Here we begin our 6th year of book club together. Last year was the first time we met remotely, as my family and I moved to another city. It was a record slow year for us, but there were a lot of circumstances that made it so: I moved three times, Alisha moved once, Lauren had a baby girl and I had a baby boy. We’re starting this year’s list with a three month handicap (it’s the end of March, already) but we’re enthusiastic and can’t wait to get started. Since we’re all quarantined at home because of the Covid-19 crisis, we have lots of time at home for reading and meeting online.
The Alice Network, by Kate Quinn
Our 52nd novel, suggested by both Lauren and myself. My best friend had recommended it to me and described it as ‘phenomenal.’ A friend of Lauren’s had also suggested it as a good read, as well as another book by the same author. We followed the narratives of Eve, a British spy who worked in France during World War I, and Charlie (Charlotte), a young American who has hired Eve to help her find out what happened to her cousin in World War II.
Conjure Women, by Afia Atakora
Our 51st novel, suggested by Alisha. This book took place before, during and after the Civil War. It’s quite different than anything we’ve read before, with a splash of magic, voodoo and spiritualism. It’s wonderfully suspenseful, with the ending of stories dropped throughout that left us clamoring to find out what had led to that ending. Rue and Bruh Abel were delightful characters in that we never really knew if we were rooting for or against them. The tragedies hit us on a personal level, and we all hugged our babies closer.
Eleanor Oliphant is Completely Fine, by Gail Honeyman
Our 50th novel together! Lauren suggested this book, and then we also heard from other sources that it was very good. When I tried to get a copy at the local used bookstore (once social distancing restrictions were lifted in phase 1 of reopening), the owner said they had a long waiting list because of all the people trying to get their hands on it. Eleanor was…a treat. It was such a pleasure to find in her a kindred spirit, and I loved her worldviews. We all grew very fond of her and we rooted for her in a way that few other characters have managed to evoke. It was a book that had us alternately giggling and wiping away tears. For your reading pleasure, a few of the many quotes I copied down while reading:
-The crematorium was a busy place and the parking spaces were needed, I supposed. I’m not sure I’d like to be burned. I think I might like to be fed to zoo animals. It would be both environmentally friendly and a lovely treat for the larger carnivores. Could you request that?
-He wasn’t using a knife, but held a fork in his right hand like a child or an American.
-“No thank you,” I said. “I don’t want to accept a drink from you, because then I would be obliged to purchase one for you in return, and I’m afraid I’m simply not interested in spending two drinks’ worth of time with you.”
-I wasn’t made for illiteracy; it simply didn’t come naturally.
-Emily Dickinson’s beautiful poem is called “Wild Nights–Wild Nights!” and combines two elements of which I am inordinately fond: punctuation, and the theme of finding, at long last, a soul mate.
-Perhaps Raymond’s mother would prove intelligent and charming company. I doubted it, based on the evidence of her progeny, but one never knew.
-If I’m ever unsure as to the correct course of action, I’ll think, “What would a ferret do?” or, “How would a salamander respond to this situation?” Invariably, I find the right answer.
Oh, we loved this girl.
Ahab’s Wife, by Sena Jeter Naslund
Our 49th novel, and one we’ve seen many times in The Book Exchange and considered. We went with this one at this time because I have a physical copy and we realized at our last online meeting that my toddler had cracked the screen on my Kindle. While one of the larger books we read together, we finished it quickly and with great enjoyment. The pages were action-packed. There was one meeting where Lauren hadn’t finished the last ten pages, but those ten pages sent the book spinning into new realms of adventure. Una is one of the more compelling female characters I’ve had the privilege to encounter in a while. While reading Moby Dick is not necessary to understanding or enjoying this book, it did lend some insight to the character of Captain Ahab and appreciation for the wonderfully woven plot.