Monthly Book Group

This is a book that everyone has been talking about this year. Described as 'breathtakingly clever on jealousy, talent, success, and who gets to tell which story'. What will we think of it?

Despite presenting a bleak picture of poverty, addiction and toxic relationships, almost everyone found this a gripping read and it led to an animated and wide-ranging discussion touching on the Irish situation, the education system, friendships and family, the style of writing, debut novelists and other books addressing similar issues. 

Recently adapted into the Oscar-nominated film 'American Fiction', we debated the differences between the movie and the novel and it was interesting to see how people responded depending on whether they had seen the film. Lots to discuss in terms of publishing and marketing, writing and academia, racism and prejudice, family, wealth, and much more!

Everyone agreed they would never have picked this book up for themselves and there was some debate on the choice of title and cover design. All found it to be fascinating in terms of the style of storytelling and providing a glimpse into the lives of these two extraordinary women and led some to investigate Julian and Margery further. 

We'd all been excited to read our first graphic novel together. Some loved the experience, pausing to contemplate the pictures which provided the nuance and emotion to complement the sparse text. Others found they didn't connect with the story and felt the book disappointed. A great discussion!

So many themes to consider - love, loss and redemption, family, faith, science and immigration, the opioid crisis. Many loved this book for the writing, the subjects covered and the author's voice, but some found the ending disappointing.