Hot Milk – Deborah Levy

READ FOR BOOKERTHON

Sofia, a young anthropologist, spends much of her life trying to solve the mystery of her mother’s unexplainable illness. A trip to Southern Spain to see a specialist allows her to consider her own desires and plans for the future. 

➤ “Hot Milk has that kind of pleasantness about it that makes it neither beautiful enough to be outstanding, nor horrible enough to be outstanding. Interesting plot, nicely written, easy to read. Pleasant.

“What was interesting was the study of a woman’s propensity for servitude. A woman so heavily controlled and influenced by her mother to the point of repression and internal rage. Sofia’s responses were predictable and totally human.

“But again I return to that word pleasant. That may be good enough for mass sales but I don’t know if it hits the mark when it comes to the Man Booker.” – Rachel

I have researched aboriginal culture, Mayan hieroglyphics and the corporate culture of a Japanese car manufacturer, and I have written essays on the internal logic of various other societies, but I haven’t a clue about my own logic.

➤ “I have never really had a good experience with the ‘young confused woman trying to find herself’ genre, but Hot Milk was a pleasant surprise. I finished it feeling a bit neutral but the more I have reflected on it, the more I appreciate it.

“There are some crazy threads running through the book, some of which will honestly haunt me forever, but the absurdity of the storyline is somehow relatable and overall there was a lovely rhythm and pace to the writing.” – Suzy

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Published 2016
Penguin Random House
214 pages