“By Night the Mountain Burns” by Juan Tomás Ávila Laurel (Equatorial Guinea) Review There were mixed feelings about this book as some readers struggled with the stream-of-consciousness style of writing. Those who enjoyed it loved the flow of the story describing it as lyrical and dreamlike. They said it felt like listening to a friend telling them about their childhood and they could relate to it. … Continue reading By Night the Mountain Burns
“Island of a Thousand Mirrors” by Nayomi Munaweera (Sri Lanka) One of Nicola’s 100 Best Books for Inspiration in the 21st century! Book Club Favourite of Season 20 Review Readers were unanimous in their appreciation of this book. They described the writing style as beautiful and of high calibre for a first novel. It awakened all their senses, drawing them into the story and bringing the … Continue reading Island of a Thousand Mirrors
“In the Beginning Was the Sea” by Tomás González (Colombia) Review Despite the fact that some readers liked the book while others didn’t, everyone agreed that it was an easy read. With short chapters and at just over 150 pages long, readers zipped through what some described as a well-written, depressing modern-day fable. They liked the setting and felt that the author manages to convey a … Continue reading In the Beginning Was the Sea
“Life Begins on Friday” by Ioana Pârvulescu (Romania) Review Although they found it difficult to get into due to the alternating narratives, readers warmed to the many varied characters as the plot unfolded. They were grateful that the author had included a list of characters at the beginning of the book as it helped to keep track of them. They particularly warmed to Iulia and … Continue reading Life Begins on Friday
“One Night, Markovitch” by Ayelet Gundar-Goshan (Israel) Review Readers enjoyed this book describing it as an intriguing and refreshing read. They found it easy to get into and sympathised with most of the characters. They liked how the two protagonists develop from caricatures to individuals with depth and substance. Readers agreed that the story was both funny and annoying at the beginning due its exaggerated … Continue reading One Night, Markovitch
“The Thing Around Your Neck” by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie (Nigeria) In November 2016, as one of the Author Specials that were a part of the Story Connector Literature Circle, we had a discussion on Adichie’s novels and collection of short stories, and her inspiring views on culture and feminism. Readers agreed that she is a master storyteller. Synopsis In ‘A Private Experience’, a medical student … Continue reading The Thing Around Your Neck
“Unaccustomed Earth” by Jhumpa Lahiri (U.S.) Review Readers loved this collection of short stories, which they described as a gentle and easy read. One reader couldn’t put the book down, reading one short story after the other! They liked the fact that each story dealt with day-to-day issues of family life, work and relationships. They found it easy to transpose themselves into the different characters’ … Continue reading Unaccustomed Earth
“Sleeping on Jupiter” by Anuradha Roy (India) Review From a classic plot-driven novel to an unusual collective ‘novel-essay,’ the four shortlisted books for this year’s Summer Reading Group varied greatly in structure, style of writing, and point of view. Our summer readers also noticed a recurrent theme in all four of dreams and their many meanings. At the end of the discussion, when it came … Continue reading Best Summer Read 2016 – Sleeping on Jupiter
Nicola's Book Club 