“Man Tiger” by Eka Kurniawan (Indonesia) Review Even though it took them a while to get used to the writing style, which weaves back and forward through moments in time, readers agreed that the book, with its visceral descriptions and an evocative setting, was easy to read. They found some characters sympathetic, but didn’t warm to most of them as they felt that they lacked … Continue reading Man Tiger
“Before the Coffee gets Cold” by Toshikazu Kawaguchi (Japan) Review There were mixed feelings about this book, with most readers not really getting into the story at all and some enjoying it a lot. They found the first part a bit unconvincing, with a lot of repetitive passages which they felt slowed down the pace. But they agreed that the remaining three parts flowed better. … Continue reading Before the Coffee gets Cold
“Summer Light, and Then Comes the Night” by Jon Kalman Stefansson (Iceland) Review Readers loved this book, describing it as light, uplifting, gentle and philosophical. They loved the small world of the village with its little details, its simmering sexual undertones, the delicate balance between life and death, and the villagers’ search for meaning in their humdrum routines. Readers warmed to the various characters, and … Continue reading Summer Light, and Then Comes the Night
The four shortlisted books for this year’s Summer Reading Group were all novels by black authors. When readers reserved their spot, they had the possibility to make a donation in memory of George Floyd and all the other Black Lives lost because of the systemic racism in our societies. We are delighted to say that we raised €125 and would like to thank all the … Continue reading Best Summer Read 2020
“The Old Drift” by Namwali Serpell (Zambia) Review This book was initially chosen for our Summer Reading Group 2019, but because of its length, most readers didn’t manage to finish it on time. As a result, we organised a one-off book club meeting to discuss it. To start with, readers were concerned by the scope of this book, fearing that they would be overwhelmed by … Continue reading The Old Drift
The four shortlisted books for this year’s Summer Reading Group were all first novels by authors under the age of 40. There was a lot of originality in the styles of writing and they had some common themes: from political cleavages to mental health issues. When it came time to vote for Best Summer Read, we had to base the choice on only 3 of … Continue reading Best Summer Read 2019
“The Travelling Cat Chronicles” by Hiro Arikawa (Japan) Synopsis Set against the backdrop of Japan’s changing seasons and narrated with a rare gentleness and humour, Nana’s story explores the wonder and thrill of life’s unexpected detours. It is about the value of friendship and solitude, and knowing when to give and when to take… Read more Review The four shortlisted books for this year’s Summer … Continue reading The Travelling Cat Chronicles
“Warlight” by Michael Ondaatje (Canada) Synopsis It is 1945, and London is still reeling from the Blitz and years of war. 14-year-old Nathaniel and his sister, Rachel, are apparently abandoned by their parents, left in the care of an enigmatic figure named The Moth. They suspect he might be a criminal, and grow both more convinced and less concerned as they get to know his … Continue reading Warlight
Nicola's Book Club 