DISUK Book Club -Too Close to Home, Linwood Barclay

[Dimplenose]

I'm glad we inspired you to finish it. I must admit I look at awkward children in a slightly different light now!

 

[Dimplenose]

We're halfway through May now, so I'm just giving this a bump.

 

[natalielongstaff]

ok, i will confess i have given up on this months book...not my cup of tea at all

 

[higgy66]

ok, i will confess i have given up on this months book...not my cup of tea at all

Oh no - don't say that - I've just gone and picked a copy up from the library as they ordered it in for me.

As I only have a couple of weeks left I was quite pleased to see its a thinner book than last time!

Could I make a suggestion - could we swap the nineteen minutes - Jodi Picoult for one of her others as it's a very similar theme to "we need to talk about Kevin" "My Sisters Keeper" is a very good one and an unusual theme.

 

[Dimplenose]

Oh no - don't say that - I've just gone and picked a copy up from the library as they ordered it in for me.

As I only have a couple of weeks left I was quite pleased to see its a thinner book than last time!

Could I make a suggestion - could we swap the nineteen minutes - Jodi Picoult for one of her others as it's a very similar theme to "we need to talk about Kevin" "My Sisters Keeper" is a very good one and an unusual theme.

Don't worry I'm reading it, at least there will be two of us to discuss it!!

As for Nineteen Minutes, I'm loathe to change a book in case people have already gone out to buy it - however if a lot of people want me to change it I will. But it might make for an interesting discussion to read two books with a similar subject matter.

 

[dolphingirl47]

I still have not managed to get the book. I have been to Waterstone's so many times over the last couple of weeks, but I always forget to write the title down and can never remember it. I have to make a concerted effort on my day off on Tuesday. I will be on a cruise for a week from next week Sunday so hopefully I have time to read then.

Corinna

 

[dolphingirl47]

I finally got the book for this month today. I have to finish the book I am currently reading and then this is coming on the cruise with me. I should have it read in no time.

Corinna

 

[higgy66]

I picked this book up on Saturday and finished it yesterday. Now I'll have to get organised and get next months ordered from the library.

 

[Dimplenose]

The Voluptious Delights of Peanut Butter and Jelly.

Discussions for this book begin tomorrow. I don't have any specific questions for this book but I do have some generic suggestions for book club discussions that I found on the internet. Perhaps we could start with our general feelings about the book and then I could use some of the questions.

If anyone wants to throw in a question along the way please do so.

I'm still writing my "review" but I must say I have very mixed feelings about the book, the characters and the storyline.

See you tomorrow.

 

[natalielongstaff]

I will be interested to hear what others thought about the book

 

[Dimplenose]

I had mixed feelings about this book.

My first problem was that I didn’t know how to pronounce “Cia” which irritated me a little.

I enjoyed reading the book – I loved the way the author brought to life the world the girls lived in. The way that the most important things to them were not connected to the major political unrest their country was going through but instead flights to fairy land or gaining the most territory in the back seat of the car.

It was interesting the way that English culture, books that I’d read as child, was influencing the life of girls (probably my contempories) who lived in a different continent.

I liked the way that the author evoked the feeling of decay and the fading of Rhodesia as the white population had known it.

The views of the different generations towards the black population was also interesting. At first I thought it good that the girls didn’t seem to have a prejudice and were happy to play with the black children, then I realised that they must also have had a deep prejudice in that they didn’t bother to learn their “friends” names and described them as I might an exhibit in the zoo.

I think more could have been made of Ronin’s part in the story – in fact the book might have been better if Lauren Liebenberg had done so. He seemed to flit into the story, do something sinister and then flit out again.

I wasn’t even aware that there was a mystery to his background although there were early references to his grandfather’s misdoings I rather overlooked these until the truth of Ronin’s parentage came out at the end.

I must admit that I cried real tears when Cia died.

On the whole a good book, lots of good atmospheric writing but the plot was a bit lost amongst it.

 

[Dimplenose]

Hopefully someone else read this book. If so here are a couple of questions to help your thoughts along.

• Did you enjoy the book? Why? Why not?

• What about the plot? Did it pull you in; or did you feel you had to force yourself to read the book?

 

[dolphingirl47]

I have read the book as planned on our cruise, but we came back Sunday and I had the day from hell at work yesterday and my time on the forum has been limited so far. I will share my thoughts on the book when I get home tonight.

Corinna

 

[higgy66]

Hopefully someone else read this book. If so here are a couple of questions to help your thoughts along.

• Did you enjoy the book? Why? Why not?

• What about the plot? Did it pull you in; or did you feel you had to force yourself to read the book?

I really enjoyed this book and found it an easy read - especially compared to the language and flow of last months.

I liked the fact that there was a backdrop of African history without overtaking the plot - basically it was a insight into the lives of 2 young girls growing up as "white" girls in a changing Rhodesia.

If I'm honest I couldn't put it down and I can't really explain why as there wasn't a gripping plot as such. I felt from the start that the younger sister would die and as soon as Ronin was introduced I knew that he would be the cause. I did feel that more should have been made of his character as he justed flitted in and out and after he had caused Cia's death he just flitted out again?

I also cried when Cia died as throughout the book I felt a connection with the the two girls and also their Grandpa. I felt all the others were just extras but I would have liked to have got to know their mother more.

As I've said I really enjoyed the book and couldn't put it down but when I look at it on the worktop waiting to go back to the library I have no urge to pick it up again or even recommend it to others so I find that a bit strange


Can't wait to see what the rest of you thought.

 

[Dimplenose]

If I'm honest I couldn't put it down and I can't really explain why as there wasn't a gripping plot as such.

I would have liked to have got to know their mother more.

I agree that I couldn't put it down and had finished it in 3 days.

As for the mother - I'd like to have known more about the letters she received from Ronin and the feelings she may have had for him.

 

[dolphingirl47]

It took me a fair while to get into the book and I can understand that people could just not bring themselves to read the book. I found it about as interesting as watching paint dry at the beginning. What was the saving grace for me is that I took this on our cruise and I had only one other book that I had read more than half of before I got on the ship. So it was a question of giving the book a chance or not having anything to read at all. Well, I am glad that I did give the book a chance. In the end I loved it and could not put it down.

I loved to find out more about the history of Zimbabwe. It was very obvious that a lot of troubles that the country faces have their origins in the period of time in which the book was set. I liked the idea that the story was told from the perspective of a child.

I really did not like the character of Ronin and I always was glad when he disappeared again. I would have liked to find out a bit more of his background though. I know it was hinted at that his mother was born as a result of an affair that Angelique had with Seamus, but I would have loved to find out a bit more. I also would have liked to find out why his mother went away.

The question that I kept asking myself was if the story would have ended differently if Cia and Nyree would have told an adult about what Ronin did to Moosejaw.

Corinna

 

[Dimplenose]

The question that I kept asking myself was if the story would have ended differently if Cia and Nyree would have told an adult about what Ronin did to Moosejaw.

Corinna

I was amazed at the power that Ronin had over the girls - but I think young children are more easily intimidated by teenagers rather than by adults.

 

[Dimplenose]

Oh, well - not too much banter about May's book. It seems that those who persevered with it enjoyed it in the end. If you are a late reader do feel free to add any comments otherwise I'd just like to remind everyone that we are reading Lucky by Alice Sebold to be discussed from 1st July.

See you on 1st July.

 

[dolphingirl47]

I was amazed at the power that Ronin had over the girls - but I think young children are more easily intimidated by teenagers rather than by adults.

You are probably right about this one, but I still wish that they had sought help from an adult.

Oh, well - not too much banter about May's book. It seems that those who persevered with it enjoyed it in the end. If you are a late reader do feel free to add any comments otherwise I'd just like to remind everyone that we are reading Lucky by Alice Sebold to be discussed from 1st July.

See you on 1st July.

This will be another last minute read. I ordered this from Amazon as I was ordering something else anyway and the estimated delivery is 18 Jun 2009 - 24 Jun 2009 (due to the availability of the other book). I hope it is the 18th rather than the 24th June 2009. Having read the synopsis, I am a little bit worried about this book.

Corinna

 

[Dimplenose]

Having read the synopsis, I am a little bit worried about this book.

Corinna

Me too. But my reason for joining this book club was to read things I wouldn't normally choose so I'll give it a go and see how I get on.