Monthly Archives: May 2016

The Sound of One Hand Clapping

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The Sound of One Hand Clapping

by Richard Flanagan

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Summary

In 1954, in a construction camp for a hydroelectric dam in the remote Tasmanian highlands, Bojan Buloh had brought his family to start a new life away from Slovenia, the privations of war, and refugee settlements. One night, Bojan’s wife walked off into a blizzard, never to return, leaving Bojan to drink too much to quiet his ghosts, and to care for his three-year-old daughter Sonja, alone. Thirty-five years later, Sonja returns to Tasmania and a father haunted by memories of the European war and other, more recent horrors. As the shadows of the past begin to intrude ever more forcefully into the present, Sonja’s empty life and her father’s living death are to change forever.

 

 


Comments

  • Very real description of Bojan and Sonja in particular. Loved the book but found it disturbing
  • Only misgiving is the happy ending, it didn’t quite fit but overall the novel is a very good depiction of Bojan and Sonya
  • Well written, sad, gut wrenching. Recommend reading the novel. Can accept the ending where the characters can find some sort of peace at the end. Should be recommended reading as it is relevant to refugee situation today.
  • Found the book very sad and almost gave up reading it. Very much related to the present day refugee situation. Found the language flowery in parts. Needed to skip some of the violent sections.
  • Read the novel when it was first published, enjoyed it then and really loved re-reading it again. Brilliant writing, characterisation excellent. Written so the reader understood why Bojan was the way he was (violent). Like the juxtaposition of the violence against his tenderness with the wood that he was working on.
  • Very well written, a little flowery in the beginning but overall a very good read. Painful to read about Sonja’s life but very good characterisation.

 

Read By: The First Wednesday Book Group

The One Who Got Away

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The One Who Got Away by Caroline Overington

Caroline Overington’s latest book The One Who Got Away was released a couple of days ago; and I was so excited. Caroline is one my favourite authors and after reading a sample I couldn’t wait to get my hands on this one.

I must admit to being the tiniest bit biased in my opinion where Caroline’s books are  concerned after having been lucky enough to have met her here at Parramatta Library a couple of years ago for an author talk. (Click HERE to listen to the podcast). I became an even bigger fan. Caroline is a very talented writer and a nice person.

I think it’s fair to say I expected a lot from The One Who Got Away and I wasn’t disappointed.

The One Who Got Away tells the gripping tale Loren and David; the perfect couple?  When Loren meets David, she falls hard. Although they’re from the same Californian town they come from very different backgrounds … but Loren is not about to let that stop her from winning over her perfect man.

There is suspense with twists and turns all the way through and you wont know what to believe. I loved the way it was told from different perspectives; it really allowed the story to build up gradually to a point where you are practically screaming “I need to know what happens NOW”!

I resisted the urge to skip ahead to the end of the book so I could find out what happened, but let me tell you it was very hard. When I finally read the last page, I was in total shock and went straight back and reread the last chapter to make sure I hadn’t read it wrong. The way the story kept revealing secrets all the way to the very last line was masterful.

Do yourself a favour and read this one, I LOVED IT and can’t wait to talk about it with my reading obsessed colleagues here at the library.

Jody

 

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If you only knew – a Book Club Review

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if you only knewIf you only knew – Kristan Higgins

Summary
Letting go of her ex-husband is harder than wedding-dress designer Jenny Tate expected…especially since his new wife wants to be Jenny’s new best friend. Sensing this isn’t exactly helping her achieve closure, Jenny trades the Manhattan skyline for her hometown up the Hudson, where she’ll start her own business and bask in her sister Rachel’s picture-perfect family life…and maybe even find a little romance of her own with Leo, her downstairs neighbor, a guy who’s utterly irresistible and annoyingly distant at the same time. Rachel’s idyllic marriage, however, is imploding after she discovers her husband sexting with a colleague. She always thought she’d walk away in this situation, but her triplet daughters have her reconsidering her stance on adultery, much to Jenny’s surprise. Rachel points to their parents’ perfect marriage as a shining example of patience and forgiveness; but to protect her sister, Jenny may have to tarnish that memory-and their relationship–and reveal a family secret she’s been keeping since childhood. Both Rachel and Jenny will have to come to terms with the past and the present and find a way to get what they want most of all.

Comments
The book was a light, easy read with subtle humour that was well written.  The scenes involving Leo and the triplets were very funny.  We liked the way the writer alternated the first person narration between the sisters, Jenny and Rachel, allowing both sides of the story to be heard and to see how the same incident can be seen differently.

While some clubbers found it a little slow to start, not really grabbing their attention until almost 100 pages in, others loved it from the first word.  As a group, we found it very easy to relate to both sisters and the dilemmas they faced.

Rating – 8/10        Read by – Cultcha Club Book Club

ABIA 2016 Shortlists

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natural wayreckoning natural wayFirst half of the year we’re always bombed with awards and prizes lists. Sometimes it can be very overwhelming. However it’s still worth to mention that this year’s Australian Book Industry Awards (ABIAs) have announced its shortlists. You can, of course, pick up the titles that you’d like to read or recommend to others. It’s better having a variety of choices than a fewer titles. Continue reading →