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Recent Reads
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June 2010
Slaughterhouse
Five or The Children's Crusade
By: Kurt Vonnegut
Slaughterhouse Five is known as one of
great anti-war novels of our time. War can destroy a life, even
after that war is long over. Vonnegut, himself a prisoner of war
and survivor of the fire bombing of Dresden, acts as narrator
and witness to the strange life of Billy Pilgrim -who is unstuck
in time. Billy randomly moves from one event to another with past,
present and future scenes blending together in strange but somehow
logical patterns...prisoner of war, optometrist, husband, rotarian,
father, plane crash survivor, dog owner, and kidnap victim of
an alien race from the planet Tralfamadore. Billy is given the
opportunity to reflect on the different parts of his life as he
relives them. He has to learn, like the Tralfamadorians, to accept
that "this moment simply is." Death does not exist
because all things are taking place at the same moment. Billy
uses this philosophy to accept the difficult and horrific events
he has experienced.
What the Armchair Critics Thought:
This short novel is written in a deceptively
simple way, but it is filled with social commentary and insight.
Apart from a desire never to hear the phrase "So it goes"
again, most of us enjoyed the book. We discussed whether the entire
novel is Billy's shell-shocked dream, the dated role of women,
the strange passivity of the main character and whether this was
a result of the lack of free his strange sense of time gives him.
We also noted similarities and differences in the 1972 movie.
May 2010
The Magicians
By: Lev Grossman
Quentin Coldwater is a socially backward,
high-achieving Brooklyn teen, who is obsessed with a children's
fantasy series about Fillory (a loosely disguised Narnia). Quentin's
secret dreams come true when he finds himself diverted from his
Princeton interview and whisked away to Brakebills Academy, a
school of magic in upstate New York. He passes the entrance exam
and begins his education as a wizard. The twist on the standard
fantasy trope is that Quentin and his friends are fully-realized
teenagers, complete with the secrets, failings and "nobody
understands me" attitude of normal young adults. Upon graduation,
Quentin and his friends are powerful, rich and filled with ennui.
They move to New York and embark on an orgy of drugs, drinking,
smoking and meaningless parties which is only interrupted by the
sudden opportunity for a journey to Fillory.
What the Armchair Critics Thought:
Excellent writing with well developed
characters and a fast paced, inventive plot. While regular readers
find this to be a mildly diverting story, there is a sharp divide
in the opinions of fantasy readers. The pendulum of reactions
swings from the highs of gleeful, geeky fandom by those who have
been secretly dreaming of such adventures - to the lows of betrayal
and outrage by Narnia and Harry Potter readers who hate to see
the wonder and gloss stripped from their magic worlds. Quentin
is a difficult hero to like. He is no eleven year old Harry Potter
or eight year old Lucy Pevensie. We cannot admire his courage,
his loyalty, or his easy good humour. He is narcissistic, depressed,
weak and cowardly and he doesn't even admire himself. But what
we can do is root for him. We want him to be happy and fulfilled.
We want him to do better. We ask ourselves -will I react any differently
when my turn comes for Fillory?
April 2010
Three
Cups of Tea
By: Greg Mortenson and David Oliver Relin
The inspiring account of one man's campaign
to build schools in the remote mountains of Pakistan. After an
unsuccessful mountain climbing attempt, an exhausted Greg Mortenson
is taken in by the people of a poor Pakistani village and nursed
back to health. Inspired by their kindness and moved by their
poverty, Mortenson promises to return and build them a school.
When he gets back to the US, he finds that fundraising is a difficult
and frustrating process for an inexperienced, one-man mission.
While living in his car and saving every possible penny from his
wages as a nurse, Mortenson is finally able to find a donor willing
to take a chance. He returns to Pakistan and begins his incredible
work.
What the Armchair Critics Thought:
This is truly an amazing story and the
reader cannot fail to be fascinated by the determination and accomplishments
of the protagonist. However, the story (by journalist David Olivery
Relin) is told in a somewhat dry style which tends to bog down
in detail and background history. Mortenson was far ahead of his
time in emphasizing the benefits of educating women, and in recognizing
that the seeds of religious extremism and terrorism are easily
planted where access to education has been limited. We were very
interested in his early experiences with the Taliban, and his
treatment by Americans after 9/11. We speculated that Mortenson
might not be an easy person to be friends with, and felt that
his wife and children also deserved to be recognized for the sacrifices
they continue to make for his dream.
March 2010
The
Book of Negroes
By: Lawrence Hill
The Book of Negroes sets out the life story
of Aminata Diallo, born in West Africa, in 1745. Kidnapped at
age 11 by slavers, Aminata survives the long journey to America
through a combination of luck and the use of midwifery skills
she learned from her mother. In South Carolina she works at an
indigo plantation where she learns to read and write English.
She later becomes secretary to a customs inspector and travels
with him to New York City where she escapes during the chaotic
lead up to the American Revolution. Aminata then works for the
British government registering blacks who promise to fight for
the British. She eventually travels to Nova Scotia and back to
Britain and West Africa. Throughout the horror and hardship of
her life, she remains an indomitable spirit who works to better
the lives of her fellow slaves.
What the Armchair Critics Thought:
The universal acclaim for this novel was echoed by our group.
We were fascinated by the storytelling, the obviously careful
research, and the inspiring heroine. It was a very difficult book
to put down. We were intrigued by the role Canadians played in
the persecution of the slaves looking for a better life -(we like
to think that Canada was the good guy at this point in history,
but clearly this was not the case). We also found that since Aminata
tells the story from the perspective of a ripe old age we were
able to keep reading through the harrowing events because we knew
she would survive and thrive in the future. Recommended.
February 2010
Half a Yellow Sun
By: Chimanada Ngozi Adichie
Adichie's second novel is set during the
Nigerian civil war of the 1960s, during which the breakaway state
of Biafra in eastern Nigeria survived for three years while its
inhabitants were systematically starved into submission. The three
main characters in the book are: Olanna- a young middle-class
woman who lives with a radical university professor; Ugwu- the
village teenager who works as their houseboy; and Richard- an
English expatriate who becomes involved with Olanna's enigmatic
twin sister. The book follows their lives before, during and shortly
after the war and presents an insightful account of the devastating
impact of conflict on civilian life.
What the Armchair Critics Thought:
The reactions to this book were evenly split -though it did not
seem to be a novel you could feel indifferent to. Some found the
story gripping and heartwrenching while others found it confusing
and the characters unapproachable. The novel was strangely structured
with a flash forward at the mid point and references to a troubled
period in Olanna's household, which when eventually revealled,
seemed trivial in light of the future horrors they will endure.
The descent into one room squalor was sympathetic and the ways
the community came together to share was impressive. However many
of the characters were unappealling (the professor Odenigbo in
particular was quite a pompous idiot) and there was too much political
commentary from the university set without context for the reader.
January 2010
My Stroke of Insight
By: Jill Bolte Taylor
In 1996, Jill Bolte Taylor, a thirty-seven-year-old
brain scientist experienced a massive stroke in the left
hemisphere of her brain. Over the next four hours,
she observed her mind deteriorate to the point that she could
not walk, talk, read, write, or recall any of her life.
During the stroke, Taylor alternated between the euphoria of the
right brain, in which she felt a sense of complete well-being
and peace, and flashes from her the logical left brain, which
recognized she was having a stroke and enabled her to seek help
before she was completely lost. It would take her eight
years to fully recover.
What the Armchair Critics Thought
This was a fascinating story, especially
the chapters in which Taylor describes the morning of her stroke
and the sensations she experienced. We were so impressed
by her ability to phone for help, even when she could not remember
what numbers looked like. Her road to recovery was also
intriguing -for instance when her mother’s suggestion
to use colour as a clue snaps her mind into recognizing colours.
We were saddened when Taylor worried about her HMO’s reaction
during her stroke, and surprised when she confessed to driving
before she had learned to read. While repetitious in places,
the book was an inspiration and should be a must read for anyone
who lives with the consequences of a stroke.
November 2009
Mr. Pip
By: Lloyd Jones
In 1990 the government of Papua New Guinea,
supported by Australia, decided to take action against the landowners
of Bougainville -the largest of the Solomon Islands. After years
of bloodshed and resistance, peace talks brokered by New Zealand
began in 1997, eventually leading to autonomy for the island.Lloyd
Jones covered the story as a journalist and sets his novel in
the first few years of the blockade of Bougainville. The story
is told by Matilda, a village girl of 13. Matildaýs father
works for a mine in Australia and most young men of the village
are away in the jungle, fighting the government forces.As the
blockade lengthens and the danger intensifies, Mr. Watts, the
last white man in the village, reopens their school to provide
the children with some structure. His only book is a copy of Great
Expectations, and Mr. Watts reads it aloud to the mystification
and delight of the children. The world of Victorian London becomes
real to them, as well as the character of Mr. Pip.
What the Armchair Critics Thought:
This book was universally enjoyed, although many found the climax
of the book a shocking contrast to the rest of the story. The simplicity with which Matilda describes
the atrocities that take place is unnerving. We were
surprised at how little we knew about this siege and the human
implications. The power of reading to transport people from their
immediate surroundings and circumstances was a powerful theme.
October 2009
Old
Man's War
By: John Scalzi
John Perry joins the Colonial Defense forces
on his 75th birthday. Recruitment posters offer seniors the chance
to visit outer space, and experience action, adventure and a few
more years of healthy and vigorous life. Once in space, John's
consciousness is transferred to an enhanced body grown from his
DNA. This augmented body is designed to help human soldiers cope
with the variety of planetary conditions they will experience
-for instance the skin is green because these bodies can use chlorophyll
to create energy from sunlight. The body also contains a "Brain
Pal" neural implant which allows the soldiers to communicate
telepathically. John and his friends take part in battles with
aliens or various shapes and sizes over the rights to habitable
planets. However, as his combat experiences pile up, John begins
to wonder if the killing is justified.
What the Armchair Critics Thought:
While the novel was a fast paced and fun read, we found the language
slightly simplistic and observed that character development generally
took a back seat to action. However the book generated a good
discussion about how authors promote themselves in the internet
age. Scalzi serialized this novel on his blog, one chapter a week,
and was offered a publication deal when the novel was complete.
His blog currently enjoys 45,000 hits per day and is used to highlight
his own writing, and also promote the 'big ideas' of other authors.
TOR Books recently gave away PDF versions of several novels when
launching their new science fiction web site. As technology improves
and future generations become more comfortable with ebooks, will
traditional publishing and bookselling models become as obsolete
as record stores?
September 2009
The Guernsey
Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society
By: Mary Ann Shaffer & Annie Barrows
A moving story about grim events told through
letters sent and received by Miss. Juliet Ashton following World
War Two. When a Guernsey farmer finds one of Juliet's old books
he writes to her to request more information about the author.
Juliet becomes curious about life in Guernsey, befriends a host
of islanders and learns of their lives during the German occupation.
Their stories are filled with courage and humour, and Juliet is
inspired to write a book about their experiences. She visits Guernsey
to start her research and soon finds herself at the centre of
Island life.
What the Armchair Critics Thought:
A thoroughly enchanting book! The story was neatly told and engrossing.
Characters seemed to leap off the page as the authors' captured
the various personalities through their styles of letter writing.
None of us were aware of the German occupation of the British
Channel Islands and we found the story fascinating. While there
was romance, humour and adventure in the novel, the true theme
was the resilience of the human spirit.
June 2009
Doubt:
A Parable
By: John Patrick Shanley
Set in 1964, the play centres around conservative
school principal Sister Aloysius who suspects progressive priest
Father Flynn of improper conduct with the school's first black
student. Aloysius enlists the young and inexperienced Sister James
to help her uncover evidence of impropriety. Sister James reports
that the boy was called to a private meeting with Father Flynn
and that she smells alcohol on his breath when he returns. Sister
Aloysius then meets with the boy's mother, who is unwilling to
address the issue and simply concerned with getting her son through
to high school. Sister Aloysius then resorts to deceit in order
to confront Father Flynn and force him to admit his guilt. At
a later point however, these actions cause her to doubt her own
beliefs.
What the Armchair Critics Thought:
This discussion took place at our annual BBQ, and mast of us had
chosen to watch the film version rather than read the play. In
both forms, however, the events of the play are deliberately ambiguous
and the lack of clear evidence creates the basis for further deliberation
by the audience. The key point of the play is "can you take
action when you are not sure?" The play is set in a time
when great changes were occurring in the Catholic Church, the
civil rights movement and in the role of women. The audience is
intended to question the motives of the characters. This play
was written shortly after the US invasion of Iraq and the weapons
of mass destruction issue. We trust those with power and authority
to be honest and when they deceive us, they shake our faith.
May 2009
A Thousand
Splendid Suns
By: Khaled Hosseini
Hosseini's second novel focuses on the
lives of girls and women in Afghanistan and skillfully weaves
recent historical events into the tragic lives of two women. Mariam
is the illegitimate daughter of a wealthy man who is embarrassed
by her existence. When her mother commits suicide, Mariam is forcibly
married to a much older man, who takes her to live in the far
off city of Kabul. Mariam's husband Rasheed treats her with a
contempt which quickly devolves into physical and mental abuse.
When she miscarries, the abuse escalates and Mariam endures years
of drudgery. Laila is the other main character. She is orphaned
in a rocket attack hours before her family intend to flee to Pakistan.
When Laila learns that her boyfriend Tariq has also been killed,
she reluctantly agrees to become Rasheed's second wife in order
to legitimize her pregnancy. The storey focuses on the relationship
between the two women which evolves from rivalry to fierce loyalty.
What the Armchair Critics Thought:
Although we found "The Kite Runner" a powerful book,
many of us were reluctant to pick up another novel by Hosseini
and discover what further horrors fill the lives of mothers and
daughters in Afghanistan. Despite our fears (which were realized),
this was an fascinating glimpse into the daily routines and lives
of women in Kabul -under the warlords, under the Taliban and during
the American occupation - which we know only through accounts
of war and terrorism. Mariam and Laila are ordinary people, living
courageously in circumstances we can only imagine. Their limited
choices are clear and their sacrifices understandable. We can
only wish that the happy ending Hosseini provides in 2007 would
exist for the women of Afghanistan in 2009.
April 2009
The Girls
by Lori Lansens
Rose and Ruby are twenty-nine-year-old
conjoined twins. Born to a shocked teenaged mother, they are raised
by the nurse who helped deliver them -Aunt Lovey and her husband,
Uncle Stash. Joined to Ruby at the head, Rose's face is pulled
to one side, but she has full use of her limbs. Ruby has a beautiful
face, but her body is tiny and she is unable to walk. She rests
her legs on her sister's hip.
In spite of their situation, the girls
lead surprisingly separate lives. They work at different jobs
and pursue different hobbies. The novel begins with Rose, but
eventually moves to Ruby's point of view and then switches back
and forth. Because the girls face in slightly different directions,
neither can see what the other is writing. Their overlapping stories
are told in two distinct styles.
What the Armchair Critics Thought
This book was given a lukewarm rating.
It was well written, but many of us found it too long -with scenes
(such as the time in Slovakia) added for no apparent reason. The
novel also left us with a slightly voyeristic feeling -as if gawking
at a freak show. We wondered by Lansens chose not to interview
actual co-joined twins for the novel, but instead made up her
idea of what it would be like. It was interesting to hear the
story from two different voices and perspectives, but difficult
to fathom the complete lack of privacy the girls must have experienced.
March 2009
Snowflower
and the Secret Fan
by Lisa See
Set in 19th century China, the novel tells
the sad story of Lily and Snowflower, who are lifelong, intimate
friends ( laotong , or "old sames"). The girls experience
the horror of foot binding, where from age 7 they are crippled
and confined to the upstairs rooms until their arranged marriages
take place. Lily marries into the household of a wealthy government
official, while Snowflower becomes the beaten wife of a low status
butcher. Throughout the novel, the cultural insistence on having
sons dominates nearly every aspect of their lives. Over the years
of drudgery, confinement and sorrow, the two exchange messages
of encouragement and hope through secret writing called nu shu,
painted onto a decorative fan. Unfortunately, this delicate calligraphy
eventually leads to misunderstanding and betrayal.
What the Armchair Critics Thought
This is an engrossing glimpse into an ancient culture -one so
alien to us that it seemed to belong to another planet. The writing
is simple and poetic with evocative chapter titles like "Sitting
Quietly" for the time of old age. The traditions, duties,
superstitions and rituals were so interesting, even though the
depiction of this sexist and stifling life made us at once sorrowful
and indignant. The descriptions of foot binding were quite stomach
turning, yet it was fascinating to hear how it was done and to
put ourselves in the place of these poor women. We discussed the
motivations of Lily's mother and concluded that she did her best
to prepare her daughter for the hard future she would face. Despite
the fate of Snowflower, we felt that Lily's aunt was the saddest
character of the book.
February 2009
The Glass Castle by Jeannette Walls
The true story of a strange and sad upbringing
of journalist Jeannette Walls and her three siblings. At first
the family maintains a cheerful, bohemian existence as they move
between various small towns, but eventually they spiral downward
into squalor and semi-starvation. Caught between an alcoholic
father, and a free spirited, indifferent mother the children band
together to feed, clothe and protect themselves. Eventually they
move away from their parents to form their own independent household
in New York only to have their parents follow and become street
people.
What the Armchair Critics Thought
Like a train wreck, this story was hard to look away from. As
parents, we found many of the scenes unbelievable and hard to
read. How could two highly-intelligent people choose to keep their
children filthy and malnourished? Was the father or the mother
more to blame? One spent all his money on alcohol, the other refused
to use her teaching degree to bring in any money. The result was
children eating garbage, sleeping in cardboard boxes and wearing
rags. The children themselves showed extraordinary resourcefulness
and we applauded them for becoming the well educated, stable people
they seem to be today (with the possible exception of the younger
sister). It was also interesting to read interviews with Walls
and hear that her mother likes the book and only objects to her
portrayal as a bad driver.
January 2009
Shadow
of the Wind by Carlos Ruiz Zafon
This Spanish bestseller set in post-war
Barcelona is a curious combination of mystery, romance and thriller.
The story follows Daniel, the son of a bookshop owner, who is
introduced to the Cemetery of Forgotten Books and asked to choose
one volume. Daniel selects a novel called "The Shadow of
the Wind" and becomes obsessed with tracking down the other
works of its reclusive author. He learns that a mysterious stranger
has been buying all the copies this author's books and destroying
them -even setting fire to a warehouse owned by the publisher.
Daniel gradually unravels the tragic story of the author, which
develops strange parallels with his own life.
What the Armchair Critics Thought
This was a densely plotted, page-turner of a book, which we all
enjoyed. The translation by Lucia Graves was seamless and eloquent.
The eccentric characters seemed to have been transported from
the pages of Dickens, as was the gothic storyline with its mistaken
identities, mysterious strangers and unrequited lovers. We also
enjoyed the author's love of books, reading and the power of a
well-told story which shone through on every page.
November 2008
Into
the Wild by Jon Krakauer
This is the second Krakhauer book we've
read (Into Thin Air is the first). Krachauer tells the real-life
story of Chris McCandless, a young man who seeks Adventure and
Oneness with Nature and dies alone in the Alaskan wilderness in
his early twenties. Chris' life was lived in capital letters.
He read fiction by Jack London, Tolstoy and other romantic authors.
He read Thoreau and took it to heart. He believed that life among
raw nature was the only pure and true existence. His passion was
mixed with great naiveté and an unwillingness to take advice.
What the Armchair Critics Thought:
Some of us were deeply moved by a young man's search for meaning
in the wilderness. Others felt disdain for his hubris and narcissism.
Most of us believed his estrangement from his father and mother
(an extreme reaction to discovering his father's early infidelity
to his first family) fuelled his desire for purity and his childlike
expectation that everything could be handled if faced right now,
head on, full force. Subtlety and considered action were not among
his strategies. The author's
style was similar to his earlier book. It was very much in the
first person, in the present and thus resembled magazine interviews,
which was how the book began. "I watch the old man. He goes
to the window. He looks out and says....." It was grating
after a while. Also, the author interjected his own story about
his contentions with this father into the book. Perhaps it was
meant to show how other young men wrestle with their fathers,
go into the wild and live to tell the tale. The conclusion would
be that Chris was just unlucky. Many of us felt that Chris
was more than unlucky, he was wilfully short sighted and naive.
We definitely understood the author's remarks on the mother's
grief: "Such bereavement witnessed at close range make even
the most eloquent apologist for high-risk activities ring fatuous
and hollow." We understood, too, the mother's anguish, "I
just don't understand why he had to take those chances."
October 2008
Origin
of Haloes by Kirsten den Hertog
The Armchair Critics were excited to have
Kristen den Hertog attend our meeting to discuss her book "Origin
of Haloes". Ms. den Hertog was a gracious and interesting
guest. Here are the highlights of our discussion.
A common theme in den Hertog's books is
how the members of a family betray but still love one other. She
is very interested in the dynamics of such family interactions.
Den Hertog likes to make her characters complicated and human.
Origin of Haloes is about the repercussions of a central lie.
Kay is selfish and she makes bad choices, but she is still sympathetic.
She shows hints of deeper insight such as her flashback in the
gym. Eddie was the most tragic figure in the book. Den Hertog
wanted to convey how much he and his mother loved one another
but how ruined everything was despite this.
Mythology is another common theme in this
author's work. She likes to contrast the ordinary with the extraordinary
events in life. This novel has the threads of the Olympic games
and of the life of the Trudeau family running through it. It draws
the connection between the little town of Deep River and what
is going on in the larger world. And it shows that even mythological
families have their squabbles. While working on this book , den
Hertog saw news of Pierre Trudeau's death in the paper at the
same time as coverage of the Sydney Olympics. The sections of
the novel dealing with the Olympics also provide the reader with
a break from the heavy emotions of the central plotline.
Den Hertog says that as she writes, her
subconscious links events back to other parts of the story. She
doesn't know the ending of a book when she begins, but instead
starts with a character or a bit of dialogue. In the case of this
book, the actual origin of haloes goes back to pagan times and
she recalled this discussion from mythology. The similarity between
Olympic rings and haloes only became obvious to her later on.
Den Hertog struggled with the final scenes of the book and whether
to reveal what happened to Joe. In real life you are always astonished
by what people do, and you think "how could they behave like
that?" Life is surprising and people are both good and bad.
Not knowing what happens to some of the characters is what keeps
the reader thinking about the book and wondering about the relationships
in it after the book is finished.
Den Hertog has used a different writing
technique for each of her four books to date. Her first book was
started after attending a writers workshop and having the other
participants observe that her short stories were interconnected.
This collection of stories was rewritten to become "Water
Wings". Her second novel was written while completing a creative
writing course at the University of Toronto. She was required
to submit a detailed outline, write chapters on a fixed deadline
and write the book in a very structured way. It was uncomfortable
but successful. While writing "Origin of Haloes", she
combined both of these approaches.
Her current book, (a non-fiction description
of the life of her grandparents in the Netherlands during WWII),
was written in collaboration with her sister. They e-mailed installments
back and forth and found this was a good technique for providing
a cool down period after seeing how the editing had been done
by the other writer!
If she had to pick one of her books as
a favourite, den Hertog would choose "Perpetual Ending"
She enjoys magic realism (her favourite novel is the One Hundred
Years of Solitude) and likes the way this book has fables successfully
interwoven through it. We thank Ms. den Hertog for attending our
meeting. It was a highlight of our 20th anniversary year.
September 2008
The Perfect Storm by Sebastian Junger
The true story of a huge storm at sea and
the crew of the fishing boat Andrea Gail, based out of Gloucester,
Massachusetts. The book opens on the lives of the swordfishing
crew and their family members before the storm. It then attempts
to reconstruct events on the Andrea Gail during the 1991 storm,
and outlines rescue efforts directed at several other ships and
a para-rescue helicopter. The book contains a host of technical
details about swordfishing, boats, drowning, wave generation and
meterology, and tends to read like a series of magazine articles.
What the Armchair Critics Thought:
We felt that the technical details were a bit distracting from
the overall story of the storm; at the same time they were necessary
to give context to the event. The ldepiction of the lives and
work habits of the fishermen were an interesting glimpse into
another world and we were surprised at how dangerous it still
is to make a living at fishing. We found the technical description
of drowning to be fascinating and very hard to read about. The
book reminds us that in spite of our technological advances, and
weather forecasting skills, mother nature still has the last word!
June 2008
The Last
Time they Met by Anita Shreve
Linda and Thomas are former lovers who
meet for the last time at a writers convention in a distant city.
Thomas has a reputation as one of the best poets in his generation,
although his poems are blunt and twisted. His marriage has fallen
apart after the death of his daughter in a boating accident. Linda
writes dreamlike, contemplative poems which are also popular.
She has two grown children and is now a widow. The two characters
hold their somewhat self-conscious reunion at the opening of the
novel, which then proceeds to flashback over their previous encounters
during the 35 years since they first met. There is quite a bit
of shared history, including some adultery, a reference to a car
accident, and time spent in Kenya. Slow paced at the start, the
book picks up speed and crams most of the action into the last
few pages.
What the Armchair Critics Thought:
There were mixed opinions about this book. Some felt that the
characters and romance were real and gripping. The part set in
Africa was especially heart-wrenching. Others felt that the ending
of this novel was a calculated gimmick which cheapened the entire
book. Why rush the ending? And why was the book written from Linda's
perspective in the first place?
May 2008
Water for Elephants by Sara Gruen
Jacob Jankowski is living out his final
days in a nursing home where the food is soft and tasteless, the
nurses are bossy and paternalistic and the other residents are
too senile to talk to. When a circus sets up on the vacant lot
next to the home, he starts to recall the story of his earlier
life. On the week following his parents' death, the grief-stricken
Jacob blindly ran from his college exams and jumped a circus train
heading out of town. When the circus manager discovered that Jacob
has veterinary training, he was put in charge of the ill-used
circus menagerie and tried to care for them as best he could.
Life in the circus proves nasty and brutish for both man and beast,
and yet Jacob finds camaraderie, friendship and love in the year
that follows.
What the Armchair Critics Thought:
A good, fun read. The overview of 'circus' life in that era was
very interesting, especially the level of competition between
the 'great' circuses and how they were constantly in fear of being
taken over. Some of the searches for the weirdest folks to 'display'
were quite comical. Of course, the maltreatment of the circus
animals is fairly common knowledge, but to read it was disturbing.
The circus was a family....a family of misfits, malcontents, n'er
do wells, crazies, etc., but a family nonetheless. Jacob's youthful
tragedy sends him on a wild and wonderful journey to find a place
to belong. And even as an old and feeble man in a nursing home,
he is somewhat disenfranchised from his own children and he's
lost the love of his life, so where does he go...with all the
dignity he can muster and what little energy he's got to push
himself and that walker forward? Back to the circus of course...any
circus will do, it's home, it's family, and they take each other
in and care for each other - they understand each other.
April 2008
Watership Down by Richard Adams
This well-known children's story follows a small group of rabbits
who are warned of impending disaster, and set out to form a new
warren. The rabbits share a strong and believable culture which
includes language, customs, storytelling and religion. On their
journey they fend off "the Thousand" (predators) and
are forced to use their cunning, endurance and ingenuity to successfully
create a new home. The rabbit heroes - Hazel, Fiver and Bigwig
learn to rely on their unique strengths in order to overcome the
odds: Hazel as the thoughtful, clear-headed leader, Bigwig as
the brawn, and Fiver the seer. A surprising number of adventures
befall the rabbits during their first year away from the old warren,
and the book ends with the subsequent generations being entertained
with stories of the brave pioneers.
What the Armchair Critics Thought:
This book was selected in order to revisit a childhood favourite
as an adult. We found the story to be a well-told adventure story
which kept us turning the pages. Those bunnies sure were busy
- as the entire saga takes place over one spring and summer .
The themes of leadership, fortitude and teamwork are strongly
threaded throughout the book. It is interesting to see the three
distinct types of societies that the rabbits develop...the vile,
cruel, and controlled dictatorship, the naive, inexperienced yet
vulnerable utopians, and the more practical, democratic and liberated
community that Hazel-rah's group pursued and hoped for. We enjoyed
the banter between animals and the clever way Adam's had of inventing
pseudo languages/accents for the different critters. Some of us
felt the book did not hold up well and were concerned by its purely
male viewpoint. The novel does have a strong British point of
view and explores male friendship in a similar manner to "The
Wind in the Willows.
March 2008
A Short History of Tractors in Ukrainian by Marina
Lewycka
Nadia and her sister Vera have not spoken
since their mother's funeral -however the news that their 84 year
old father intends to marry a 36 year old Ukrainian refugee forces
them into partnership. They must protect their father (and their
mother's life savings) from the clutches of this busty, blonde
interloper. Once the marriage takes place, Valentia, her teenage
son and her new British Visa, move in with Nicholai and mayhem
ensues. At first Nicholai can refuse her nothing, even paying
for breast implants to enhance her already considerable charms.
But as Valentia begins to realize that Nicholai does not have
the disposable income to support the wealthy western lifestyle
she expects, she quickly turns on her new husband and begins to
physically and mentally abuse him. Nadia and her sister are alternately
told to mind their own business, and then phoned in the night
and begged for help. As the sisters work together, they come to
terms with their estrangement along with some unspoken family
history.
What the Armchair Critics Thought:
While largely described as a comedy,
this is a book that raises interesting issues about the care of
elderly parents, the immigrant experience and conflict between
personal ideals and difficult realities. We did find the book
comical at times, especially the vitriolic dialogue between Nicholai
and Valentia and the saga of the "crap car". Nicholai's
'Toshiba apples' and the excerpt from his book about the history
of tractors also provide some comic relief. The book is well written
and captures the Ukranian pigeon English nicely. Recommended.
February 2008
The Time
Traveler's Wife by Audrey Niffenegger Henry DeTamble has an unusual
genetic disorder which causes him to time travel at random intervals.
Suddenly he will find himself sprawled naked on the ground in
another place and time. He must steal clothes and food and find
shelter until his body returns him to the present. Claire Abshire,
is six years old when she first meets Henry in the meadow behind
her home. He tells her to write down a series of dates -which
are the times he will come to the meadow in the future. She hides
a cache of her father's old clothes for him and leaves him snacks
when he is due to 'visit'. What Claire does not know is that she
and Henry are married in his future life. Henry will meet her
for the first time when she is in her twenties, but she will have
known him almost all of her life.
What the Armchair Critics
Thought
This is a wonderful story about how the power of Claire's love
anchors Henry in time. The couple attempt to lead normal lives,
but are frequently drawn apart - longing for one another. The
characters are not perfect -they are flawed and realistically
portrayed. While the book alternates back and forth between Claire
and Henry's point of view and moves through the various stages
of their lives, Henry and Claire's respective ages are stated
at the beginning of each. We enjoyed the way in which multiple
Henry's could be present in a single time period, so that the
older Henry could coach his younger self survival skills such
as how to pick locks. At several moments of crisis in his life,
another Henry manages to fill in for himself -sometimes with amusing
consequences. A very good exploration of the nature of love and
the "great big ball of wibbly- wobbly timey-wimey stuff"
- as Dr. Who would put it.
January 2008
Gentlemen
and Players by Joanne Harris
Synopsis:
A novel of betrayal, murder and false identity, set in the imposing
halls of St. Oswald's Grammar School for Boys. The book's point
of view alternates between Roy Straitley -starting his 100th term
teaching Latin at the school, and the "pawn" -a newly
hired teacher with a vendetta against St. Oswald's. We learn about
the pawn's past, as a child of the school porter, borrowing the
master keys and masquerading as a rich student. In the present,
we watch as the pawn sets about bringing scandal to the school
and Roy Straitley struggles to discover the identity of the interloper.
What the Armchair Critics Thought:
Very entertaining and suspenseful book with a great ending full
of twists and turns. We enjoyed the use of the chess metaphor
in the chapter headings and the names of the characters (Knight,
King, Pawn). We found the character of stubborn Roy Straitley
quite endearing, with his favourite chair, refusal to use e-mail,
and one-man war to keep the Classics Department alive. We were
interested to learn that the observations of the teaching profession
and some descriptions of St. Oswald's were based on the author's
experiences. Oh, and "podex" means "ass"!
November 2007
Memory
Keepers Daughter by Kim Edwards
Synopsis:
It's 1964 and snowing heavily. A small town doctor is unable to
transport his pregnant wife to the delivery room and she gives
birth in his clinic with the assistance of his nurse. Unexpectedly,
the wife gives birth to twins and the second child, a girl, is
clearly suffering from Down's Syndrome. The doctor makes a hasty
decision to hide this potential tragedy from his wife and gives
the child to his nurse to transport to an institution. The nurse
rejects this option and secretly decides to raise the girl as
her own. She moves to another city, but continues to send updates
and photographs to the doctor as the girl grows up. The book traces
the consequences of the doctor's decision and its impact on the
two families over the next twenty years.
What the Armchair Critics Thought
We all felt that this was a fantastic
premise for a novel and that the author started the book out with
a bang. Unfortunately things got a bit bogged down in the centre.
So much time was devoted to Norma's depression and her dark state
of mind that the book became heavy and depressing to read. (The
reader also wonders why David told his semi-conscious wife about
the second baby in the first place.) The study of David's guilt
and the way his snap decision destroys his family is well done
and believable, but the reader naturally wants to follow Caroline
and Phoebe's progress and see how their lives turn out. The story
is an interesting snapshot of the past treatment of Down Syndrome
children and their struggle for acceptance and education.
October 2007
Bloodletting
and Miraculous Cures by Vincent Lamb
Synopsis:
A loosely connected series of short stories which follows a group
of four aspiring students through snapshots in time -their acceptance
at medical school, their studies, and their subsequent careers
as doctors. The characters are shown as flawed yet sympathetic
human beings, who take risks, make mistakes and learn to bear
the label and ethical complications of a 'doctor of medicine'.
The stories are skillfully written and varied -in one chapter
the group of students dissects its first cadaver, in another an
exhausted emergency room physician drives home in a semi-conscious
stupor after the night-shift. Winner of the 2006 Giller Award,
Vincent Lam drew upon his own experiences as a medical doctor
to write the book.
What the Armchair Critics Thought
We very much enjoyed this book and were
excited to see Vincent Lam read from it at the Toronto's 'Word
on the Street' Festival. Lam showed a great sense of humour during
the event and we thought he looked surprisingly young. He is still
a practicing emergency room doctor, and it's hard to imagine when
he finds the time to write. While none of the book's characters
were particularly likeable, they were believable. Unlike television
shows such as ER, the book provides a sense of the internal struggles
and choices faced by the human beings who are called practice
medicine. The book was especially gripping during its depiction
of the SARS epidemic, and we were shocked to hear about the treatment
of nursing staff during this crisis.
September 2007
Eat Pray
Love by Elizabeth Gilbert
Synopsis:
After her miserable divorce, Elizabeth Gilbert sets out to find
health, peace and happiness through a one year journey to Italy,
India and Indonesia. She spends four months in each location:
eating her way through the Italian language and cuisine and gaining
weight and strength; praying and meditating in an ashram in India
and gaining inner calm and self-awareness; and befriending native
and expatriate people in Bali until she gains true love. This
is not a travelogue, but rather the story of a woman's progress
toward a healthy balance.
What the Armchair Critics Thought
Gilbert is a good writer and brings
you along for the trip. Unfortunately you are also there for the
inner wailing and gnashing of teeth and you may find this woman
remarkably self-absorbed at times. It is difficult to care about
her because she provides so few clues as to her real life - friends,
family, hobbies etc. Nonetheless, Gilbert brings a wry humour
and wealth of observation to her journals.
June 2007
The
Last King of Scotland by Giles Foden
Synopsis:
This novel profiles Idi Amin, the former dictator of Uganda, from
the viewpoint of the fictional Nicholas Garrigan, Amin's personal
doctor and occasional confident in the 1970s. Insulated by the
sudden wealth and privilege of his new position, the naive young
Garrigan does not recognize the horrors inflicted on the rest
of the country by his charismatic employer. When his own moral
choices are called into question, Garrigan is treated to a trip
through one of Amin's torture chambers. As he contrives to escape
back to Scotland, Garrigan continues to justify his actions and
ignorance and is completely surprised when he is labelled a traitor
by his countrymen.
What the Armchair Critics Thought:
The characters are deftly drawn and you can easily understand
(but perhaps not forgive) the irresolute behaviour of Garrigan.
The charisma of Amin is also clearly apparent and his actions
are often comical, yet frightening. One of our meeting participants
brought a newspaper clipping of an interview by a Toronto Star
reporter during Amin's heyday. The mixture of childlike glee and
psychopathic action was real. Note that readers may be disturbed
by some violent scenes.
May 2007
Reading
Lolita in Tehran by Azar Nafisi
Synopsis
Rather than a memoir, this work is best
classified as a series of essays about the parallels between life
and in literature. Azar Nafisi provides brief description of her
years in modern Iran, but spends the majority of her book recounting
the lectures and discussions held with her hand-picked English
literature students during their secret gatherings to discuss
Western classics. Nafisi divides the book into chapters about
the authors who reflect the various stages of her life in Tehran;
for instance, "The Great Gatsby" is discussed during
the chapter about the Iranian revolution, and "Lolita"
is discussed during the chapter about the deterioration of women's
freedoms.
What the Armchair Critics Thought
This was not an easy read, and many
thought Nafisi spent too much time evaluating the literature being
discussed and not enough time providing details about the lives
and experiences of her students and herself. Nafisi's husband,
mother and children are all mentioned in passing, but never take
shape as human beings. Nafisi does not include much historical
or political background to help the reader understand the events
she touches on in her essays. We wondered how Nafisi's Iran would
contrast with the Iran of today. We also felt that the connections
Nafisi drew between life in Iran and the books her class discussed
would have been better appreciated if we had read more of them.
April 2007
The Birth
of Venus by Sarah Dunant
Synopsis
The novel is set in Florence - city of art and beauty, and follows
the family of a wealthy cloth merchant. Alessandra Cecchi a fifteenth
century tomboy, longs to draw and is attracted toward the fervent
young artist hired to paint the family chapel. Although she inwardly
rebels, Alessandra is soon married to a much older man who needs
a wife to disguise his sexual proclivities. Betrayed and disappointed,
she turns to her artist. Complicating their dangerous tryst is
the invasion by France, an outbreak of smallpox and the rise of
religious totalitarianism in Florence under the crazed monk Savonarola.
What the Armchair Critics Thought
The book was quite well received although
it was noted that after the shocking prologue, the book fell a
little flat until Alessandra was married. We had a discussion
of convents as the refuge of educated, single women at the time.
It was noted that this book fits within the new genre of 'art
lit' . These are books like "Girl with a Pearl Earring"
and "the Tree Lover" which are extremely visual, and
include descriptions of technique, glowing colours and painterly
images. It was very interesting to identify historical figures
while reading the novel and the book was obviously well researched.
Recommended.
March 2007
Three
Day Road by Joseph Boyden
An intricate story blending the history of Niska Bird the Cree
medicine woman, and her nephews Xavier Bird and Elijah Wiskeyjack
who have left their home in the bush of Northern Ontario to join
the great war in Europe. As skilled hunters, Xavier and Elijah
are valued and accurate snipers in the trenches of France and
Belgium; however the hardship and horror of the war destroys the
mental and physical health of both men. When Xavier returns to
Canada, badly wounded and addicted to morphine, his aunt paddles
him back home to James Bay. On this three day journey, Niska tries
to keep Xavier's spirit alive by telling him stories of her life
and her own battle against the loss of native culture and language.
What the Armchair Critics Thought
Although this was a difficult read with many graphic descriptions
of battle, corpses and horrific conditions, it was also a rewarding
book providing an remarkable description of first nations soliders
in WWI as well as the important role of Canadian troops and the
sacrifices they made. We enjoyed the depictions of native life
and customs. We found the book quite well written and paced. One
scene we especially enjoyed was the three-way humorous exchange
between Elijah, Xavier and their commanding officer after Xavier
returns from an absence without leave. We had a great discussion
about residential schools and their devastating effect on native
reserves in northern Ontario and the praries. One member brought
photographs and postcards from her great grandfather who served
in WWI. Recommended
February 2007
Fortunes
Rocks by Anita Shreve
Synopsis
The novel takes its name from a fictional
New Hampshire beach resort at the turn of the century. The strong-willed,
fourteen year-old daughter of an upstanding New England couple
brings disgrace on two families when she throws herself into an
affair with an older married man. Once her secret is discovered,
Olympia Biddeford must cope with the loss and grief of her predicament
while withstanding public shame and recrimination. After several
years of exile at boarding school, she returns to Fortunes' Rocks
and tries to refashion her life as an independent woman and reclaim
her son.
What the Armchair Critics Thought
We had a lively discussion about this book. While several readers
were captivated by the romance and drama of the story, others
could not get past the image of the 14 year old with the 41 year
old (ewwww). We wondered at the man's total lack of self control
and the author's assumption that these two deserved ultimate happiness.
However, we all admired Olympia's sheer force of will as she battled
to reshape her life. The book was extremely well written with
sumptuous passages of descriptive prose. Recommended light reading
if you can get past the pedophilia.
January 2007
Middlesex by Jeffrey Eugenides
Synopsis
"To the extent that fetal hormones
affect brain chemistry and histology; I've got a male brain. But
I was raised as a girl." So begins the story of Cal Stephanides
who also states that "when this story goes out into the world;
I may become the most famous hermaphrodite in history." But
before Cal's coming of age can be revealed, the author takes us
back, epic fashion, to the courtship of his grandparents in a
tiny Greek village, their immigration to the USA on the heels
of a bloody Turkish invasion, and their turbulent new life in
downtown Detroit. We then follow the romance of Cal's parents
- Milton and Tessie who know they are cousins but don't realize
that Milton's parents are brother and sister. Finally, as Cal
grows up awkward and lonely in an all girl school, we have a heart-wrenching
depiction of unrequited love and loss of identity.
What the Armchair Critics Thought
There was general agreement that Eugenes is a terrific story-teller
and that the book contains rich nuggets of history, human nature
and humour. Some readers were frustrated by the lack of focus
on Cal's story and wanted more details about the years between
his adolescence and adulthood. The depictions of 1960s Detroit,
the Nation of Islam, the Zebra Room and Cal's school were detailed
and fascinating. While there is enough symbolism, character development
and sylistic prose here to keep a professor lecturing for weeks,
it rarely gets in the way of the story. Recommended.
November 2006
Mutant Message from Down Under By Marlo
Morgan
Synopsis
Mutant Message is a first person story
about a American woman who travels through the Australian outback
for three months with a group of Aboriginals. During her ordeal,
Morgan is given no choice but to follow the tribe as they attempt
to enlighten her about their way of life and beliefs. She learns
to cope with heat, thirst, flies, strange food and a host of other
unpleasant experiences. She learns that the tribe communicates
through telepathy and that their knowledge of weather, topography,
plant and animal life is astounding.
Eventually Morgan comes to accept the aboriginal
ways as superior to the wasteful and superficial western lifestyle.
She is sent back to her civilized world with a message for the
mutants (ie: the rest of us) which is essentially to stop squandering
the planet's resources and learn to live again in harmony with
the natural world. Originally published as non-fiction, this book
was later re-released as a work of fiction. Morgan maintains that
the events depicted in the book are, nonetheless, factual and
actually occurred. She states that the book was re-released as
fiction in order to protect the identity of the tribe that sheltered
her.
What the Armchair Critics Thought
This story was a load of hogwash. Whether
it was fiction or non-fiction, magic-realism or fable, the actions
and thoughts of the protagonist were completely out of character
for a sheltered, middle-aged woman. In Chapter one for example,
Morgan apparently takes off all her clothes in front of a group
of complete strangers and then makes no protest when they burn
all her belongings (including some jewellery with sentimental
value). While the actual message of the book is certainly meaningful
-it becomes lost in the controversy surrounding the book and its
tissue- thin plot.
October 2006
The Last Report on the Miracles at Little
No Horse By Louise Erdrich
Synopsis
Set in the frontiers of North Dakota, this
novel describes the life of Father Damien Modeste who ministers
to the Chippewa people over a period of 60 years. The comic and
tragic stories of the town of Little No Horse are related from
the viewpoint of this compassionate priest, who has a sad secret
past of his own. The reader soon learns that Father Damien is
in fact, Sister Cecilia from a convent in Wisconsin. Through a
sequence of peculiar events, Sister Cecilia has been married to
a farmer, widowed in a bank robbery, and nearly drowned in a flood.
When she finds the body of the original Father Damien, drowned
on his way to Little No Horse she decides to masquerade as a man
and replace the dead priest. Now nearing the end of his life,
Father Damien dreads the discovery of his physical identity, and
imagines the undoing of all that he has accomplished.
What the Armchair Critics Thought
The very first book read by the Armchair
Critics was "The Beet Queen" by Louise Erdrich. It is
interesting to return to North Dakota and some of the same characters.
Opinions about this book were mixed. Several readers felt that
it did not hold their attention and that the stories interspersed
throughout interrupted the flow of the novel. There were so many
characters to keep track of that it is easy to become confused.
Some parts of the novel were extremely funny and enjoyable - others
portrayed the characters in situations which made them very difficult
to like. Generally we found that it paid off to keep ploughing
through the first half of the book in order to enjoy the way Agnes'
life is resolved.
September 2006
A Complicated Kindness by Miriam Toews
Synopsis
Naomi Nickel, the narrator of this sharp-witted,
but tragic story, lives in a small Mennonite village in Manitoba.
Nomi, as she is known to her father, is struggling to come to
terms with the loss of her older sister and her mother -both of
whom have left the restrictive life of her small community. Nomi's
Uncle Hans, the leader of their church, continues to introduce
more oppressive rules and strictures -to the extent of shunning
his own sister. Meanwhile, over at the quarry, the town's teenagers
drink, smoke, fornicate and take drugs -all of which is ignored
providing they show up for church the next morning. Nomi brings
a wry and insightful voice to the paradox of growing up Mennonite
in the 1970s.
What the Armchair Critics Thought
We had mixed reactions to this novel.
We liked Nomi's humour and sharp insights; however we were saddened
by the portrayal of a family destroyed by religious beliefs. What
a waste. Nomi's father was a lonely yet stoic figure who makes
a great sacrifice at the novel's end to save his daughter from
further deterioration. We had a good discussion of what the complicated
kindness was, and found that Toews had used examples throughout
the book of the small-town friendliness coupled with religious
intolerance that must have marked her childhood. Recommended.
May 2006
The Tale of Murasaki by Liza Dalby
Synopsis
Murasaki was a novelist, poet, and servant
of the imperial court during the Heian period of Japan. She was
the author of The Tale of Genji, written in Japanese in 1010,
one of the earliest and most famous novels in human history. The
Tale of Murasaki is a fictional biography, based in part on her
surviving diaries and poems. The book chronicles her adult life,
with emphasis on the period before her marriage and the time she
spent in court serving the empress of Japan. The book contains
Murasaki's careful descriptions of the highly refined manners,
clothing and attitudes of Heian Japanese society. It give the
reader a glimpse of the exotic culture of a thousand years ago
in which upper class ladies hid behind screens and fans with only
their long elaborate sleeves or trains showing. A world in which
lovers conversed in poetry and ritual was valued above all.
What the Armchair Critics Thought
This was a beautiful and fascinating
book -replete with actual quotations from Murasaki's diary by
people who lived in the 11th century. We were astonished by the
differences in mannerisms and morals shown by everything from
the multi-layered robes, incense preparation and tooth blackening
to the casual attitude toward sexual relations. The poetry and
the descriptions of natural settings were lovely. We were interested
in the lack of contact with or consideration of persons in the
lower orders -such as the multitude of seamstresses, cooks, servants
and litter carriers that must have been required to keep such
a rarefied society functioning. Recommended reading.
April 2006
The Eyre Affair By Jasper Fforde
Synopsis
This is the first novel in Jasper Fforde's
science-fiction/detective series featuring a smart, gun-toting
heroine named Thursday Next. In Thursday's world, an alternate
version of 1985, popular culture is ruled by literature. Coin
operated "Will-Speak" machines quote Hamlet in bus stations,
visitors make pilgrimages to view original manuscripts, and school
children collect Johnathan Swift trading cards. Thursday leads
a quiet life as a detective in the literary division of the Special
Operations Network, investigating forgeries and thefts. When Thursday's
Uncle and Aunt are kidnapped, SpecOps uncovers a plot to kidnap
and murder characters from everyone's favorite novels. And when
the perpetrators dare to steal the original Jane Eyre, Thursday
must race to save one of the most beloved characters in English
Literature from eradication.
What the Armchair Critics Thought
Although Fforde employs time travel
and alternate reality, his books are not easily classified as
science fiction. Several Armchair Critics who usually dislike
sci-fi were drawn into the world of Thursday Next and enjoyed
the word-play and adventure. We liked all the literary inside
jokes and found the book highly entertaining. We had a good discussion
about which literary characters we would like to meet, and heard
a bit about the continuing adventures of Thursday in the next
three Fforde books.
March 2006
Atonement by Ian McEwan
Synopsis
As the
title suggests, this is a novel about lies, remorse and redemption.
The central character is Briony Talis, a thirteen year old with
a gift for writing, and the overactive imagination it requires.
When her young cousins run away after a late summer dinner party,
the family scatters to search the grounds of their upper middle
class estate. A crime is committed and Briony is at the centre
of the accusations and trial that follow. The central portion
of the book deals with the lives of the accuser and the accused
during World War II. Intense descriptions of the fatigue and horror
felt by the characters make the war live in a series of moving
chapters. The book wraps up with a tribute to the elderly Briony,
now a renowned writer, by her extended family and Briony's reflections
on the nature of her atonement.
What the Armchair Critics Thought
This is not a quick read for the beach.
McEwan favours long, long descriptions of the surroundings and
thoughts of his characters, and sometime the same events are presented
from different points of view. Much of the first part of the book
is given over to character sketches and the perceptions of various
family members about one another. For example, Briony's quiet
reflections on what drives the movement of her fingers, and whether
others have the same control of their bodies and emotions, are
given an entire page. With careful attention however; the reader
is rewarded with stunning language and fresh insights.
February 2006
Balzac and the Little Chinese Seamstress
by Dai Sijie
Synopsis
This slim novel, set during the Chinese Cultural
Revolution, describes the reeducation of two teenage boys, sent
to toil among peasants in the countryside. Since their parents
have been branded enemies of the state, the boys have almost no
chance of ever returning to their former comfortable lives in
the city. Instead they have nothing to look forward to unrelenting
work and hardship, carrying baskets of excrement up the hillsides
to fertilize the fields, or working in the small village coal
mine. Two things happen to relieve the monotony -first they discover
and steal a suitcase full of forbidden novels, and second they
befriend the beautiful daughter of the local tailor. They begin
to educate the little Chinese Seamstress, with unexpected consequences.
What the Armchair Critics Thought
We found interesting parallels in this
story to the novel Bel Canto in it's description of how "art"
can transform ordinary, even unbearable situations. Opinions were
mixed about the overall impact of this book. Some enjoyed the
simple story, others felt an overall sense of foreboding that
the boys were going to be caught and punished, which spoiled the
flow of the novel. We enjoyed the humour in the book (such as
the scene in which the headman has his tooth filled). We were
all impressed with Sijie's ability to write such a lovely book
in his second language.
January 2006
The Five People you Meet in Heaven by Mitch
Albom
Synopsis
An elderly maintenance man for a theme
park dies in a sudden accident while trying to save a little girl
from a malfunctioning ride. The book describes the man's trip
through the first stage of heaven. During this experience, five
people from Eddie's past meet with him to explain their connection
and to answer his questions about that period of his life. Outwardly,
Eddie seems to be a simple man, but as the story of his past unfolds,
we understand that Eddie has experienced child abuse, war, frustrated
ambition, and the premature death of his wife. His burdens are
eased by the five conversations and he is ready to move toward
the next stage of heaven.
What the Armchair Critics Thought
We were a little mystified by the huge
success of this book. Although the story deals with difficult
issues, it has little depth or detail. We compared the book to
one of the e-mail stories about guardian angels that make the
rounds -heavy on the pathos, but no substance. We all agreed that
this version of heaven (or purgatory) did not meet our ideas about
the afterlife. Several of the people Eddie meets are only remotely
connected to him and his conversations with those he has wronged
are not the messy, raw confrontations of real life -only soothing
pablum, yeilding a false sense of well-being.
