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.

Le Grand Meaulnes -- Alain-Fournier

A french Classic  written in 1912  .
A flawed but haunting tale.The middle is not as good as the end and the first half is the best

Not sure why it is  has lasted so long in the French cannon