Many and varied books were read, some enjoyed, some a little disappointing. Noelle enjoyed The Blue Sky between Sky and Water by Susan Abulhawa, set in Palestine it follows the lives of the Baraka family from Deit Daras to Gaza and the dispersing of the family across the world. Unusual was The Behaviour of Moths by Poppy Adams. From her lookout on the first floor, Ginny watches and waits for her younger sister to return to the crumbling mansion that was once their idyllic childhood home. Vivien has not set foot in the house since she left, forty-seven years ago; Ginny, the reclusive moth expert, has rarely ventured outside it. Reliable Anita Shrieve wrote A Change in Altitude, set in the darkness and light of Kenya in Africa, worth a read. The Memoirs and Diaries of the poet Lord Byron who died in Greece in 1824, Byron Bay was named after him, was also worth the read. The Highland Clans by Alistar Moffet, held special interest for our reader following her family history. The Diamond Hunter, Fiona McIntosh was a little disappointing, everyone was too perfect. The Champagne War by Fiona, was voted a better read. Also mentioned was a regular column in the Women’s Weekly called The Reading Room, which lists new releases. The Dressmakers Secret, Rosalie Ham, was disappointing, but Dogs in Australian Art by Steven Miller was delightful and very well produced. A Gentleman in Moscow by Amor Towles, got the thumbs up, whilst the usual run of mystery novels, James Pattison, Michael Connelly were enjoyed. The Cartographers Daughter, slow to start but finished OK. Girls with No Names New York in 1910, Time of suffragettes, unions and the House of Mercy for girls who broke the law!!
What a big read everyone had. See you all in March.
Geraldine McCorkell