Sadly. with the death of the co-ordinator Ruth the group has disbanded, whilst awaiting a new co-ordinator.

The Book Group has been going since 2001. Membership is restricted to ten but we do have some vacancies. We usually read fiction, but have read the occasional biography. We choose books from the SMBC Library catalogue so do not have to buy any books. We all read the same book and then discuss it, basing our discussion on questions downloaded from the internet. It is rare for everyone to agree, but the ensuing discussion is always enjoyable and stimulating. Occasionally we each bring a book of our own choice and this provides an opportunity to swap titles and authors.

We meet on the second Thursday in the month in members’ houses and we would welcome new members to our group.

February’s book was “Cider with Rosie” by Laurie Lee.

This book was read by us when we were younger and was a great favourite. Published in 1959 It is a vivid and affectionate memoir of a childhood in a remote Cotswold village just after the First World war. This village had no electricity or running water, but by the time Laurie grew up things were changing and the area is now designated as an area of outstanding beauty. The book was beautifully written and enjoyed by us all. It gave rise to much interesting discussion, One of our members lived in that area for a time and she met Laurie Lee a number of times. He was a lovely man and always ready to chat and sign a copy of his book. 

We started the new year by reading “Snow Country” by Sebastian Faulkes.

It follows the lives of two main characters. Anton and Lena living in Austria between 1914 and 1933.

Anton, an aspiring author, makes his living writing articles for magazines and journals. He is deeply in love with Delphine who disappears during the First World War. In vain Anton searches for her.

Lena, the daughter of a drunken prostitute, had a very cold and unhappy childhood. She is an unusual girl, direct and uncompromising. At the age of fifteen she ends up working at the Schloss Seeblick, the setting for a prequel to this novel, “Human Traces” The schloss is a private clinic for patients with nervous disorders who are treated with talking therapy which was a radical treatment at the time. 

Years later, Anton is sent to this clinic to write about this institution and meets Lena who falls in love with him.

This book is far more than a romantic novel. There are many interesting characters whose lives are described against the background of unrest in Europe.It is beautifully written with much detail about the political situation and the treatment of mental disorders. The Sunday Telegraph describes it as “ A tale of love…and the strength of the human spirit”.

November’s book was “ People of Abandoned Character” a first novel by Clare Whitfield.

Set in Victorian London in 1888, Susannah, an ageing spinster, rushes into marriage to a young and wealthy surgeon. After a passionate honeymoon, she returns home but then everything changes. Her husband’s behaviour becomes increasingly volatile and violent. He stays out all night, returning home bloodied and full of secrets. His housekeeper, Mrs Wiggs, backs her boss’s strange behaviour and is uncooperative and aggressive with Susannah.

Lonely and frustrated, she starts to follow the gruesome reports of a spate of murders in Whitechapel. But as the killings continue, her anxious mind takes her down the darkest path imaginable. Every time he stays out late, anothervictim is found dead. Is it coincidence or is her husband who the papers call    “ Jack the Ripper”?

This is a gripping and original take on the world’s most notorious serial killer. 

It is well written and cleverly plotted. It was very atmospheric and rather gruesome but this was appropriate to the story which highlights  the hopeless plight of women at that time. This stimulated much discussion on their changing roles. This book was rather long but certainly worth reading.

October’s book was “Alchemy and Rose” by Sarah Maine.

It is mainly set in New Zealand in the 1870s and briefly in Scotland. In 1866 Will Stewart has one of many who have left their native country of Scotland to seek their fortunes in New Zealand’s last great gold rush. Rose is about to arrive on the shores of South Island when a storm hits and the ship is wrecked. Will rescues her and the couple are gradually drawn together. After a terrible misunderstanding Will and Rose are cruelly separated and their new-found happiness is shattered. Will then desperately seeks her crossing oceans and continents. The reviews make it obvious that they eventually meet up again.

We all felt the story was rather predictable and we didn’t warm to the characters. On the other hand the descriptions of the landscape and the conditions of the gold rush camp were vivid. A rather disappointing book.

Our September book was “Confession” by Jessie Burton,writer of the very successful “The Miniaturist”.

When Elise Morceau meets the writer Constance Holden, she quickly falls under her spell. Connie is sophisticated, bold and alluring – everything Elise feels she is not. She follows Connie to LA but Elise feels even more out of her depth and makes an impulsive decision that will change her life forever.

Three decades later, Rose Simmons is trying to uncover the story of her mother, who disappeared when she was a baby. Having learned that the last person to see was a now reclusive novelist, Rose finds herself at the door of Constance Holden’s house in search of a confession……..

Most of us enjoyed this novel. It kept our interest and many of the characters were well drawn.