“A Brief History of Seven Killings” by Marlon James (Jamaica)Winner of the Man Booker Prize 2015 Synopsis On December 3, 1976, just before the Jamaican general election and two days before Bob Marley was to play the Smile Jamaica Concert to ease political tensions in Kingston, seven gunmen stormed the singer’s house, machine guns blazing. The attack wounded Marley, his wife, and his manager, and … Continue reading A Brief History of Seven Killings
The new season of our Book Club will run from November 2025 to May 2026. The theme is Book Award Winners and the selected books are: The Book Club will meet online every 6-8 weeks from 19:30 to 21:00 (CET). Our discussion will revolve around 2 elements, namely story (plot + character development) and style (writing style + length). We will also score each book so that, … Continue reading Book Club Season 26
“Claire of the Sea Light” by Edwidge Danticat (Haiti) Synopsis Claire goes missing the night her father agrees to give her up for adoption. Her mother died when she was born. In the tiny fishing town of Ville Rose, Haiti, she and her father are not the only ones to have experienced loss. As the poor townspeople search by moonlight for the seven-year-old girl, each … Continue reading Claire of the Sea Light
Book Club Favourite of Season 24 Review Maryse Conde’s “Segu” immerses readers in a vivid tapestry of 18th/19th century West African kingdoms, filled with the richness and complexity of history. In our book club discussion, diverse perspectives surfaced, reflecting the varied experiences of readers within its pages. For some readers, the book’s allure was immediate. They were captivated from the very beginning, loving the vivid … Continue reading “Segu” by Maryse Condé (Guadeloupe)
“I Am A Japanese Writer” by Dany Laferrière (Haiti) Review The short chapters and choppy style of writing appealed to readers the most. They enjoyed the theme of identity – national, racial and authorial – which they found thought provoking. They liked the irony and found many passages to be very funny, especially the ones relying on clichés to create the humour. Even though they … Continue reading I Am A Japanese Writer
“Before Night Falls” by Reinaldo Arenas (Cuba) Review Readers had mixed feelings about this book, with some liking it while others found it hard to read. They described the writing style as being inconsistent as they found some passages well written, whereas others felt very mechanistic. Some readers also thought that there were a bit too many erotic scenes, which broke up the flow of … Continue reading Before Night Falls
“Wide Sargasso Sea” by Jean Rhys (Dominica) Review Most readers enjoyed the book, liking the language and the descriptions of place. They found that although it was a short novel (120 pages), there was a lot of depth to it, especially in its historical and political context. They found Antoinette’s personal story very sad and were able to empathise with her. Some readers felt that … Continue reading Wide Sargasso Sea
“The Dragon Can’t Dance” by Earl Lovelace (Trinidad & Tobago) Synopsis Trinidad, 1970s. Calvary Hill – poverty stricken and rubbish-strewn – is home to a community of people who come together during the joyful yearly town Carnival, becoming larger-than-life versions of themselves. But when it ends, and the strains of day-to-day life grow large, what happens to the peoples’ hopes, and the feeling that ‘all … Continue reading The Dragon Can’t Dance
Nicola's Book Club 