“The Underground Railroad” by Colson Whitehead (U.S.) Review “The Underground Railroad” by Colson Whitehead (U.S.) is set in the pre-Civil war era in the southern states of America and tells the story of a slave’s journey to freedom using the eponymous route. There were mixed reactions to this book with most readers liking it whereas some found the subject matter too hard to handle for … Continue reading The Underground Railroad
“The Woman Next Door” by Yewande Omotoso (South Africa) Review “The Woman Next Door” by Yewande Omotoso (South Africa) is set in modern-day Cape Town and is about the strained relationship between two elderly neighbours, one black and one white. Readers found this an easy story to get into, and to some extent it was a light relief compared to the other three. They liked … Continue reading The Woman Next Door
“The Discreet Hero” by Mario Vargas Llosa (Peru) Review Once confusion with the alternating narratives in the novel had passed, readers became very involved with both stories. They found them compelling, and liked the combination of intrigue and entertainment that are played out by a rich cast of characters. They didn’t particularly warm to the two protagonists but felt that they grabbed their sympathy, while … Continue reading The Discreet Hero
“The Yacoubian Building” by Alaa Al Aswany (Egypt) Review Readers loved this book! They warmed to the different characters who they described as vivid and well developed. They liked how each one evolved throughout the story as either their situation improved or deteriorated. They also liked the contrasts between the secular and religious lifestyles of the characters. Readers loved the setting of the building with … Continue reading The Yacoubian Building
“Slaughterhouse 5” by Kurt Vonnegut (U.S.) In February 2017, as one of the Author Specials that were a part of the Story Connector Literature Circle, we had a lively discussion on Kurt Vonnegut‘s quirky books, original ideas, and views on American society! Readers said that they would so love for him to be around now so they could hear him wax satirical about current affairs. … Continue reading Slaughterhouse 5
“The Joy Luck Club” by Amy Tan (United States) Review For a couple of readers it was the second time they had read this book and they remembered liking it more the first time around. Everyone agreed that it was an enjoyable read but they said that the alternating stories from the eight protagonists caused them confusion: they had difficulty remembering who was who as … Continue reading The Joy Luck Club
“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
Nicola's Book Club 