“The Island” by Ana María Matute (Spain) Review Once they had gotten used to the style of writing and dated language, most readers liked this coming-of-age story. They felt that the long passages and the frequent use of parenthesis as commentary demanded that they pay attention. They loved the descriptions of the people and places, and thought the imagery used was highly evocative of both … Continue reading The Island
“Ceremony” by Leslie Marmon Silko (USA) One of Nicola’s 100 Best Books for Inspiration in the 21st century! Book Club Favourite of Season 23 Review Although readers struggled with the non-linear narrative to begin with, they quickly got into the story and were immersed in it. They warmed to the protagonist and liked the diversity of other characters: from his family members to the medicine … Continue reading Ceremony
“Holiday Heart” by Margarita Garcia Robayo (Colombia) Review Although most readers enjoyed some elements of the book, finding it easy to read, there were mixed feelings about the characters. Most didn’t engage with any of them and, as a result, didn’t feel emotionally invested in their story. They felt that the protagonists’ relationship was joyless and struggled to empathise with either of them. One reader … Continue reading Holiday Heart
“Stay With Me” by Ayobami Adebayo (Nigeria) Review Readers agreed that this was an easy book to get into, with lots of twists and turns which kept them turning the pages. They loved the descriptions and felt that the author used subtle details to bring the scenes alive. They liked the two points of view and alternating chapters between the protagonists’ voices, though one reader … Continue reading Stay With Me
The four shortlisted Summer Reads this year all had plain writing styles making them easy to read despite some heavy themes. After some interesting discussion, the votes for Best Summer Read were spread equally over all 4 books, with one reader’s last vote tipping the balance in favour of “Afterlife.” “Afterlife” by Julia Alvarez (Dominican Republic) was chosen as Best Summer Read 2021. Set in … Continue reading Best Summer Read 2021 – Afterlife
The four shortlisted Summer Reads this year 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 our readers for their … Continue reading Best Summer Read 2020 – Girl, Woman, Other
“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
“Homegoing” by Yaa Gyasi (Ghana) Synopsis Effia and Esi: two sisters with two very different destinies. One sold into slavery; one a slave trader’s wife. The consequences of their fate reverberate through the generations that follow. Taking us from the Gold Coast of Africa to the cotton-picking plantations of Mississippi; from the missionary schools of Ghana to the dive bars of Harlem, spanning three continents … Continue reading Homegoing
Nicola's Book Club 