Catching Up with Young @ Heart Book Group

There were some thought-provoking books on the table at this month’s session of the Young @ Heart book group. And among them were several titles that have been adapted for the screen.

Highly rated was The Color Purple by Alice Walker. Set in the American South between the wars, the novel follows Celie, a young black girl suffering from poverty, abuse, and isolation. After enduring repeated rape and losing her children and sister Nettie, she finds hope in Shug Avery, a strong, independent woman. Through Shug, Celie awakens to her own strength, ultimately liberating herself and reconnecting with her loved ones. A great read about a woman taking control of her destiny.

In Hillbilly Elegy - a memoir of a family and culture in crisis, P D Vance chronicles his family's rise from poverty to middle-class success. Along the way it highlights their challenges and history, culminating in the author's Yale Law School graduation. This was considered a good read that really shows how poverty is engrained.

Recently adapted as a movie starring Saoirse Ronan, Amy Liptrot’s memoir The Outrun was another good read.  After a decade away, Amy returns to Orkney, revisiting the sheep farm where she grew up. Standing at the cliff edge, she confronts her past in England. Through cold sea swims, wildlife tracking, and sky-gazing for the Merry Dancers, she embarks on her recovery from addiction.

There was high praise for a number of historical novels, beginning with At the Foot of the Cherry Tree by Alli Parker. Eighteen-year-old Australian Gordon Parker is eager to fight for his country, while sixteen-year-old Nobuko "Cherry" Sakuramato struggles to survive in post-World War II Japan. Their unexpected love defies the odds and changes history. Gordon arrives expecting hostility but encounters Cherry, a survivor of the atomic bomb and terrified of ex-enemy soldiers. When he learns that the White Australia Policy prevents Cherry from joining him in Australia as his war bride, he vows to fight for their future.
Leaving Cherry alone and pregnant, he campaigns against a xenophobic government to gain acceptance for their marriage. Spanning seven years and two countries recovering from war, At the Foot of the Cherry Tree is a poignant novel about love, faith, and the struggle to alter one’s destiny.

The Return of Captain John Emmett by Elizabeth Speller was according to one reader a book you just can’t put down. In 1920, two years after the Great War, Laurence Bartram, a reclusive veteran haunted by personal loss and war memories, is urged by a former acquaintance to investigate her brother John Emmett's suicide. Laurence delves into Emmett's story in a plot that involves the lives of war poets, a regimental feud, and a concealed romance. Laurence uncovers more troubling deaths and realizes that not everything—and not everyone—around him is as they appear.

The Secret Chord by Geraldine Brooks revives King David's journey in Second Iron Age Israel, exploring his transformation from shepherd to king, hero to tyrant, and his eventual remorse. The Secret Chord offers fresh perspectives on famed and overlooked moments in David's life through the eyes of those close to him – among them the prophet Nathan and his wives. The story leads to the redemption brought by his son Solomon. This was a good read, but our reader found the Hebrew names a bit frustrating.

We came across a few good thrillers over the last reading month, too.

Julia Levitina’s novel, The Girl From Moscow was a compulsive read and hard to put down. Twenty-one-year-old Ella aspires to play War and Peace character Natasha Rostova at the Moscow Theatre Academy but is swept into a protest with her friend Vlad, attracting KGB attention. Labelled a traitor, she must leave the Academy and longs to escape the oppressive Soviet regime. As she seeks a way out, Ella becomes entangled in a dangerous game with a KGB general who can secure her freedom. Will she risk everything to pursue a new life in the West? An intense Cold War drama.

I Am Pilgrim by Terry Hayes was quite long, and a bit gory, but still a good read. One man's urgent quest to save America unfolds amidst a series of grotesque murders: a young woman dissolved in acid, a father beheaded in Saudi Arabia, a biotechnologist found eyeless in Damascus, and further remains left in Afghanistan. Codenamed "Pilgrim", this elusive figure must emerge from hiding to expose a chilling plot against humanity.

Matthew Reilly’s new book, Mr Einstein’s Secretary was both interesting and exciting reading. Hanna Fischer, a would-be physicist, becomes an extraordinary secretary and spy amid 40 years of turmoil—from Berlin's gangs to WWII's Nazis, crossing paths with history's giants, including Einstein. This gripping narrative reveals hidden truths as Hanna navigates perilous times. The point of view switches throughout the book, which was a bit different.

Finally, a feel-good read from New Zealand author, Nicky Pellegrino: The Italian Wedding. In London, the Martinelli family embodies typical Italian life—chaotic yet loving. As bridal designer Pieta crafts her sister Addolorata's wedding gown, she's sidetracked by family mysteries: her father's feud, her mother's sadness, and her unrequited love. While stitching, Pieta unravels the secrets shaping her family and her own desires. The novel is a nice, light read exploring family truths and personal identity amid a celebration of love and food.

The Young @ Heart book group meets on the first Thursday of the month at Havelock North Library (occasionally at a café) from 10:30 to 11:30. New members welcome.

11 November 2024

Back to Library Blog