Tag: Bookclub Blog

The Empusium – Olga Tokarczuk

READ FOR BOOKCLUBChosen by Jodie Mieczysław, a student suffering from tuberculosis, arrives at the Wilhelm Opitz’s Guesthouse for Gentlemen but discovers there are many mysterious goings on, involving deaths, misogyny and the occult. Set in a Polish sanatorium in 1913, The Empusium blends horror,… Continue Reading “The Empusium – Olga Tokarczuk”

Ash – Louise Wallace

READ FOR NZ BOOK AWARDS Thea is a veterinarian on maternity leave, called back in just before disaster strikes. Ash has a focus on motherhood, misogyny, female expression, rage and Mother Nature. This novella is presented creatively with prose, poetry, footnotes and unique typesetting.… Continue Reading “Ash – Louise Wallace”

All That We Know – Shilo Kino

READ FOR NZ BOOK AWARDS Māreikura is analysing her identity and begins a programme of “decolonisation”.  Via her outspoken and inquisitive nature she leads us through a witty, poignant and accidental exploration of the effects of colonisation, which, the book explains, was not a… Continue Reading “All That We Know – Shilo Kino”

At Certain Points We Touch – Lauren John Joseph

READ FOR BOOCKLUBChosen by Jodie JJ, a representation of the author, writes an ode to her past lover Thomas John who has tragically passed away. Meandering through the New York, San Francisco and London gay scenes, JJ pursues sex and artistic freedom as she… Continue Reading “At Certain Points We Touch – Lauren John Joseph”

Sisters – Daisy Johnson

READ FOR BOOKCLUBChosen by Rachel Born ten months apart, July and September are almost like twins. They do not look the same, they do not have the same personalties, but they are becoming inseparable and September increasingly exhibits dark influences over July. Their closeness… Continue Reading “Sisters – Daisy Johnson”

2021 Booker

⫸ There are many safety nets which we turn to in a time of ongoing global uncertainty, and one of them is the search for the truth. Opinions of experts and everyday people, the reliability of data and keeping up to date with what… Continue Reading “2021 Booker”

Great Circle – Maggie Shipstead

READ FOR BOOKERTHON The story of daredevil female aviator Marian Graves and her plans to circumnavigate the globe. Marian and Jamie Graves are rescued as infants from a sinking ocean liner in 1914, then raised by their uncle in Montana. After encountering a pair… Continue Reading “Great Circle – Maggie Shipstead”

Bewilderment – Richard Powers

READ FOR BOOKERTHON An astrobiologist helps his neuro-divergent son understand our beautiful, imperilled planet Theo Byrne is an astrobiologist looking for life in space while also caring for his behaviourally challenged son, Robin. Theo’s wife, an environmental activist, has died in a car crash… Continue Reading “Bewilderment – Richard Powers”

The Promise – Damon Galgut

READ FOR BOOKERTHON The lives and deaths of a white South African family, and a promise made to their black housekeeper When Rachel, a 40-year-old white South African dies in 1986, her country is transitioning out of apartheid. The subsequent decline of the family… Continue Reading “The Promise – Damon Galgut”

The Fortune Men – Nadifa Mohamed

READ FOR BOOKERTHON Set in 1952 in Cardiff, The Fortune Men details the real events surrounding the wrongful imprisonment of Mahmood Mattan, a Somali seaman. False witness accounts and racist policing led to him being found guilty of the murder of a local shopkeeper. In prison… Continue Reading “The Fortune Men – Nadifa Mohamed”