Well talk about reading the blues! It seemed to be the general consensus that this month's reads were generally hard work. Some folk hadn't quite finished them despite valiant efforts while some folk who waded through felt a little underwhelmed with the conclusions.
"On Chesil Beach" was considered the more rewarding read of the two. Some readers found themselves frustrated with the communication breakdown between the two protaganists while others spoke of the tragedy of timing - they just met in the wrong decade! Many readers empathised with the pain experienced by the main characters and therefore felt sympathy towards them while others just wanted to shake the book and thus bring the characters to their senses.
However "The Sea" did not seem to evoke the same degree of empathy. While some readers really enjoyed the beauty of Banville's language and thought the sea provided an underlying rhythm to the book, others got tired of feeling caught in the backwash and just got annoyed with the main character.
Other readers thought the language used made the story less accessible than it needed to be. Many readers opted to skim the book and just read the final chapter. One reader shocked everyone by admitting they always read the final chapter first and then go back and read the book, claiming this gives them a better idea of what they need to be looking for in the book. This admission certainly raised a lot of eyebrows and animated discussion.
As it was our last Book Club for the year we spent time reminiscing about the books we've read over the past couple of years and some of our participants decided to catch up on some of the ones they had missed. There was also much discussion about reading plans for the Christmas break.
As we do not meet until 30 January 2014, we opted for a big read over Christmas - "The Luminaries" by Eleanor Catton. This bulky tome won the 2013 Man Booker Prize and should ensure readers gain rather sculpted arms as they read!
I'll include more information about this book in my next blog.
Keep those pages turning!
Thursday 28 November 2013
Monday 25 November 2013
Next meeting Thursday 28 November at 6pm at Gordon White
Hello everyone,
Just a reminder that we have our last catch-up for 2013 this Thursday! I hope you are enjoying the maritime theme. I'm afraid I'm a bit swamped at the minute and am all at sea even trying to get through our selection.
I hope you are all sailing calmer seas and see you all there on Thursday!
Happy reading!
Just a reminder that we have our last catch-up for 2013 this Thursday! I hope you are enjoying the maritime theme. I'm afraid I'm a bit swamped at the minute and am all at sea even trying to get through our selection.
I hope you are all sailing calmer seas and see you all there on Thursday!
Happy reading!
Monday 4 November 2013
October BTL get together about 'Burial Rites' and 'The Fix'
Eight folk enthusiastically discussed their varied reactions to our titles for October.
Hannah Kent's Burial Rites had mixed responses. Some were moved by the descriptions of the bleakness of the northern Icelandic landscape; some were disappointed with degree of character development; some were saddened by the descriptions of poverty; some found the ending sad but satisfying while others some found the ending close to unbearable; and some found it easier to read than expected. This finely written novel certainly provoked reactions from our book club readers and they are awaiting Hannah Kent's next novel with great interest. There was much discussion as to what direction she might take with her next project.
The setting for Nick Earl's The Fix stirred nostalgic reactions from several readers who had lived in and around the areas described. The sense of 'knowing' the locations mentioned in the book helped many of our readers identify more easily with the book. Our readers enjoyed the descriptions being so Australian awhile avoiding the overdone stereotyping that sometimes occurs in Australian novels. Most of our members were far happier with the character development in this novel. There was much debate about how many 'fixes' there were in the novel and much discussion as to whom was 'fixing' who. There were many interpretations of what 'really happened' in the book and what might have happened 'after the events in the book'.
Sharing such animated discussion about the books we have read, really adds another element of enjoyment to reading. It's wonderful how one's perception of a book can change or be reinforced by the opinions and viewpoints of others.
If you enjoy reading and would like to share this passion with others, please consider joining one of the three book clubs we have at Mackay Regional Council Libraries.
For November we have opted for a marine theme. You can read one or both.
The first is a shortish novel, On Chesil Beach by Ian McEwan.
Maintaining the sea theme, the second book is The Sea by John Banville.
Hannah Kent's Burial Rites had mixed responses. Some were moved by the descriptions of the bleakness of the northern Icelandic landscape; some were disappointed with degree of character development; some were saddened by the descriptions of poverty; some found the ending sad but satisfying while others some found the ending close to unbearable; and some found it easier to read than expected. This finely written novel certainly provoked reactions from our book club readers and they are awaiting Hannah Kent's next novel with great interest. There was much discussion as to what direction she might take with her next project.
The setting for Nick Earl's The Fix stirred nostalgic reactions from several readers who had lived in and around the areas described. The sense of 'knowing' the locations mentioned in the book helped many of our readers identify more easily with the book. Our readers enjoyed the descriptions being so Australian awhile avoiding the overdone stereotyping that sometimes occurs in Australian novels. Most of our members were far happier with the character development in this novel. There was much debate about how many 'fixes' there were in the novel and much discussion as to whom was 'fixing' who. There were many interpretations of what 'really happened' in the book and what might have happened 'after the events in the book'.
Sharing such animated discussion about the books we have read, really adds another element of enjoyment to reading. It's wonderful how one's perception of a book can change or be reinforced by the opinions and viewpoints of others.
If you enjoy reading and would like to share this passion with others, please consider joining one of the three book clubs we have at Mackay Regional Council Libraries.
For November we have opted for a marine theme. You can read one or both.
The first is a shortish novel, On Chesil Beach by Ian McEwan.
Maintaining the sea theme, the second book is The Sea by John Banville.
If you would like to read either of these books, call into Gordon White Library, bring your library card and ask any of the friendly library staff and they will be able to assist you.
Happy reading 'Between the Lines' and looking forward to seeing you at Gordon White Library at 6 on Thursday 28 November, 2013.
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