“The Eagle’s Throne” by Carlos Fuentes (Mexico) Review Readers began by saying that they felt the book would really need a second read for them to get the most out of it. They found the structure both interesting and challenging. Some readers thought that the written style of the letters did not fit so well with the futuristic setting of the novel, saying it felt … Continue reading The Eagle’s Throne
“My Name is Light” by Elsa Osorio (Argentina) Review Most readers enjoyed the story finding it a fast-paced read. They liked being enlightened about the lesser-known political situation in Argentina in the seventies and they got a good feel for the fear and tension without too many disturbing details. They also felt that the topic of adoption raised some highly interesting questions, especially concerning the … Continue reading My Name is Light
“Seeing” by José Saramago (Portugal) Book Club Favourite of Season 13 Review Readers really enjoyed this book once they got used to Saramago’s characteristic writing style of long, rambling sentences strewn with commas and little paragraphing. They liked the political theme of a democracy veering towards a totalitarian state and they thought the author had captured the characteristics of the various ministers all too well. … Continue reading Seeing
“Women as Lovers” by Elfriede Jelinek (Austria) Synopsis The setting is an idyllic Alpine village where a woman’s underwear factory nestles in the woods. Two factory workers, Brigitte and Paula, dream and talk about finding happiness, a comfortable home and a good man. They realize that their quest will be as hard as work at the factory. Brigitte subordinates her feelings and goes for Heinz, … Continue reading Women as Lovers
“Moses, Citizen & Me” by Delia Jarrett-Macauley (Sierra Leone) Review Readers were looking forward to this book and they all found the beginning very promising. However, although the topic of child soldiers was both a challenging and interesting one for a novel, they felt that the author did not quite succeed in making the story a good read. Most readers felt too distant from the … Continue reading Moses, Citizen and Me
“The Wall Jumper” by Peter Schneider (Germany) Favourite Quote Every story lacks something that the next one has; but then the next story is missing something from the one before. Maybe the story I’m looking for doesn’t exist. Synopsis Berlin before the fall of the Wall is a city divided, yet its ordinary residents find ways to live and survive on both sides. There is … Continue reading The Wall Jumper
“Disgrace” by J.M. Coetzee (South Africa) Book Club Favourite of Season 12 Review Although readers found the protagonist highly unappealing and they had difficulty engaging with Lucy and some of the other secondary characters, they enjoyed the book very much, describing it as extremely well written and rich. They felt it was a story with many layers needing a number of readings to fully appreciate … Continue reading Disgrace
“The Following Story” by Cees Nooteboom (Netherlands) Favourite Quotes ‘when women are out to get something, they are capable of mobilizing forces that men, for all their so-called strength of purpose, cannot match.’ Synopsis One morning Herman Mussert wakes up in a hotel room in Lisbon, where twenty years previously he slept with another man’s wife. Yet he is quite certain that the night before … Continue reading The Following Story
Nicola's Book Club 