrageous coincidences. All of this prevented readers from properly immersing themselves in the storyline, which in itself had interesting points, from the Spanish Civil War to women's struggle in the 1960's art world (and world of work).
The most annoying point seemed to be the slightly incongruous character of Olive, the painter in Spain in the 1930's, who selflessly gives up her own masterpiece painting (and a place at a prestigious art school) for her boyfriend to claim ownership of it. This just didn't gel, in the group's opinion, with any great artist's character. If the painting really was that forceful, it would have been created by someone with an equally forceful nature, drive to succeed, or ego; it seemed unrealistic for her to let go of her work so easily. However, the plot points were interesting and sparked a lively discussion.
By Cordula
All group members were very impressed with the gorgeous "History of the World.." . The objects were all beautiful and interesting, the articles well informed, the format lent itself well to reading in increments, and reading it out loud to others made you sound like a BBC radio presenter. Some group members had already admired the book on the Radio 4 programme. Going through history in chronological fashion via the diverse objects was fascinating. It was a book that you would be glad to keep on your permanent shelf and read again and agian.
We mentioned some objects that we found especially gorgeous or interesting: the feathered helmet from Hawaii, and the swimming reindeer sculpture. They represented the intensity and complexity with which humans
from much earlier eras and very different cultures analysed and interpreted the world, and taught us something about the serious investment that human cultures have always given to creating art, thus connecting with the world and its meaning for human life. Enormous time and effort was invested even thousands of years ago in order to represent artistically, with no immediate function for survival, animals, objects and ways of life. It showed that even early humans thought about meaning and engaged in deep thought about the world aroudn them.
In our second half of the meeting, we turned our attention to this year's CityReadLondon book "The Muse". It had been hyped in the press as a "Captivating" and "dazzling" second novel from the author of "The Miniaturist". Set in London in 1967, and in Civil War Spain in 1936, the reviews promised superlatives that the book could hardly live up to! Again, readers commented that it was a book that could have used a better editor, and that the language of the 1960's represented in it was anachronistic. We seem to have read several books now that deserved both these criticisms. A young English shopkeeper, for example, would not have called a black person "black". In the 60's, the custom was to say "coloured" person, and using "black" would have been seen as unforgivably rude. These kind of mistakes become grating and take you out of the flow of reading.
The content didn't fare much better. Although the premise of the story was interesting, the "dual timeline" ploy seemed a bit forced, and the characters bent into shape to fit the narrative, making them a bit flat and unbelievable. Some of the plot points were too predictable, and also too reliant on outrageous coincidences. All of this prevented readers from properly immersing themselves in the storyline, which in itself had interesting points, from the Spanish Civil War to women's struggle in the 1960's art world (and world of work).
The most annoying point seemed to be the slightly incongruous character of Olive, the painter in Spain in the 1930's, who selflessly gives up her own masterpiece painting (and a place at a prestigious art school) for her boyfriend to claim ownership of it. This just didn't gel, in the group's opinion, with any great artist's character. If the painting really was that forceful, it would have been created by someone with an equally forceful nature, drive to succeed, or ego; it seemed unrealistic for her to let go of her work so easily. However, the plot points were interesting and sparked a lively discussion.
By Cordula
Friday, 6 April 2018
"The Lonely Londoners" by Sam Selvon - April 2018
The novel, about Jamaican immigrants in 1950's London, was very readable with a clear voice written in authentic dialect. The group members found the language was well crafted and authentic, and one could hear the characters' voices really well. The author made the scenes come to life, and group members could imagine the novel very well visually. They felt that the author really knew the characters he was talking about, and depicted them richly. Yoiu could hear the sadness, loneliness, and being stuck inbetween two places at once - immigrants always missed their home country and home life, but were not really in a position to ever return home again unless they had "made it" in London. Our readers enjoyed the rich different characters in the novel; some whose attitude was to bring their home village life to the streets of London, and some who got stuck in low paying job and having their high expectations dashed, making it even more impossible to return to Jamaica. Some readers felt that it was a shame that the attitudes and experiences of women weren't explored more in the novel, and commented on the misogyny of a lot of the male characters, but also noted that this absence of women was partly the reason the men in the novel experienced isolation, and felt that the attitudes to the women felt very true to the time and the situation. Immigrants in 50's London wouldn't have had many female friends around them, and were also struggling to reconcile different societal structures between men and women back home and in the "Mother Country".
It was interesting to hear our group members' own experiences of London / Jamaica and immigrants in the 60's, and parents first generation experiences coming to the UK, and how shocking the contrast between the cultures was, and what racist attitudes immigrants experienced in Enlgand. The ones who didn't have a chance to read the book yet were definitely looking forward to giving it a go.
By Cordula
It was interesting to hear our group members' own experiences of London / Jamaica and immigrants in the 60's, and parents first generation experiences coming to the UK, and how shocking the contrast between the cultures was, and what racist attitudes immigrants experienced in Enlgand. The ones who didn't have a chance to read the book yet were definitely looking forward to giving it a go.
By Cordula
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