We read the 2018 winner of the Booker prize, Anna Burns, The Milkman set in Northern Ireland during ‘the Troubles’. Middle sister, the main character, struggles to manage her relationship with her maybe-boyfriend, while being stalked by an older man, the leader of the local paramilitary.
Her mother is a particularly bitter and resentful woman who has already lost two sons in the civil war and shows no sympathy for her daughter. The toxic environment of gossip and bitchiness that permeates this community weighs heavily on the girl. Despite all this some subtle humor can be found and towards the end there are small signs that some sort of improvements may help this community out of its hopelessness.
A mixed response from the reading group, some enjoyed it, others found the prose style difficult. We will be comparing other books from the Booker Long List with this winner. Our book for March is Warlight by Michael Ondaatje and we will be meeting in the Benalla Library at 2pm on Friday 15 March. Anyone who has read the book is welcome to join us.
Meg Dillon
Her mother is a particularly bitter and resentful woman who has already lost two sons in the civil war and shows no sympathy for her daughter. The toxic environment of gossip and bitchiness that permeates this community weighs heavily on the girl. Despite all this some subtle humor can be found and towards the end there are small signs that some sort of improvements may help this community out of its hopelessness.
A mixed response from the reading group, some enjoyed it, others found the prose style difficult. We will be comparing other books from the Booker Long List with this winner. Our book for March is Warlight by Michael Ondaatje and we will be meeting in the Benalla Library at 2pm on Friday 15 March. Anyone who has read the book is welcome to join us.
Meg Dillon
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