The Free-Range Bookclub
Bookclubbers without boundaries in Nelson, New Zealand
Back Booker 2003
The 2003 Man Booker shortlist was another where we thought there was a stand out winner, however the judges didn’t see it the same way.
Oryx & Crake is a life-changing book. Margaret Atwood not only has a hugely creative imagination, she is a visionary. Perhaps that’s the advantage of reading this book a few years down the track, when some of the grotesqueness in the story is actually beginning to penetrate real life. We cannot stop talking about this novel or the characters. We are blown away by the moments of reality Atwood is able to select, then grow and further fictionalise, only for snippets of those predictions to make their way into reality. For that reason, it would definitely have been our pick for winner had we been Bookerthoning in 2003.
Interestingly, after reading the entire shortlist, we felt there were a couple more books that fit this visionary branding, which made the other three finalists pale in comparison. It was a year of opposites for us, visionary vs good.
The other two on our visionary list were Vernon God Little and The Good Doctor.
Vernon God Little is a grounding story about school shootings and raises many issues around gun control, violence, religion and cause and effect of events in the US. Its satirical vernacular is cutting, and to be honest we don’t begrudge it the win.
The Good Doctor focuses on the South African psyche, especially what the people have put up with and how much more they can take. All of this consideration is led by Frank Eloff, a young doctor working in a basic rural hospital, and his experiences and observations are affecting to say the least. Again, it could have won and we would have been okay with it.
Brick Lane (Bangladeshi woman living in London), Notes on a Scandal (female teacher has an affair with a male student) and Astonishing Splashes of Colour (woman loses a baby and maybe her sanity) are good reads and worth the investment of time – don’t let us put you off them – but to us they were in stark contrast to the other three outstanding nominations.
Best book 1st-6th: Suzy:
Oryx And Crake
Vernon God Little
The Good Doctor
Brick Lane
Notes On A Scandal
Astonishing Splashes of Colour
Best book 1st-6th: Rachel:
Oryx And Crake
The Good Doctor
Vernon God Little
Brick Lane
Notes On A Scandal
Astonishing Splashes Of Colour
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