“Small Things Like These” by Claire Keegan (Ireland) Synopsis It is 1985, in an Irish town. During the weeks leading up to Christmas, Bill Furlong, a coal and timber merchant, faces into his busiest season. As he does the rounds, he feels the past rising up to meet him — and encounters the complicit silences of a people controlled by the Church. Review “Small Things … Continue reading Small Things Like These
“Beyond the Door of No Return” by David Diop (Senegal) Synopsis Paris, 1806. The renowned botanist Michel Adanson is dying. His last word is a woman’s name: Maram. But who was she? Searching for the answer, Adanson’s daughter discovers a journal of his youthful travels in Senegal, which tells a story of wild adventure and impossible desires. It reveals how he heard of a young … Continue reading Beyond the Door of No Return
“Claire of the Sea Light” by Edwidge Danticat (Haiti) Synopsis Claire goes missing the night her father agrees to give her up for adoption. Her mother died when she was born. In the tiny fishing town of Ville Rose, Haiti, she and her father are not the only ones to have experienced loss. As the poor townspeople search by moonlight for the seven-year-old girl, each … Continue reading Claire of the Sea Light
“A Long Petal of the Sea” by Isabel Allende (Chile) Synopsis Victor Dalmau is a young doctor when he is caught up in the Spanish Civil War, a tragedy that leaves his life – and the fate of his country – forever changed. Together with his sister-in-law, the pianist Roser, he is forced out of his beloved Barcelona and into exile. When opportunity to seek … Continue reading A Long Petal of the Sea
“Happiness™” by Will Ferguson (Canada) Synopsis When one of those irritating self-help books actually gets it right, then unnatural and worrying times are just around the corner… While the rest of the country is joining the new Happiness™ cult, Edwin (the wiry, grey-suited, low-level editor at US publisher Panderic Press) is in trouble. A cartel of drug, alcohol, tobacco and drug-rehab bosses have a contract … Continue reading Happiness TM
Readers found all four shortlisted books in this year’s Summer Reading Group enjoyable and easy to read. One reader even said that she had a difficult time choosing one as a favourite because they all made an impression on her. With their 2-word titles, some readers also noticed other dualities: in two of the books, the protagonists are 2 sisters; and in the other two … Continue reading Best Summer Read 2024 – Crooked Plow
Review “We Trade Our Night for Someone Else’s Day” is a compelling novel that weaves a story around a female protagonist navigating a landscape marred by corruption and post-war trauma in Croatia. The book begins at a slower pace, which some readers found challenging initially, but it gradually draws you in with its intriguing plot and well-developed characters. The narrative follows Nora, a journalist whose … Continue reading “We Trade Our Night For Someone Else’s Day” by Ivana Bodrožić (Croatia)
Review “Midnight Blue” takes readers on a journey through 17th-century Holland, blending historical elements with a modern twist. The novel sparked mixed reactions among our book club members, resulting in a range of comments that highlight both the strengths and weaknesses of the book. Readers felt that it was an easy, light read that didn’t demand much intellectual engagement. Described by one reader as a … Continue reading “Midnight Blue” by Simone van der Vlugt (Netherlands)
Nicola's Book Club 