Book Fourteen

7/14/2008 – Atonement by Ian McEwan ***
Why: It was cheap on half.com and a book I’ve always wanted to read.
Winner of the 2002 National Book Critics Circle Award, Fiction
Shortlisted for the 2001 Booker Prize
First Impressions: It took a few chapters to get into but the writing was absolutely wonderful and I immediately was drawn into a grand like (Cecilia) or dislike (Briony) of the characters. The book drew me right in as I wanted to know what happened with Robbie and Cecilia until the very end. The characters were exquisitely drawn out and I loved how the story was told during 3 different decades.
Emotions Felt: Anger at Briony and anxiousness for Robbie & Cecilia. I was a bit surprised that their love lasted throughout the war. I felt certain Cecilia would turn away from Robbie. It was sad to learn that they both died without ever really getting the atonement that they hoped for (because Briony’s novel could not come out until after the death of the Marshalls). I feel like I missed some of the ending in my rush to finish the novel and perhaps this would be a good book club to glean other thoughts.
Any Remaining Questions: I wanted to know more about the secondary characters (Leon, Emily, the dad, Paul Marshall and Lola). Each character was a treat.
Who Would Like This Book: Certainly Erica and perhaps others

Book Thirteen

7/7/2008 – Our Kind by Kate Walbert *
Why: I think it was a Barnes and Noble Har Mar book club selection
First Impressions: It was short and I thought it should be an easy read. Not so.
Emotions Felt: Bored. Kate Walbert writes comically about a group of women (divorcees from the 1950’s) that I care nothing about. And still, in her writing, I cared nothing about them. Not sure if there were too many characters strung together or I was just being negative in my reading of this story. I just didn’t feel it. Some of the chapters were compelling. The women who got photographed naked pregnant – and then had her child ?!@# and the fact that one women ended up in the hospice, another daughter committed suicide. It seemed a shame that the author wrote this as a short story. Her writing was so authentic and witty that I might have been entertained in a novel. Then again, maybe not.
Any Remaining Questions: Nope
Who Would Like This Book: The Har Mar book club, retired women who have been there and done that