“Amnesia” by Peter Carey (Australia) Synopsis When Gaby Baillieux, a young woman from suburban Melbourne, releases the Angel Worm into the computers of Australia’s prison system, hundreds of asylum seekers walk free. Worse: the system is run by an American corporation, so some 5,000 US prisons are also infected. Doors spring open. Both countries’ secrets threaten to pour out, Was this intrusion a mistake, or … Continue reading Amnesia
“The Narrow Road to the Deep North” by Richard Flanagan (Australia) Book Club Favourite of Season 19 Review Readers loved the book, describing it as beautifully written with clean and polished prose. They found it easy to get inside the heads of the different characters, and enjoyed the changing voices and different perspectives from chapter to chapter. They loved the vivid descriptions that brought the … Continue reading The Narrow Road to the Deep North
“Tiare” by Célestine Hitiura Vaite (Tahiti) Review Most readers really enjoyed this book finding it an easy read with a light touch and a soft style. At times, they found it funny and at other moments they found the themes the author touched on quite serious. They loved the whole cast of characters especially the grandmothers and all the cousins. Readers liked how the author … Continue reading Tiare
“Living in the Maniototo” by Janet Frame (New Zealand) Book Club Favourite of Season 15 Review Readers found this book most interesting both from the point of view of the story as well as the style of writing. They thought that there was an incredible use of language, which required their full attention, and they liked the clever interspersing of poems. Some readers didn’t like … Continue reading Living in the Maniototo
“March” by Geraldine Brooks (Australia) Review Readers liked part one of the novel, told from Mr March’s point of view, much less than part two, most of which is narrated by Mrs March. They found the pace too slow and the narrative tedious at times. Most readers did not warm to the protagonist describing him as a naïve idealist who was more irritating than appealing. … Continue reading March
“Oscar and Lucinda” by Peter Carey (Australia) Synopsis and Review “Oscar and Lucinda”: a gamble to read! Winner of the Booker Prize in 1988, “Oscar and Lucinda” is the story of Oscar Hopkins, an English seminarian with a passion for gambling, and Lucinda Leplastrier, an Australian heiress with a fascination for glass. They meet on the ship to Sydney in 1865 and their lives are … Continue reading Oscar and Lucinda
Nicola's Book Club 