“Runaway” by Alice Munro (Canada) Review Given Alice Munro’s reputation as an outstanding short story writer, readers had high expectations for this collection. However, their reactions were very mixed. Some readers really liked all the stories finding them dark but highly realistic and enjoying the twists and turns in the characters’ lives. They appreciated the details and the little insights into the more mundane aspects … Continue reading Runaway
“Fascination” by William Boyd (U.K.) Review The quality of the writing style in this collection was what appealed most to readers. They loved the richness of the language and the different formats used in each story: from the classical to the contemporary; from the diary form to a series of jump cuts; from a menu to a video recorder! Readers enjoyed the diverse settings and … Continue reading Fascination
“Girls of Riyadh” by Rajaa Alsanea (Saudi Arabia) Synopsis Gamrah’s faith in her new husband is not exactly returned …Sadeem is a little too willing to please her fiancé …Michelle is half-American and the wrong class for her boyfriend’s family …While Lamees works hard with little time for love. The girls of Riyadh are young, attractive and living by Saudi Arabia’s strict cultural traditions. Well, not quite. … Continue reading Girls of Riyadh
“I Think of You” by Ahdaf Soueif (Egypt) Review Readers were delighted with this collection of short stories which they really enjoyed reading. They loved the language and the style of writing that gave a clear voice to each of the narrators bringing them vividly alive. They liked the descriptions of the situations the characters find themselves in and the author’s use of minor details … Continue reading I Think of You
“Cell Block Five” by Fadhil Al-Azzawi (Iraq) Synopsis Being plucked from a Baghdad café and deposited in a cell block for political prisoners is a wakeup call for Aziz, the novel’s hero and narrator, a young man who has been living on automatic pilot as if he were a guest visiting his own life and he is finally forced to come to terms with the … Continue reading Cell Block Five
“Last Evenings on Earth” by Roberto Bolano (Chile) Review The first book of the new season was a difficult one for most readers, who used words such as depressing, melancholic, bitty and unusual to express their first impressions of it. They described the style of writing as distinctive, but flat and devoid of emotion. As a result, they found it extremely hard to warm to … Continue reading Last Evenings on Earth
“The Vagrants” by Yiyun Li (China) Review Readers really enjoyed this book finding it very well written and revealing of an exceptional maturity of style. They were moved by the story, describing it as touching, distressing, sad and intense. They liked the setting, both time and place, and could strongly feel the political aspects pervading the everyday lives of the people. They found the different … Continue reading The Vagrants
“Invisible Man” by Ralph Ellison (U.S.) One of Nicola’s 100 Best Books for Inspiration in the 21st century! Review This book left no reader indifferent, with some loving it and others not. Most readers found the first few chapters very powerful and vivid, such as the scenes of the terrifying battle royal and the chaotic Golden Day. They found the narrator’s journey at times confusing, … Continue reading Invisible Man
Nicola's Book Club 