hi..i'm in for tonight's chat...just pouring a glass of wine and thinking about Humz's starters...see you at 9

 gleaming | May 7 2008, 20:33 pm

Hi, Sorry I mis-spelt Genna's name when I typed the questions! Anyway, hope you all enjoyed the book. I think it was different from what we have had so far at least.

 Humz | May 7 2008, 20:58 pm

Hi - yep - I'm ready to go to. I'm left feeling unsure who I sympathise with.

 burntsugar | May 7 2008, 21:02 pm

hi Humz...this was, I think, a good book club choice for me: because I'm not sure I'd have finished it (maybe even picked it up) if it was just for my solo-reading - but I'm glad I finished - yesterday :)

 gleaming | May 7 2008, 21:04 pm

I should have said ' felt most sympathy for' - as both Genna and Minette found life a struggle - but for different reasons

 burntsugar | May 7 2008, 21:04 pm

I felt that Oates wrote Minette very unsympathetically. Obviously, her main character was Genna and it was her emotions we were shown.

 Humz | May 7 2008, 21:04 pm

Hi gleaming, I know how you feel. Looking at the latest choice, it isn't a book that I would ever choose to read. Maybe it is good to be thrown out of your comfort zone, but I am glad you got through it!

 Humz | May 7 2008, 21:05 pm

I'm kinda impressed - if you know what I mean - that she made her point of..."who do white liberals think they are, imposing their generous friendship" - by making Minette so unlikeable

 gleaming | May 7 2008, 21:06 pm

I agree Gleaming. I really enjoyed the book (good choice Humz) but found it incredibly slow to start. I kept waiting for something to happen other than Minette's book getting stolen. But when it did get going - it was unputdownable!

 burntsugar | May 7 2008, 21:06 pm

but I couldn't empathise / sympathise with Genna either - at one stage I thought she was crazy enough to be the tormentor of Minette

 gleaming | May 7 2008, 21:07 pm