It’s been a while since I’ve written, and I have three books to talk about today, so I’m really only going to give short summaries and comments about each one, as I have lots still to do today and want to take advantage of the lovely sunny weather. Unfortunately, I won't be doing justice to any of these amazing books, so you'll just have to read them for yourself!
The first book I want to mention is The Death of Us by Abigail Dean. This novel tells the story of a survivor of a serial killer known as the South London Invader, and explores the lifelong impact this crime has had on her life and marriage, and on the lives of other survivors. This book is told in a series of flashbacks and traces the history of the marriage of Isabelle and Edward from their initial meeting to their marriage, then their attack and the subsequent dissolution of their marriage. These flashbacks are also interspersed with present-day chapters as the serial killer is being sentenced, and victim impact statements are being read. I loved this book because it explored the continued impact of the attack on a victim, a survivor and maybe someone we might view as one of the “lucky ones”, because unless we’ve been there ourselves, we can’t know how such an attack could traumatize us and change our lives. It also focused on the evasion of capture of the attacker, someone who moved from rape and torture to murder, and how each new crime reopened the wounds that may have begun to heal for past victims, making it impossible for them to move on. I also thought that the way the author portrayed Isabelle and Edward was perfect, having Isabelle’s chapters written in the first person and speaking directly to the rapist/murderer, while Edward’s chapters were written in the third person, thereby distancing him from the crime, or at least that’s what it seemed like to me. I would highly recommend this book if you enjoy complex mysteries, but this is not a traditional courtroom drama or a police procedural. Rather, it is a hybrid that is also a psychological exploration of two individuals who are at once lovers, victims and strangers.
The next book I want to mention is The Last Flight by Julie Clark, which is the book my Friends Book Club will be discussing tomorrow night. I just finished reading it about 15 minutes ago and I really enjoyed it. This book tells the story of Eva and Claire, two women who need to disappear for different reasons. They meet at JFK seemingly at random and decide to swap plane tickets, neither woman knowing what they are walking into by taking on the other woman’s identity. Told in alternating chapters, what unfolds is the history of one woman and the future of the other, leading to a satisfying ending that neatly ties up all loose ends, and that was, while not entirely surprising for this reader, at least complex enough to keep me interested until the very last paragraph. I don't want to tell you too much, because part of the thrill of this book is the way the author carefully reveals the details of each woman's life and future. I think it would make a great movie, and I can’t wait to hear what my book club members think about it.
And the last book I’ll mention is How to Age Disgracefully by Clare Pooley, a book that my Volunteer Book Club discussed yesterday (so many book clubs, so little time!!). I was unable to get a print copy in time so I listened to the audiobook and flew through it in just a few days. This delightful novel tells the story of an unlikely group of seniors and a few young people, all with interesting, unique backstories, who come together to save their community centre from destruction in order to build luxury condos. Daphne, Anna, Ruby, Art, Lydia, Ziggy and Lucky are just a few of the interesting characters we meet in this book that explores the invisibility of seniors in our society and suggests ways to exploit this to full advantage. Since this book club is made up of seniors, we could all relate to it and everyone loved it. We thought that, while it was over-the-top and unbelievable, it was so engaging and the characters so fun and likable that it was a great read. This book came to my attention last summer when I was visiting an old friend. On the last day of my trip, she took me to the Prairie Oak bookstore, a beautiful independent bookstore and restaurant in Winnipeg. While we were browsing the shelves, she pointed out this book, with its bright, colourful, engaging cover, and I thought it would be perfect for my book group, which it was. So thank you for bringing this book to my attention, Michelle! It was one of the best books we’ve read this year.
That’s all for today. Get outside and enjoy the sunshine!
Bye for now… Julie
