“Expo 58” by Jonathan Coe (UK) Review Members of our Summer Reading Group liked the differences in writing styles and themes of this year’s four shortlisted books finding most of the stories highly enjoyable. At the end of the discussion, when it came time for voting, a majority picked “Expo 58” as their choice for…
“The Devil I Know” by Claire Kilroy (Ireland) Synopsis A thrilling novel of greed and hubris, set against the backdrop of a brewing international debt crisis. Told by Tristram, in the form of a mysterious testimony, “The Devil I Know” recounts his return home after a self-imposed exile only to find himself trapped as a…
“Pure” by Andrew Miller (U.K.) Review Although they thought the historical setting of pre-French revolution was bleak and desolate, readers found this book highly enjoyable and looked forward to delving into it. They liked the language and style, finding it well written with interesting characters, evocative descriptions and a good plot. They quickly warmed to the protagonist and…
“Please Look After Mother” by Kyung-Sook Shin (S. Korea) Synopsis “Please Look After Mother” is the story of So-nyo, a wife and mother, who has lived a life of sacrifice and compromise. In the past she suffered a stroke, leaving her vulnerable and often confused. Now, travelling from the Korean countryside to the Seoul of…
“The Metamorphosis” by Franz Kafka (Czech Republic) Review Readers really enjoyed both the story, which they felt had been honed and polished, and the style of writing, which they described as clear and precise despite some formal language used at times. They all found Gregor Samsa a highly likeable character and felt compassion for his…
“The Brothers’ Lot” by Kevin Holohan (Ireland) Review Readers’ enjoyment of this story was strongly influenced by how close they felt to the subject matter. Some found it a difficult book to read, especially since many of the abuses within church-run institutions in Ireland are still coming to light today. Readers who had the benefit…
“The Rest is Silence” by Carla Guelfenbein (Chile) Synopsis As the adults sit down to gossip over a long wedding lunch and the rest of the children rush off to play, a young boy slips out of sight beneath the table. Tommy is twelve years old but his weak heart prevents him from joining his…
“A Heart so White” by Javier Marias (Spain) Favourite Quotes The world is full of surprises and secrets. We think we know the people close to us, but time brings with it more things that we don’t know than things we do, comparatively speaking we know less all the time, there’s always a greater area…
