Rabbit, Run -- John Updike

An outstanding piece of writing. Not a likeable main character but ...compelling prose . We will read the rest of the Rabbit series,

Mr Loverman -- Bernadine Evaristo

A mixed reception  . Some not getting on with   the ( mild) West Indian timbre of the writing , other finding it just right
An interesting likeable rogue of a character .

Brodeck's Report -- Phillippe Claudel

All agreed this to be very good  even one of the outstanding books. Set in well somewhere after  the (probably second world) war . Disturbing at times  ,intriguing

The Mayor of Casterbridge -- Thomas Hardy

Some fine descriptions of places  , crowds ,shop-windows , but a narrative far too dependent on unbelievable events and under-develped characters . The soap-opera of its time

The Castle -- Franz Kafka

Quite a revelation  for the humour ,at time farce . A man arrives for a job , but never gets to do it. One can picture the setting  . We were pleased to have read it  .

Reef -- Romesh Guneskera

G loved the almost poetic prose   , the rest were won over in discussion.   A reef as metaphor for Sri Lanka . Short and readable - , sense of place , but  the characters ...

Sourland -- Joyce Carol Oates

A collection of short stories . The doubters were largely won over having discussed it.  Ordinary people are powerless , memories can not be trusted , the strange and even macabre are part of everyday life.