Notes from Underground Feodor Dostoevsky

Well a hard first two thirds ( a short book though)  that some gave up on. Others thought it rather remarkable. Certainly led to  good discussion...

Garden of the Evening Mists --Tan Twan Eng

 An undoubted success. History, torture and redemption, --it's all there.

Paradise -Abdulrazak Gurnah

 Mixed reviews:-interesting in its setting in time and place but a bit unengaging in the characters. EastAfrica on the edge of European exploitation and conquest was not a Paradise.

Maryse Conde ; Crossing the Mangrove

 A definite hit . Short , readable , interesting ..

Alan Sillitoe -Saturday NIght and Sunday Morning

 A resounding success. Full of energy , a likeable rogue. Is he angry or content or making the best of it?

Paolo Maurensig -Game of the Gods

Quite interesting if not always convincing  . Chess and its Indian form and a journey fomr nothing to fame to nothing.

The Painted Drum -Louise Erdrich

 We thought the Painted Drum was good overall , and very good in parts . but the middle more “magical “section challenged us. Perhaps the Native American way of seeing the world  in contrast to our European ,Enlightenment way.??!!