Book Review on JoJo Moyes' The Giver of Stars What a dreamy environment for a librarian to work in! I would love to be the recipient and Giver of Stars! Set in the Appalachian Mountains, Alice Wright leaves behind the humdrum of small town life in England by marrying handsome Bennet Van Cleve and moving to Baileyville, Kentucky. Life is quick to disappoint, and Alice seems as trapped as she'd ever been. Bennett seems content to share their honeymoon cabin, with his ever-present vile father, and once at home becomes distant and aloof, unable or unchoosing of intimacy. The 'special book' kept hidden in the library had no effect in solving Bennett's problems! Upon arrival in Baileyville, Alice is treated with caution and suspicion by the locals; women her own age feel she has stolen Bennett from them as a potential suitor. There's no wonder then, that Alice jumps at the chance to join Margery O'Hare, a strong, independent woman, as a travelling librarian. This gives Bennett's father further fuel to disapprove of Alice as Margery, Alice learns, is of a disreputable family going back generations. In addition, Margery is unwilling to conform to societal expectations or to be the expected submissive female and wife. The judgemental Van Cleve's are inevitably going to disapprove. An unlikely friendship is formed between Alice and Margery. As the events of the story unfold they learn to support each other and women across Kentucky. Sisterhood prevails as the librarians grow in numbers, strength and commitment to their role, each another and their values. The novel begins with a single chapter outlining a key event that occurs three months from the beginning of the story proper. It is this event around which the whole story, The Giver of Stars, is based as we explore weath, class, hardship, abuse and feminism. Hefty themes are presented with the lightest of touches, Marriage, abuse and of course romance! The story is funny yet sad; full of warmth whilst exposing cruelty. Above all it is a great page-turner. Book Club Questions on JoJo Moyes' The Giver of Stars
Book Club Questions on JoJo Moyes' The Giver of Stars (If you haven't read the book!)
The Giver of Stars Hold your soul open for my welcoming. Let the quiet of your spirit bathe me With its clear and rippled coolness, That, loose-limbed and weary, I find rest, Outstretched upon your peace, as on a bed of ivory. Let the flickering flame of your soul play all about me, That into my limbs may come the keenness of fire, The life and joy of tongues of flame, And, going out from you, tightly strung and in tune, I may rouse the blear-eyed world, And pour into it the beauty which you have begotten. Amy Lowell - 1874-1925  I was thrilled to learn that JoJo Moyes has her own website. She looks a great person to chat with. Personal Response to JoJo Moyes' The Giver of Stars particularly enjoyed The Giver of Stars because, for many years, I was a librarian and continue to work as a library consultant. It is a book that I'd definitely like to add to my collection of first editions. I'm ever optimistic that my husband might go hunting on Amazon / Abebooks / whatever and decide to treat me to some more scrumptious books!
The idea of taking to the trails and making a difference to people's lives struck me as so romantic! Of course, being faced with an aggressive drunk a little less so! I had to smile though that it was the book Little Women that was presented as a murder weapon! Less of the little! You can't go far wrong with JoJo Moyes if you want some escapism and a well-written book. I've no doubt that if E. Roosevelt was here today, she would be proud of this fictionalized of her real-life introduction of Packhorse librarians. Book Review on Martin Amis' London Fields Martin Amis' book, London Fields, set in the 1990s and written in the 1980s is a tour de force. Set in Amis' home town London, it traverses class, wealth, status and profession, as the femme fatale Nicola Six, manipulates the men in the story. Something of a soothsayer, Nicola has predicted her death will find her, upon her turning thirty. The narrator tells us this at the outset of the novel and describes how the story is about a murderee; this murderee is Nicola. The three men with whom Nicola flirts and engages in affairs are the likely suspects, for murder, and the story progresses as a whodunnit, combined with why they might have done it! A further twist, adding to the complexity of the story and its structure, is that the narrator himself is a character within it. A troubled writer, who is terminally ill, he outlines that this real life story, is a gift that he has been given to record. His long-term writer's block is solved. As a character Nicola is an enigma, taking on mulitple roles and personalities. To Guy, a hapless millionaire, she plays the role of virginal victim. She wins his heart and eventually they have sex, but only after Guy has lost his wife and child, due to his obsession with Nicola. Nicola's relationship with Keith is completely different. A wife-beating, misogynistic, small-time crook/con-man and pornograpy addict, his relationship with Nicola is sexually intense, abrasive and arguably controlling. Nicola dresses seductively and dominates the relationship. She is a trophy with whom Keith enjoys being seen and it she who Keith takes to his T.V interview rather than his actual wife. Nicola takes pleasure in bringing Guy and Keith together and taunts them both with her flirting. Guy finds himself embroiled in low life encounters, far from his own wealthy, entitled life and even becomes a darts coach to Keith, who goes on to find moderate fame and sporting success. The intensity of Keith's unpleasantness and abuse towards his wife and child, leaves the reader reeling as to why she doesn't escape the relationship. She is presented by the narrator as returning again and again for more abuse. It so happens that Keith, in the guise of taxi driver, takes the American narrator, Samson Young to the apartment where he will be stay in London, (having swapped apartments with a wealthy and successful writer. He thus becomes part of the action, living in the same apartment block as Nicola. Of course he too succumbs to her wiles. Nicola is presented as manipulative, controlling, sexy and dishonest, yet I question whether we even begin to get to know her, as despite the dominance of her presence, we don't get to view the book from her perspective. I can see how this has led so many critics to view the text as pure misogny. Book Club Questions on Martin Amis' London FieldsMartin Amis said in a Goodreads interview with John McNaughtie that he adores all of his characters. He also mentioned that when he was a younger man he was to some extent involved in the lives of people like his characters. How does this make you feel about the book? Guy has all the wealth, class and status. He met his wife at university and they have one toddler who is ‘challenging’. Is Guy just a romantic fool? Discuss. Keith is a despicable misogynist, liar, cheat, abuser, bully and more besides. Despite this he has numerous girlfriends as well as his abused wife. Why does he continue to have success with women? What is Martin Amis saying about relationships? Martin Amis says that the book is potentially based on real London people. Do you think the world he creates exists? Could this world exist somewhere like a small village or town? Nicola Six manipulates all the men in the story. In addition she achieves her prediction of death at 30. Is Nicola the hero of the story? Why or why not? The book is written in the late eighties, but projects forward ten years to the 1990s. Did you think it was a realistic presentation of this era? The New York Times called London "a virtuoso depiction of a wild and lustful society." Do you agree? When American novelist Samson Young discovers Nicola's story, it feels like an instant cure for his writer's block. He becomes embroiled in his own story and ultimately ends up being the murderer, before dying himself. Mark Asprey benefits from this and publishes the book under his own name. Would you ever steal someone else’s creative work? So, just supposing there were only three men left on earth, Samson (a dying author), Keith (a low life gangster) and Guy (a wealthy businessman) and you had to save humankind by procreating with one of them, who would you pick and why? (You can have fun exploring the different types of partners even if you haven't read the book.) Keith is a gifted darts player. He also is able to commentate in detail on all sports, imitating a media style, yet he isn’t mocking the media. It is just how he thinks about the events. What is Amis saying? Amis says in an interview that he can do without politicized readers, stating that they are not interested in the story or character, but immediately have made a judgement on the book, the second they hear the word ‘rape’. How does the comment make you feel about him as a writer and the book?  Father and son - two famous and very succesful authors! Book Club Questions on Martin Amis' London Fields (If you haven't read the book)The narrator of London Fields starts the book by saying this is the story of a murder and he knows who the murderee is. This means it isn’t so much a whodunnit as why they’ve done it. The twist is that although the narrator knows, the reader doesn’t know, so for them it is a kind of whodunnit. The structure in essence is quite complicated and clever. Do you enjoy reading books that challenge traditional narrative styles and conventions? Nicola claims to be a clairvoyant and knows when she will be killed but she doesn’t know who by. Samson had read books where she claimed to know about her parents' and sister’s death. Is she a clairvoyant or has she manipulated her own death? Do you believe in clairvoyancy? In the reviews of London Fields Guy’s marriage is often described as loveless. Is it? What makes a successful marriage? Personal Response to Martin Amis' London FieldsNicola is presented as manipulative, controlling, sexy and dishonest, yet I question whether we even begin to get to know her, as despite the dominance of her presence, we don't get to view the book from her perspective. I can see how this has led so many critics to view the text as pure misogny.
There is no doubt that Amis is hugely clever. The ability to pull the story together to a cohesive whole, within such a complex structure is exceptional. Amis, claims in an interview, and the book itself, that, perhaps with the exception of Larkin, authors don't address the issues that are explored in this text - violence, violent sex, abuse, and unspoken and unwelcome fantasies and desires. He is probably right, but I find this unpleasant. I don't overly want to enter that world! You could claim then that Amis has achieved his aim in challenging the reader's sensibilties and being drawn into a world that they are uncomfortable with. It is certainly not the realm of the politicized reader that Amis disdains. I found this book impossible to read as a written text, yet I was able to listen to it. This leaves me with a personal question of whether distatesful and disturbing accounts are more palatable presented in a media other than written form. If so I'm left wondering what this says about the preconceived ideas and values associated with the sanctity of the written word.  Lisa Jewell's The Family Upstairs is a great read with more twists and turns than a remote country lane. I hadn't come across Lisa Jewell’s fiction until I read Then She Was Gone, for which I had a grudging admiration. Psychological thrillers are a genre about which I know little; they've never been my thing. That is, until now. The Family Upstairs is an engrossing page turner that gripped me from beginning to end. The Family Upstairs tells the story of the Lamb family. Mr. Lamb, a coarse and brutish figure, and his socialite German wife seem to have it all. Ensconced in their Chelsea residence, full of dark furniture and stuffed animals, they live a privileged life. Mr. Lamb is delighted to have made good from his humble beginnings. Though cold and reserved, their life is relatively sweet until the one-time pop success, Birdie arrives on the scene. This is closely followed by the arrival of David Thomsen along with his family - Phinn, Clemency and his wife. David is a manipulative and domineering bully and the dynamics of the house change. The reader watches David expand his authority and power, stealing the family’s wealth, under the guise of spiritualism and giving. In essence a cult has developed under the nose of Mr. Lamb, who after suffering a stroke is powerless to stop events unfolding. The story is told by various narrators. The person who gives us the most background is Henry Lamb, the teenage son, who the reader has great empathy with. However, as with all good thrillers things are not completely as they seem. We also follow the life of Lucy, mother of two children, and a homeless victim of domestic abuse, living in France. It takes the reader a while to realize that Henry’s sister is also called Lucy. Finally, we explore events from the viewpoint of Libby, an ordinary young woman who was adopted at birth, and finds that at twenty-five, she has inherited the Chelsea house. How that comes to be, is the backdrop of the story, which enables the writer to explore and develop the complex characters who have suffered at the hands of David Thomsen. But what is the story about… ? Well, we learn early on that three murders and the abandonment of a baby in a cot that took place in the house twenty-five years previously has been uncovered. Who they all were is what needs unearthing; who is the baby and who does she belong to? You’ll have to read The Family Upstairs to find out what happens. Book Club Questions on Lisa Jewell's The Family UpstairsClemency said that Henry had a pure twist of evil running through him. To what extent do you think this is true and and if it is the case, can't he be blamed? In the story, The Family Upstairs, David had a charismatic power whereby all the female characters, even Lucy, seemed enthralled by him. Discuss why you think David could wield such authority over the household? Henry was besotted with Phinn, to the extent that he scrawled 'I am Phinn' over the furniture. As an adult, when discovered, he told Libby that he was Phinn; He also, as an adult, had cosmetic surgery to appear more like Phinn. Discuss and analyze Henry's character. The sequel to The Family Upstairs called The Family Remains has recently been released. Predict what you think will happen in it. How believable did you find the events leading up to and following the deaths of the three adults? When reading a psychological thriller is it important to you for the storyline to be completely credible? Which of the plot twists in the novel surprised you the most? Which did you see coming? Which character in the novel do you have the most sympathy for and why? Libby’s real family is clearly extremely dysfunctional. Do you think it would be better if she had never learned of her background? Libby becomes emotionally involved with Miller even though he is not her type at all. Miller’s obsession with the case of the Lambs' had led to him losing two years of his life and his wife leaving him. Do you think the relationship will be a happy one? Discuss.  Lisa Jewell's The Family Upstairs is a great page turner! Book Club Questions on Lisa Jewell's The Family Upstairs (if you haven't read the book!)Libby goes from working as a kitchen designer to becoming the owner of a house in Chelsea, worth several million pounds. Despite this she continues to go to work. How would you react if you came into a great fortune? Libby's life is completely upturned as she learns who her real mother is and that she has two half siblings. As an adoptee she'd been reasonably happy, but she seems very keen to develop a positive relationship with her biological family. Discuss the importance of family, be it an adopted or biological one. As children, Lucy and Clemency had been inseparable. How important were childhood friendships in your own life? Discuss. Although Lucy and Clemency return to their friendship they avoid discussing the childhood trauma they went through. This is counter to many modern counselling practices that suggests it is better to discuss trauma openly. What is your viewpoint about counselling and talking openly about difficult scenarios and situations? Personal Response to Lisa Jewell's The Family UpstairsIt’s impossible to write too much about thrillers without giving far too many spoilers! The characters invite sympathy though and despite, I felt, some aspects of the storyline being unbelievable, Jewell creates great tension. As I reached the end of The Family Upstairs, I said to myself I'd love to know what happened next. It was then with delight that I turned the page to see that a sequel, The Family Remains, is in the making. I'm intrigued to know what happens next. Book Review of Adam Kay's This is Going to Hurt Adam Kay's This Is Going to Hurt is both sad, funny and wise. AdamKay's This is Going to Hurt describes his life as a junior doctor during the years leading up to his resignation. Written in a dry satirical tone, Adam doesn't hold back and shows the NHS in its raw state. The staff are overworked, underpaid and lacking in sleep. Humorous and heartbreaking in equal measures, Adam Kay's This is Going to Hurt shows that there is nothing glamorous about being a junior doctor. There are however, enough feel good moments to remind him and the reader of the value of being a doctor, until there aren't .... As a memoir, it has proven hugely popular, perhaps because it validates from within the institution, what the public have thought and feared for a long time. Book Club Questions on Adam Kay's This is Going to Hurt
Book Club Questions on This is Going to Hurt (if you haven't read the book!) Adam Kay has made a bit of a career for himself in T.V since quitting his role as a doctor.
Personal Response to Adam Kay's This Is Going to HurtI have heard that the TV show of This is Going to Hurt, is pitched as a comedy set on a labour ward. This suprised me, as ultimately the book is looking at the good in humanity, but how, at times, we seem to do everything we can, institutionally and personally to wreck that goodness. Overall, depite its wit I found this book to be fundamentally sad. It reminded me a little of Christopher Button's The Secret Diary of a Student Nurse.
Book Review on Victoria Hislop's The Island Victoria Hislop's The Island is a great debut novel. Victoria Hislop's The Island is her debut book, set on a fictional Greek island both pre-war and during the Second World War. The story begins with Alexis Fielding who, at a cross-roads in her own young life, wants to find out about her mother, Sofia's secret past. Before heading off to Greece, Sofia gives Alexis a letter addressed to an old friend of hers, Fontina. It is Fontina, the best friend of Alexis's grandmother, Maria, who is able to provide many of the answers to the questions that Sofia had never been willing to answer. There follows the telling of Alexis's family history. Both Alexis's grandmother and great-grandmother had caught leprosy and had been banished to the island of Spinalonga, a colony where all leprosy sufferers were sent. The novel reveals what life was like both on the colony, and for the family members of those who have been sent. The link between the island and the mainland, is Girogis, Maria's husband, who took provisions to and from the island. Victoria Hislop presents Spinalonga as a place of far more hope than the reader might initially expect. The island is a place of love as well as death. Entertainment and industry flourish and people prosper, especially after the arrival of the lepers sent from Athens. Spinalonga is a place that people dread to go to, but once there, don't necessarily want to leave. The novel heads toward a conclusion as a cure for leprosy is found and the islanders are free to leave. There is though one more dramatic twist that prevents a 'happy ever after' ending. Read more about the novel here. Book club questions on Victoria Hislop's The Island
Book club questions on Victoria Hislop's The Island (if you haven't read the book!)
 What a wonderful place to promote The Island from! Personal Response to Victoria Hislop's The Island I wasn't sure whether I would enjoy The Island or not. Love affairs, ending in tragedy; boring, but rich husbands; unreliable lovers; wild daughter and loyal daughters - it all seemed a heady romantic mix and family saga, that I wasn't sure was my cup of tea.
The structure was brave and accessible so that was good. The opening of Alexis travelling, provided a good reason for telling the story of her mother. To my mind, the development of Sofia's teen years were a little rushed. And, while I didn't bother to calculate the dates it seemed odd that Fontina was still in such good health, running her cafe, when both Maria and Kyritsis had died. There were parts of the tale that I ddin't find completely convincing (spoiler alert), the shooting for example, was a bit too melodramatic for my stiff-upper lip British sensibilities. However, putting crimes of passion aside, I thought it was a good first novel. |
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