Night Boat to Tangier

Late August found us struggling to figure out how to meet safely with Delta variant of Covid lurking at the corners of our lives.  We met remotely and discussed Night Boat to Tangier by Kevin Barry.  This novel read like poetry.  We had mixed reactions to the violence and the pain and suffering of these two Irish men and their families.  The novel is reminiscent of Waiting for Godot, as these two old friends sit and remember their lives of their childhood struggles with poverty, their young drug running days, their love for the same woman and their struggles with loss and disappointment.  We all agreed that it was a dark novel, full of Irish suffering.  We also found it to be a profound novel of love and commitment, albeit, a strange variant of commitment.  We were deeply affected by Dilly, the daughter they wait for at the Algeciras terminal.  Her struggle between compassion and obligation and a need to lead a life that was her own was compelling and struck home with many of us. 

Next month, we are going to read Deacon King Kong by James McBride.  We are hoping to meet in person at Terry's with a back up of a Zoom meet on October 11th at 6:45.

 

Mexican Gothic

In July, we gathered to discuss Mexican Gothic by Silvia Moreno-Garcia.  We were not sure about this choice proffered by the staff at Phoenix Books, but thought it would be a good discussion since gothic novels are typically white, English, country settings and characters.  Although I missed this discussion, a synopsis of the discussion was that the author gets a commendation for taking on the task of writing a gothic novel in a different setting, incorporating linguistically and culturally different characters.  The group thought the first 3/4 of the novel was great, however, had a bit of difficulty with how creepy the ending was...although, that is the way gothic novels tend to end!  We are hoping to see a film in the near future!

Next month is at Terry's and we are reading Night Boat to Tangier by Kevin Barry and meeting on 8/30/21.

Silence of the Girls

 June brought us to Ed's home for a discussion of Silence of the Girls.  This novel, by Pat Barker is a retelling of the Iliad through the women who were witness to the battle and considered to be part of the rewards or trophies for the victors.  The story focuses on Briseis, who becomes Achille's concubine after witnessing the death of her husband and her seven brothers.  The women are treated as objects of status and at the fall of her home town, Lyrnesses, they are taken into captivity and assigned by age and beauty and worth to leaders and warriors.  There are harrowing tales of women who are sacrificed and killed.  Others are violated and raped.  The treatment of women was violent and without regard for their human dignity.  The novel also outlined the violence of war.  I love Pat Barker and this book was a gift from a friend.  

We commended Pat Barker for taking an opportunity to tell this classic from a female's perspective.  However, we found it hard to read about the pain and inhumane treatment of the women and the disregard for the pain and suffering of witnessing death and imprisonment of their families.  

We did take the opportunity to regale the trilogy we read and loved, Regeneration!  Next month we are meeting at Tim's on 7/22/2021 to discuss Gothic Romance by Silvia Moreno-Garcia.