“The Peculiar Life of a Lonely Postman” by Denis Thériault (Canada) Review Readers liked this book despite some of the peculiar things the protagonist does! They found the story flowed well with elements of humour and suspense in it. They enjoyed discovering the haiku and tanka poetry, and after some discussion agreed that the explanations given by the author on these arts and Japanese culture … Continue reading The Peculiar Life of a Lonely Postman
“Three Day Road” by Joseph Boyden (Canada) Synopsis It is 1919 and Niska, the last Canadian medicine woman to live off the land, has received word that one of the two boys she saw off to the Great War has returned. Xavier Bird, her sole living relative, is gravely wounded and addicted to the army’s morphine. As Niska slowly paddles her canoe on the three-day … Continue reading Three Day Road
“Hustle” by Will Ferguson (Canada) Review Most readers really enjoyed the book finding that, once they got into it, they were hooked and couldn’t put it down. They felt the use of language, with its many colloquialisms, was wonderful and gave them a clear sense of the place and time. Readers thought that the historical and socio-economic elements running through the story were extremely clever … Continue reading Hustle
“Malinche” by Laura Esquivel (Mexico) Review There were mixed reactions from readers about this book. Some liked it while others found it tedious. Those who liked it enjoyed the historical characters and the descriptive passages about the customs and ways of life of the Indian peoples. They also liked the relationship between Malinalli and her grandmother, which they described as tender. They felt it was in … Continue reading Malinche
“Irma Voth” by Miriam Toews (Canada) Review This book was one of the four selected titles for our Summer Reading Group 2012 Nicola chose the novel “Irma Voth” by Miriam Toews (Canada) as her Coup de Cœur Summer 2012. Set in Mexico in a Mennonite community, the story is narrated by 19-year-old Irma who not only gets married, but also takes a job with a … Continue reading Irma Voth
“The Fall of the House of Usher” by Edgar Allan Poe (U.S.) Review Written in 1839, some readers grappled with the language of this classic Gothic tale and found themselves turning to a dictionary on numerous occasions. They didn’t mind that so much because, since the story is short, it prompted them to read it a few times. After that they started to really enjoy … Continue reading The Fall of the House of Usher
“Oryx and Crake” by Margaret Atwood (Canada) Review Although readers found the story bleak and a bit too close to current reality, they really enjoyed it thanks to the wonderful language and superb writing. They found the story fluid and well paced, with a good plot that kept their interest going. Everyone sympathised with Jimmy who they described as a likeable albeit flawed character. On … Continue reading Oryx and Crake
“The Eagle’s Throne” by Carlos Fuentes (Mexico) Review Readers began by saying that they felt the book would really need a second read for them to get the most out of it. They found the structure both interesting and challenging. Some readers thought that the written style of the letters did not fit so well with the futuristic setting of the novel, saying it felt … Continue reading The Eagle’s Throne
Nicola's Book Club 