The Free-Range Bookclub
Bookclubbers without boundaries in Nelson, New Zealand
Glory – NoViolet Bulawayo
READ FOR BOOKERTHON
Glory is an Orwellian retelling of Zimbabwe’s political history. It centers around the unexpected fall of Old Horse, a long-serving leader of a fictional country. Told via anthropomorphised animals there is much drama, humour and colourful observations.
❝ Glory is a retelling of the coup that overthrew Mugabe. All the characters are anthropomorphised animals, with the Old Horse’s character modelled on Mugabe, his wife a donkey, and all other characters various creatures in heels, in queues for food and uploading their thoughts to social media on their smart phones.
They live in Jidada, “with a da, and another da”, challenging but mostly suffering under the oppressive regime of the Father Of The Nation, only to discover that life post the Old Horse is not as sweet as they imagined.
To be honest I often forgot the characters were animals, when they were tweeting or being abused by soldiers, or when a black citizen was lying beneath a white defender whispering “I can’t breathe, I can’t breathe”.
But that didn’t negate the effect the book had for me. It was extremely moving, highly satirical and very much a history lesson. When the animality of the characters was clear, when ducks marched by with placards for instance, I guess it deflected the horror of what was happening by removing the humanity from the occasion. Not that animals should be treated this way either, but I felt like the characterisation was a shield to protect us from the true horror that Bulawayo could have put on the page.
This is a very good book. It is dense and intense, and you need to be prepared to give up a little bit of your life for it, but it will be worth it. – Rachel
And yet, another cluster of even worse beasts threw themselves on the ground and filled the air with their stupid grief so that they threatened to drown the sweet song of our joyous jubilation. He’s gone! They’ve removed the Father of the Nation! they cried. Now what’ll become of us without him?! they wept. Because, honestly, us we just weren’t prepared for was for him to rule we all died and left him ruling.
❝ The light-hearted almost comical beginning to Glory was definitely tinged with a slight sense of uneasiness and discomfort. There were some laugh-out-loud moments for me, but with an increasing feeling that This Is Definitely Not Okay.
I also was embarrassed by my own ignorance as I knew moments in this story must be direct references to something, but just what I did not know.
The humourous moments soon became few and far between and the grim reality of living a life under a political dictatorship was revealed to the reader in visceral and devastating ways.
Why was every character in this book an animal?! If it was to lull the reader into a false sense of security that this was going to be a bit of a jovial barnyard tale then this goal was achieved. Similarities to Animal Farm will I’m sure be expanded on by reviewers with more insight than me.
Glory was gripping. The narrator’s urgency and the slow and increasingly violent unravelling of the characters and the political situation kept me completely engaged. – Suzy
—–
Published 2022
Viking
416 pages
At Night All Blood is Black – David Diop
READ FOR BOOKCLUB
Chosen by Rachel
❝ Alfa and his ‘more than brother’ Mademba are Senglese, fighting for the French in World War I. Seen as ‘chocolate soldiers’ they are considered able to scare the life out of the enemy. After Mademba is fatally wounded and Alfa is morally unable to put him out of his suffering, Alfa undertakes revenge on the blue-eyed enemy, stealthily advancing on them after dark, under cover, and mutilating them.
Though grim, the book has a deeply psychological nature. Alfa’s madness and his deep connection with Madema have blurred lines, introducing the theme of duality, which is reinforced in several ways. Comparisons between the beauty of the body and love are offset against the grotesqueness of war. The moon as God’s witness, watches over all the crimes, including Alfa’s inability to help his friend, and his callous killings of the young German soldiers.
Published originally in 2018 in French, the book won the International Booker Prize in 2021 for translated works.
Temporary madness makes it possible to forget the truth about bullets. Temporary madness, in war, is bravery’s sister. But when you seem crazy all the time, continuously, without stopping, that’s when you make people afraid, even your war brothers.
❝ This is a short book and opens with Mademba trying to scoop his glistening bowels back into his open gut and begging for his throat to be slit. It is a visceral book, with so many bodily functions and parts highly detailed, the guts on the ground, a women’s sex, a severed hand, somehow develop the characters in a way an excess of words probably couldn’t. I loved this book. It was a slap in the face from the outset and used a unique way to build plot, character and tension and to portray a lesson in morality. I also loved the ending. I thought it was perfect for this tale. –Rachel
❝ Although this book had many moments of horror I read it hungrily as the main character enacted vengeance time and time again for the suffering of someone close to him. This was done partly to assuage his own guilt for his part in the person’s suffering. While collecting severed hands of his victims was a visceral and disturbing way of conveying the particular type of madness and distress he was experiencing, it somehow made so much sense. The author successfully conveyed the absolute futility of war while educating the reader about a time in history I was otherwise ignorant about. A stunning book. –Suzy
❝ The most enjoyable books to me are ones that make me think long after I’ve finished them and that’s exactly what this book did for me. It was not a relaxing read as it was quite brutal and heartbreaking but it did have characters that I felt empathy for and developed some sort of understanding of. Once again I benefited from the research done by Rachel and discovered a deeper meaning to the main characters that had flown over my head (again!) I would be careful when recommending this book as I think it would not be popular due to its violent content. But I loved it. – Jo
—–
Published in French 2016
Translated into English by Anna Moschovakis 2021
Farrar, Straus, Giroux
145 pages
The Halfmen of O – Maurice Gee
READ FOR BOOKCLUB
Chosen by Suzy
New Zealand Children’s Fiction. Nick Quinn goes to spend a couple of weeks on his uncle’s farm at Lodestone Creek. However his cousin Susan is spirited off down a disused mineshaft into the world of O and taken prisoner and Nick is determined to rescue her.
❝ Okay, so The Halfmen of O wasn’t quite the distinguished novel that our bookclub was originally going to read, but upon learning about the grim content of In My Father’s Den it was time to switch to another Maurice Gee classic – albeit a children’s book. The Halfmen of O didn’t feel as well constructed as Under the Mountain, but was still a rollicking read. There were some quite visceral & horrible events, that even as an adult I was quite troubled by. I mean, how terrifying is a Bloodcat!? Very terrifying. While this wasn’t quite the satisfying read, when trying to view through the lens of a child it’s another belter from the legendary Maurice Gee. – Suzy
❝ I never did read this as a child and really wished I did! Reading it now as an adult I felt the story was lacking in depth with character development and plot but had to keep reminding myself it was written for children. Once I let go of this and tried to read through the eyes of an adolescent I enjoyed to easy flow of the novel and the ‘Kiwiness’ of it. Maurice Gee did an amazing job with this good vs evil story and I have no doubt it left many young readers on the edge of their seats! – Jodie
❝ Maurice Gee has an incredible imagination and has conjured up some amazing creatures in The Halfmen of O. I especially liked the stone people who could detect the tiniest amount of light and would suffer if exposed to it. The main characters were simplistic and lacked development which may have been a feature that would go unnoticed with younger readers for whom the book is intended. I enjoyed the story but found it a little short and simple for my taste and was wanting more at the end. – Jo
❝ Cousins Susan and Nick think their summer holiday will be like any other but when Susan falls down a mineshaft and into another world beneath the earth, her cousin goes off after her. Together they battle many interesting and scary creatures, knowing humanity requires their success. The book was reflective of its time, (published 1982) in both its girl needs saving plot *rolls eyes* but also in its creative, imaginative, captivating other world right here in New Zealand. It reminded me how so very clever Maurice Gee is and though I have always enjoyed his general fiction, it’s his children’s books where his forte lies. As children of the 80s we were lucky to have these magical, local stories to read. – Rachel
—–
Published 1982
Oxford University Press
204 pages
Colorless Tsukuru Tazaki & His Years of Pilgrimage – Haruki Murakami
READ FOR BOOKCLUB
Chosen by Jo
The protagonist of this book is Tsukuru Tazaki, a Japanese man in his 30s who designs railroad stations.
He recalls his younger years, where at high school he had four best friends whose names all include a colour: red, blue, white, black. Tsukuru’s name contained no reference to colour, and the joking about it caused him to consider himself blank, isolated and boring: colourless.
Suddenly, without explanation, his four friends abandon him swearing never to speak to him again. Though troubled and vexed by this, he never seeks to find out why this happened. For 16 years he simply wonders.
Now, in the present, he goes on a mission to find out why, revisiting his lost friends and asking them for their accounts of the abandonment. His quest for the answers takes him as far as Finland where one of the friends now lives.
Let’s say you are an empty vessel. So what? What’s wrong with that?” Eri said. “You’re still a wonderful, attractive vessel. And really, does anybody know who they are? So why not be a completely beautiful vessel? The kind people feel good about, the kind people want to entrust with precious belongings.
❝Murakami often has a theme of mystic realism and characters who have their opposites. At this bookclub meet we discussed these themes and worked out who each character’s complimentary opposite was. It was after this discussion that we realised Tsukuru had much more to him than meets the eye. He wasn’t a boring, straight forward person at all. Murakami’s prose always seems simple to me and flows so well, which is just as well as there is so much else going on if you know to look for it. Not having all the answers made the story all the more interesting as the reader is left to ponder and work out likely scenarios for themselves. – Jo
❝ I really enjoyed the relaxed and easy flow this novel brings and as in usual Murakami style it wasn’t full of flowery and elaborate literature. The plot was not at all complex to follow but was intriguing and quite puzzling at times. Murakami had us pondering what happened with his friend group and why they would cast him out? Were his dreams really dreams or a blur with reality? Colorless Tsukuru is a clever novel that has many hidden layers. A great novel to discuss with your bookie friends. – Jodie
❝ I loved the discussions we had around this book and the different theories and interpretations about what the hell actually happened. The feeling of not quite knowing wasn’t frustrating, it was really interesting to think about the author’s possible reasonings. There were aspects of Colorless Tsukuru Tazaki and His Years of Pilgramage that have not aged well. We are not ready to cancel you just yet Haruki, but you are sailing close to the wind mate. – Suzy
❝ Colorless Tsukuru has many of Murakami’s hallmarks yet wasn’t as out there as some of his others. Yes actions in dreams seem to occur in real life, but no there are no talking cats or portals to other worlds. Yes the characters had intense relationships and over-shared their emotions, but a sense of mystery remained. The links between the names of colour provided a layer of consideration that didn’t overwhelm the narrative. The primary mystery was solved but this raised more questions that had us discussing possibilities for hours. For me this is a perfect kind of Murakami novel with the right level of mystique, craziness and likeable characters. I totally loved it. – Rachel
—–
Published in Japanese 2013
Translated into English by Philip Gabriel 2014
Vintage
308 pages
All The Light We Cannot See – Anthony Doerr
READ FOR BOOKCLUB
Chosen by Jodie
During the occupation of Paris a young girl named Marie-Laure loses her sight and relies on a miniature model of the city built by her father to navigate the streets.
Motherless, she and her father end up fleeing to Saint Malo to stay with her uncle and his housekeeper. But soon the bombs start and she finds herself alone in the house, with only a new model of the surrounding area to establish her way.
At the same time a young orphan named Werner is enlisted by the Germans as a solider and proves particularly useful at working with transmitting devices. Asked to hunt out any enemy transmission, Werner refuses to report the sweet voice of Marie-Laure.
Along with the childrens’ stories is that of Marie-Laure’s father Daniel who is a locksmith and keeper of the keys at the Muséum National d’Histoire Naturelle. In an attempt to hide the location of a large, blue diamond, named Sea of Flames, he creates four replicas. The original is said to protect the owner but kill and maim their nearest and dearest. The Germans are determined to track it down and their investigations lead them to Marie-Laure.
All The Light We Cannot See won the Pulitzer Prize for fiction in 2015.
You know the greatest lesson of history? It’s that history is whatever the victors say it is. That’s the lesson. Whoever wins, that’s who decides the history. We act in our own self-interest. Of course we do. Name me a person or a nation who does not. The trick is figuring out where your interests are.
❝ I was instantly captivated with this carefully constructed novel by Anthony Doerr. Ultimately Doerr wanted to write a book that reminded us of the magic of radio and liked the idea of a boy trapped listening to a story over the radio. Secondly Doerr had visited Saint Malo and was fascinated by its devastating history during WW2 and thirdly he was compelled to write about the theft of France’s precious artefacts. Over seven years Doerr braided the lives of the characters and his three base ideas together spanning two separate timescales. The scenes were beautifully intricate in their descriptions. Doerr’s focus of the novel was unlike any other WWII story I have read. He gave us a real insight into the sufferings of the children affected. It was both a heartbreaking and heartwarming novel that I would absolutely recommend. – Jodie
❝ What a thoroughly enjoyable page turning story. I think I’ve found my favourite book for the year. I enjoyed the time switching method as we learned more about the realistic characters with the tension rising as the story unfolded. Every word seemed necessary and important with short punchy chapters making it an easy albeit deeply saddening at times, read. The Sea of Flames added another dimension with its supposed curse and mystical nature. I would recommend this book to anyone. – Jo
❝ This was a WW2 novel with a few slightly different twists including a long-lost gem, disabilities, and ground-breaking technology. I found the author’s writing very evocative, particularly the time that Marie-Laurie spent in Saint-Malo with her uncle and his housekeeper. One disappointment for me was the drawn out sexual violence scene – an unnecessarily graphic addition that added nothing of value to the story. – Suzy
❝ I am a fan of personal war stories so this was my cup of tea. I think knowing that war stories are most often portrayals of true events astound and intrigue me. And this is no different, knowing a lost girl and a enslaved boy are breaking rules that could see them killed to keep in touch over the airwaves. I loved the aspect of blindness, of the miniature city and navigating ones away around the truth. This is a lengthy book but the short chapters provide a sense of urgency and though there are many perfect places to stop reading for the night, I hardly wanted to.” – Rachel
——
Published 2014
Scribner
531 pages
The Lying Life of Adults – Elena Ferrante
READ FOR BOOKCLUB
Chosen by Rachel
Giovanni is a 13 year old living in Naples. One day she overhears her father compare her to her Aunt Vittoria, a woman the whole family despises. Hurt but also curious, Giovanni goes in search of her Aunt.
Vittoria both intimidates and empowers her with honest conversations and intellectual challenges. Vittoria insists it is her brother that is the ugly one of the family, the one who tells lies. She implores Giovanni to look closer and uncover the truth for herself.
With her new found adult perspective Giovanni does inspect the adults in her life more closely, her mother, father, her friend’s parents and even Vittoria herself. What she discovers in them all is a litany of secrets and deceptions. Giovanni rebels, her ascent into adulthood is fast tracked and she becomes a teller of lies too.
Appearance has long been studied in fiction but this translated work offers a fresh perspective on what constitutes beauty. A bracelet which changes hands several times showcases how the perception of beauty and ugliness is a powerful tool that can both embolden and hurt people. The bracelet guides the narrative, and each change of owner signifies an impending change in one’s perception of themselves but also in their loyalties. Giovanni herself constantly realigns her loyalties and as such further impedes her transition from adolescent to adult.
Elena Ferrante is a pseudonymous author whose identity is known only by her publisher.
If you looked even just for a moment at those who had the privilege of a beautiful, refined face, you discovered that it hid infernos no different from those expressed by coarse, ugly faces. The splendor of a face, enhanced even by kindness, harbored and promised suffering still more than a dull face.
❝ The Lying Life of Adults has a perfect juxtaposition of vulgarity and refinement. All the characters and their actions can be described as such as different times in the novel. And what an apt way to portray the move between adolescent innocence and the harsh reality of adulthood. The characterisation in this book was fabulous, I loved and despised most characters at some time or other and always wanted to know who was lying the most. I loved it and I think most bookies would enjoy it, too. – Rachel
❝ The voice of Giovanni felt authentic throughout this great coming-of-age story. As with many teens, Giovanni would oscillate between being overly sensitive, emotional and difficult, to thoughtful and considerate. The lying theme was expertly woven throughout and was present right from the start which I didn’t immediately recognise until it was pointed out by our chair. I enjoyed pondering the characters’ stories and wondering who was actually more truthful. Altogether an awesome novel from an anonymous author. I would love to know who she is! – Jo
❝ I really enjoyed this slice of life about Italian teen Giovanna. A girl thrown from the idyllic bubble she lived in with adorning parents whom she admired, into a world of lies, secrets and personal discovery. There are two events which sparked major changes in her outlook of life, the first being a comment from her father, in which he said she was becoming like her estranged Aunt and the other the discovery of a life-changing family secret. However, Giovanna’s self-discovery leads her to become a strong willed, rebellious more opened-minded teenager. Great novel with great characters. – Jodie
❝ I know it’s been a long time since I’ve read something written by Judy Blume, but I swear The Lying Life of Adults tops even those gold standard coming of age novels. The mysterious Elena Ferrante channeled the contradictory and slightly unhinged aspects of growing up so accurately it almost felt like my own teenage years were being exposed. A fantastic read, one of my faves this year. – Suzy
——-
Published in Italian 2019
Translated into English in 2020 by Ann Goldstein
Europa Editions
336 pages
2022 NZ Book Awards
Identity comes through as a strong building block for all the fiction shortlisters this year. Misunderstanding of identity, attempts to place ones self in the realms of “normality”, studies of those with identity issues. Not only is this topical but important for writers to showcase the metaphorical and literal exploration of what it means to be ones self.
In Kurangaituku, the protagonist is a bird woman, misunderstood and seen as both a monster and a sex object. She is buried during the great eruption of Taupō and claws her way through the crust of the earth for a new beginning where she longs for love and acceptance.
In A Good Winter the protagonist is a middle aged woman who views her identity and her rights over others as far more privileged than they deserve to be. Her inability to reconcile her identity with the world around her causes her to instil harm and concern to those around her.
The protagonist in Entanglement is a time traveller. His identity is split into fragments spread over three countries and in several different time frames. He wants to return to 1977 to correct a mistake while examining the many parts of his identity and the tragedies that shattered him.
Greta and Valdin, of the eponymous novel, are gay, part Maori, part Russian siblings who constantly analyse what it means to be stretched between several stereotypes. Through their familial, educational and romantic experiences we observe all sorts of identity conflict and misconceptions.
——
❝ For the first time in all our years of (novice!) book award judging, I want to choose a four way tie. Normally there is at least one book I know will not be in my final line up, but this time every work was compelling and intelligent and meaningful and though I enjoyed each for different reasons I can justify why each should win the top prize!
Kurangaituki for its importance and stunning prose. Entanglement for its intelligence and study of emotion. Greta & Valdin for its accurate representation of New Zealand’s diversity. A Good Winter for its enjoyable exploration of an unstable mind.
I’ve re-written this paragraph several times, stating a preference for a different two or three each time, but can’t bear to leave one of them out! So, I’ll mention only one, and that is the book which I think will have longevity and relevance in years to come. Therefore, I’m picking Kurangaituku for the top gong. But I’ll be pleased whomever wins! – Rachel
——-
❝ These books fell into two categories for me with Greta and Valdin and A Good Winter being so engaging and almost demanding of my time as I tried to sneak as many moments as possible to sit down with them and find out what the characters were up to next. I found both stories utterly compelling.
Whereas Kurangaituku and Entanglement were structurally quite unusual and were also written with such beauty and intelligence. As a reader I also found them less accessible.
I think any of these books are utterly worthy of the prize and geez I cannot bloody wait to hear who’s going to take it out on the night – if I had to make a call though I think Kurangaituku may just do it. – Suzy
Loop Tracks – Sue Orr
READ FOR NZ BOOK AWARDS
For a time in the late ’70s, abortion was illegal in New Zealand and young woman who could afford it would fly to Sydney for the procedure. Loop Tracks‘ story line is built around that moment in history. The protagonist, Charlie, is 16 years old in the opening pages and onboard a flight bound for Australia.
The first time I got on an aeroplane, I was sixteen years old and pregnant. I was on my way to Sydney to have my situation sorted out. It was May 1978 and that was what you had to do if you had enough money for the flight and the procedure. Although they didn’t say procedure, or termination. Not as I recall. They definitely hardly ever said abortion.
The second narrative is set in 2020 when she is in her late 50s and caring for her teenage grandson Tommy who has Aspergers, and the country goes into Covid lockdown.
The story is bookended with controversial times in New Zealand’s history – the ‘70s when abortions were illegal, and 2020 when reform about abortion, euthanasia and drugs was in discussion. With an election looming, Tommy seeks answers and offers controversial opinions on big topics, spurring interesting debate between himself and his grandmother.
There is a cyclic nature to the themes and story lines which helps shape character development and the reveal of information, and which provides a feeling of completeness. As was common in lockdown, the characters here are spending those days locked in the same four walls examining their lives, their loss of choice, their community, trying to make sense of the past and worrying about the future. There are plenty of secrets and reveals along the way too.
I read this book in one day (ironically when home with Covid) and couldn’t put it down. The timing and topicality probably had something to do with it, but still, it is a well-structured book that’s easy to read and gets the conscience whirling. – Rachel
Published 2022
Victoria University Press
332 pages
Kurangaituku – Whiti Hereaka
READ FOR NZ BOOK AWARDS
Kurangaituku is the story of Hatupatu told from the perspective of Kurangaituku, the bird woman. The traditional story is told from the view of Hatupatu. He is out hunting and is captured by the bird woman who imprisons him in her cave in the mountains. Hatupatu eventually escapes, though he is pursued by Kurangaituku and evades her by leaping over hot springs. Kurangaituku falls into them and perishes.
In this contemporary retelling, Kurangaituku’s life is giving more meaning that of just being a monster. We learn about the birds who sang her into being, her life with Hatupatu, her death and her subsequent wanderings through the underworld searching for justice. Through the eyes of Kurangaituku, we come to see how being with Hatupatu changed her, emotionally and in her outlook and behaviours, and how devastating their separation is.
The book is split into three parts, with two sections printed tete-beche (upside down from one another). One, starting at the light coloured cover, tells the story of the bird-woman as she lived with Hatupatu. The story which starts from the dark coloured cover tells the story of Kurangaituku in the underworld. The middle section is told twice, each version upside down from the other, and is the traditional retelling for those who were not familiar with it.
The love shown to language and story telling allows the reader to feast on the phrasing and to devour the story, just as Kurangaituku devours life.
I was a creature trapped somewhere between bird and Song Maker. My face was covered in the same pale skin as my chest. The feathers on my head started high on my forehead, mimicking the hairlines of my Song Maker creators. I kept the beak of the kōtuku bu the position of my eyes had changed. Was I hideous or beautiful? I had never asked myself that before, but now I couldn’t stop the thought. Until that moment I suppose I had no ego. At least no idea that my curiosity ought to be focused on myself.
❝ This novel was raw, visceral and beautiful. Partway through I started crying and didn’t know why as it wasn’t a ‘sad’ part – it is just so beautifully written and is gut punch after gut punch. The language felt poetic throughout.
I felt weirdly unworthy of being an ‘observer’ of such a momentous and massive storyline. What right did I have to be enmeshed within these events?
I found it hard going. My capacity for the understanding of the reverse stories was limited and at times I felt like the cleverness was beyond me. I guess I need to feel like a book is within my reach and this was a barrier to me fully immersing myself within it. I need to attempt it a second time where I can give it undivided attention. I would be unsurprised if Kurangaituku won! It is stunning. – Suzy
❝ Novels based on folklore can be difficult to like if you’re not familiar with the history. And while, yes, knowing the story of Kurangaituku and Hatupatu helps with this book, you can just as equally love it for the unique contemporary character created by Hereaka (Ngāti Tūwharetoa, Te Arawa).
Her examination of identity and understanding of those who are different is strong. Kurangaituku is half woman, half bird searching for acceptance and love. She is fallible but reasoned, not simply the monster the original fable makes her out to be.
What’s more important than the plot though, is the mellifluous writing style Hereaka possesses. Though I didn’t always understand how all the parts of the plot came together, I was captured by how beautifully the book was written and how as a reader we were encouraged to feel a part of the story telling. This is clearly an important book about NZ history and modern explorations of identity and as such I can see it being relevant for a long time. – Rachel
——-
Published 2021
Huia Publishers
350 pages
Crossroads – Jonathan Franzen
READ FOR BOOKCLUB
Chosen by Suzy
The Hilderbrandts are a clery family from New Prospect, Illinois. The minister father heads a youth group named Crossroads, yet this reference also pertains to the members of the Hilderbrandt family, who are all in a quandary of sorts and making important decisions that will influence their futures.
Russ and Marion each have reasons to end their joyless marriage which they are exploring. Russ is attracted to a woman in the parish. Marion is hiding a dark past which is coming back to mentally and emotionally plague her. Their eldest child, Clem, is coming home from college, having taken an action that he knows will upset his father. Becky, the social queen of her high-school class, is questioning her faith and her relationships, while Perry has been selling drugs to seventh graders but resolves to be a better person.
The use of religion and belief as a central theme allows Franzen the opportunity to explore the ways in which faith assumes varying forms, and the distinct ways in which people use religion to justify, explain or gain moral superiority over others. All of the five Hilderbrandts have different expectations and outcomes from their religiosity. Their faith, their actions, and their opinions show an accurate level of humanness and the wide gambit of religious interpretation that exists.
Your father doesn’t look to our Saviour but to what other men think of him. He preaches love but holds a grudge like no man’s business.
❝ This was an absolutely mammoth read and I was hoping with all my heart it would also be a good read, as the thought of tackling something that size and not enjoying it was almost overwhelming! Franzen more than delivered and I found Crossroads engaging from the very first paragraph to the last. Discovering this was the first of a trilogy was exciting and I look forward to hearing about what happens to the Hildebrandt family as they move through the years. – Suzy
❝ From the outset it is clear the characterisation performed by Franzen is extensive. I got a real sense that I knew these people and understood why they behaved as they did. Even the characters that were quite annoying I still found generally likeable due to their completeness. I liked the threading of religious faith through the book as it gave me an insight into the many variations around religious interpretation. Overall, a great story that I found easy to read. – Jo
❝ As usual Franzen has mastered genuine depictions of ordinary people, accurately bringing to life characters of all ages and identities. This masterful creativity was the highlight of the book for me. I also enjoyed examining religion as a societal convention from the aspect of many different people’s belief systems. And a 70s rebellion/drugs/sex/rock’n’roll theme is always fun. I liked and enjoyed this book, but it didn’t knock my socks off like some of Franzen’s other works have. – Rachel
❝ Crossroads was a novel I was drawn into from the start. It wasn’t the plot or content but the characters that had me absorbed. Frazen is very clever at developing the five family members, around whom the novel is centred. He paints a realistic picture of their lives falling apart within a very religious mid-western community. The strong religious belief of the family and community was quite eye opening and fascinated me as its something I know little about. The family and community were on the edge of crises throughout the novel, which was a a huge page turner. – Jodie
—–
Published 2021
Farrar, Straus and Giroux
580 pages
We're
currently
reading
The Free-Range Bookclub 
Recent Comments