Claire Keegan: Foster

What a fresh gust of wind blowing from the island of Ireland to our literal continental world!
Though, only in the form of a short story, namely under the title Foster by Claire Keegan. For the first time published in 2010, then again 2022, this book has also been made to a film, under the direction of Colm Bairéad;  visually a stunning experience, as well.

Of the novella:  this story has only 88 pages in total. This compact little book could stand as model piece for a perfect novella: tense, yet airy; simple, yet more complex in the places where things are left unsaid. All of this covered with the tension that is carefully constructed and which keeps the reader on guard.

Foster is a story of a quiet girl who is about to spend time in the farm house of relatives, not knowing exactly when she will return back home.  It does not take a long time for a reader to understand that this might be a groundbreaking change for this girl, whose upbringing has been totally different from what she is about to experience. At first glance, the yard with weeping willows by the river, and a big house with a dark entrance hall inhabited by this couple seems to foretell something more than meets the eye. Nevertheless, the couple seems to ooze with warmth after the initial stiffness fades away. There should be no secrets in the house; shame is there where there are secrets, as the woman of the house stresses. But.. is that really true?

The events happen in one summer of the 1980´s, where Catholic Ireland stand on the background of this delicately told tale, where the emotions and feelings are held back but which are just about to erupt.  

A small gem that our book club warmly recommends to read!

Review of our group: 4,6/5

–Marika

Image: Goodreads.com

Richard Powers: The Overstory

Richard Powers won the Pulitzer Prize for fiction in 2019 with his novel “The Overstory”. For our book club, this is the first book under our spring theme (2024) “nature”

The book is all about growing the awareness of the special kind of forestry in the States, especially in the area of the West coast of America, inCalifornia where redwoods grow.  According to Wikipedia, “of all the redwoods in the world, 45 % are located in this area.”  Coast redwoods are amongst the tallest trees on the planet, and Powers really manages to convey the magnitudes of these trees.  As well as the need for preservation of these forests and their thread for logging.

The content of the book is really intriguing; under the four main sections, roots, trunk, crown, and seeds, the reader can learn about the events through 9 different characters. We learn something about the communication system that trees have, and we learn to understand the importance that these huge forests have on the ecosystem – and how there are people, eco-activists, who are willing to sacrifice their lives on behalf of this cause.

As mentioned in the rules and regulations of this literary prize, the prize is handed annually for “the American novel published during the year which shall best present the whole/wholesome atmosphere of American life, and the highest standard of American manners and manhood.” We did find something very so-called American in the book. Even to that extent that the words and sceneries he chooses are overflowing and many choices of words so difficult and complex that some of us would describe his style even “pompous”. This style of his is liked by some, yet pushes some of the readers a bit aside, and leaving somewhat perplexed feelings.

Review of our group: 3,2/5

-Marika

Image: Goodreads.com

Alice Munro: Kallis elämä

Syksyn 2023 lukupiirissä luimme teoksia, jotka olivat pinnalla kymmenen vuotta sitten. Vuoden viimeisenä lukupiirikirjana oli vuonna 2013 Nobelin kirjallisuuspalkinnon voittaneen Alice Munron Kallis elämä. Munro oli lukupiirissä useimmille uusi tuttavuus ja sai pääosin ihastuneen, lähes haltioituneen vastaanoton.

Kallis elämä on novellikokoelma. Munron tuotannolle tyypilliseen tapaan novelleissa liikutaan tavallisten ihmisten elämässä ja arkisissa sattumuksissa, jotka saattavat muuttaa elämän suunnan tai asettaa jo tapahtuneen aivan uuteen valoon.

Kerronta on verkkaista ja vähäeleistä, mutta silti runsasta: novelleihin mahtuu paljon kätkettyjä tunteita ja pinnan alaista väreilyä. Elämän sattumanvaraisuus nousee esiin vahvana: ihmiset eivät hallitse elämäänsä tai kohtalonsa suuntaa. Silti he eivät nujerru, vaan sopeutuvat, tai ainakin jatkavat eteenpäin traagistenkin tapahtumien jälkeen.

Alice Munro on elänyt suurimman osan elämästään Kanadan Ontariossa ja sinne, arkisen elämän keskelle, sijoittuu myös hänen kirjallinen tuotantonsa. Lukupiiriläisistä moni koki Munron henkilöt ja heidän elämänsä samaistuttaviksi. Ihmiseen mahtuu monenlaisia tunteita ja kerroksia, ja Munro tavoittaa sen kaiken mestarillisesti.

Ihastuksen ohella Munro myös hämmensi osaa lukupiiriläisistä. Lukeminen oli nautinnollista, mutta novelleista jäi vähän mieleen. Arvelimme sen johtuvan novellistiikasta, joka on monelle lukupiirissä vieraampi kirjallisuudenlaji.

Tuntuu, että novellit vaatisivat hitaampaa lukemista ja pureksimista. Nyt osa oli lukenut novellit viime hetkellä ahmien, monta novellia kerrallaan, eivätkä ne näin luettuina päässeet ihan oikeuksiinsa. Keskustelussa novellien yksityiskohtia oli vaikea muistaa. Päätimmekin, että seuraavan novellikokoelman kohdalla sovimme etukäteen pari novellia, jotka luemme keskustelua varten erityisen tarkasti.

Alice Munro sai lukupiiriläisiltä täyden kymmenen pistettä.

-Sanni

Kuva: Kirjasampo.fi

Shelby van Pelt: Remarkably Bright Creatures

Some interesting facts about an octopus: “An intelligent creature that possesses three hearts as well blue blood and a doughnut-shape brain. An octopus’s bag-shaped body, or a mantle, contains organs such as kidneys, a liver, gills, a stomach, an intestine, a brain, and reproductive organs. On top of its head, an octopus has two eyes that are structurally similar to human eyes; it has relatively good eyesight”. But absolutely “not a squid” (!), as the other main character in the story, Marcellus, a giant Pacific octopus living at the aquarium, wants to remind the reader….

We can hear the inner thoughts of an animal, and we come to learn that it/he also starts to communicate with a human being, namely with Tova, a 70-year-old widow. (A very special opening setting for a story, all in all! How smart can octopuses really be, one starts to wonder.) Due to some tragic events in her life, Tova has become more sensitive about her surroundings. She cannot but feel empathy for the animal trapped in the aquarium, and e.g. sharks with their never-ending laps around the tank. ”Tove understands what it means to never be able to to stop moving, lest you find yourself unable to breathe”. This seems to be one of the key elements in the book – how to tackle with your life when something unforgettable has happened in your life and how to move on. Are there some elementary changes that needs to be made, and why exacatly? For Tova, there is a daily encounter with an octopus who starts to communicate with her, that works as a tool for her to solve some things in her life. Also, as one person departs this life, there might already be a new person or few of them waiting behind the corner.  

Shelby van Pelt is an American writer, who has written her first book in the time of pandemic. She has managed to convey a story of people who have somehow fallen out of the society, or who have become more of a bystander of their own lives. The feeling is somewhat melancholic, yet the glimpses of hope start to shimmer as the events and secrets of the past start to unfold. The book is easy to read, feels pretty light and entertaining to read, as it is a mixture of cozy mystery combined with coming-of-age stories of the protagonists.  Some details of the events were a bit half-done and too easily executed, but that is just a minor observation in the midst of the reading experience that was mostly just enjoyable!  

Review of our group: 3/5

-Marika

Image: Goodreads.com

Quan Barry: When I’m Gone, Look for Me in the East

Amy Quan Barry (born Saigon in 1973) is a Vietnamese an American poet, a novelist, and a playwright. In her third novel, “When I’m Gone, Look for Me in the East” (2022) the events take place in the Far East, Mongolia.

And what a journey this was with her! Guided by the symbols in Buddishm, a reader travels through different parts of this immense country, reaching from the Northern area with a lake district Khövsgöl Nuur to the Southern desert of Gobi, and in between we get to visit mountainous Western part of the country. The nature is wide and wild, this land which consists of contrasts.
(Btw, did you know that the population of the country is about 1,5 millions, of which more than 90% lives in the capital Ulaanbaatar?

We got to follow the events seen throught the eyes of Chuluun, a monk whose mission is participate in the search of “tulku”, the reincarnation an enlightened teacher. We also learn a curious fact that he has a twin brother who, for some reason, has left the monastery they once shared and lived in together before. From this Gandan Tegchling Monastery we come to learn characters such as little bat, Uncle and Saran. This small group is set out on a mission of a lifetime, their aim to find “the One for Whom the Sky Never Darkens”.

A Finnish reader is happy to learn some typical Mongolian features as we get to travel through “buttes” and see some “ovoos” on the hills, see people living in their “ger” as nomadic people do not stay in a one place forever, e.g. This huge country is by no means homonymous, for there are plenty of different religions and non-religions, and ethnicities. A tulku does not need to be of a buddhist origin, mind you. Could the next tulku also be a girl?… In the book there is an insinuation that a present spiritual leader, Dalai Lama, would have stated that “this is the century of Women”.

What happens in this exciting journey? Will there be some new discoveries and for whom, exactly? Whose thoughts are we thinking when we are …. thinking?

Our book club found this a bit challenging yet such a rewarding and special reading experience.

Review of our group: 4/5

-Marika

Image: goodreads.com

Ayobami Adebayo: Stay with me

Literature from a Nigerian writer was read in the book club last time a few years ago when we had Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie’s Americanah on our reading list.  This time around we were carried away with Ayobami Adebayo’s novel Stay with me (2017).  Hard to believe that this is her debut novel – so well written and spellbinding was the story that even our star review was pretty high. 😊

Stay with me is a description of the relationship between Yejide and Akin, a couple who has fallen in love and is about to start their own family. Unfortunately, the hardships in the relationship start to rise when Yejide does not seem to get pregnant, despite the effort. Undoubtedly, the couple would have probably dealt the challenge in a more unstressful way if it wasn’t the pressure set by other family members & old traditions.

Adebayo drifts between two timelines, of nowadays in 2008 and the past events mostly in the 1980’s. Her way of writing and dealing with difficult subjects of woman’s life (pseudocuyesis and impotency to name but a few) are written in a way that does feel too hard to handle, and there is a always a glimmer of hope and humour lying under the surface. Or what were we supposed to think about Yejide’s climbing on “the mountain of jaw-dropping miracles” and the events that took place there? We made somewhat perplexed interpretations of that event…

However, the pressure for procreation, the existence of divers family patterns and the maintenance of physical and mental health are themes that challenge the lives of our protagonists, and are not always easily to be handled by the readers, either. There is a food for thoughts and further discussions served in abundance by Adebayo, of which we are more than thankful.

Review of our group (10 members): 4/5 stars!

-Marika

PS. Rotimi=a Nigerian name, meaning “Stay with me”

Book cover: Goodreads.com

John Williams: Stoner

Unpretentious. Beautiful. Frustrating.

These three adjectives could describe the main character William Stoner, according to our group who read this book by John Williams as the last one for the spring season ’23. The book was so convincing already from the first pages onwards that the reader could not help noticing that. A timeless classic, perhaps?

“How to lead a modest life”, as one of the book clubbers summarized the events in the book.  The Stoner was published in 1965, but the events in themselves date back to the late 1800´s and early 1900´s. Born and raised in a poor countryside of Missouri, Stoner is the hope of his family as he is being sent from the rural fields straight to the university. But something remarkable happens, as the intended agronomy studies are gradually replaced by the studies of English literature. He dwells on the world of literature and language. Thus later on, he starts living a scholarly life and starts teaching. He is married to a girl from a “proper background” and the life goes firmly on. But somehow, it all starts going slightly askew.  We come to witness that his marriage is not truly a happy one, his career is overshadowed by some obscure intentions, and he does something that a teacher is not supposed to do… It seems that his life is on a downward spiral, in many ways. Yet he is doing nothing to change the course of his life. As a reader, a frustrating feeling to witness this all.

A novel was published in 1965, a period in the American history when the country was involved with the Vietnam war.  Also in Stoner, the war is lurking in the background. Maybe this is not a coincidence, but perhaps Williams has done this on purpose – an anti-war atmosphere is reflected in the actions and statements, at least when it comes to the world-view of his protagonist, William Stoner.

Review of our group: 3,5/5 stars!

-Marika

Image: goodreads.com

Elizabeth Strout: My Name is Lucy Barton

What a beautiful edition of Elizabeth Strout´s My Name is Lucy Barton we got a hold of!

The edition by Penguin Books (2016) gives you a scene from Lucy’s point of view: a view is from her hospital bed where she is lying. From her window, we can see the tower of the Chrysler building from a distance. When you turn this cover page and open the first page, a simple, stylish drawing from New York building opens up before your eyes. The beauty of the book lies in small details like this one!

Lucy has ended up in the hospital for nine weeks, of which her mother accompanies her for the first five days. It is not her husband, nor her children, but her mother who sits beside her bed, be it night or day. Mother is present, solely available for Lucy, something which Lucy has never experienced before. “Wizzle”, as her mom calls her, affectionately. “All I want is this”, hopes Lucy.

Lucy Barton could be described as a story of a woman who has been succeeding in a pursuit of an American dream; a somewhat broken childhood from poor family from Illinois has changed into a prosperous family life with a husband and children who live in West Village, a fancy part of Manhattan. However, her past does not seem to be in the past, or as we come to learn, through conversations with mother we can see that the broken relationships in the past have left some marks on Lucy. What are they? What is it in her past that makes her mother to stay by her bed side, and what happens when she leaves the hospital?

Strout’s way of writing is something unique which elevates the narration to its own unique level. Even though comparisons might not be relevant, one cannot help thinking about the author, Rachel Cusk whom we have read before in our book. The tone and the pace of the stories, and the sharp observations of the surroundings/events with some floating feeling seem to unite these two narrators. What happens in the story is not so important in itself but how the things are observed and told.   

 “I need you to leave”,  is a request we hear later on in the story. These kinds of short comments also carry so much weight in them. They leave reader to sink into the story, a feeling that will stay with you for some time after the finishing of the book.

Review of our group: 3,4/5 stars!

-Marika

Image: https://www.penguin.co.uk/

Charmaine Wilkerson: Black Cake

Charmaine Wilkerson is an author from New York, who has also lived in Jamaica and Italy. Both of Wilkerson’s parents are Caribbean-American. This Caribbean heritage is strongly seen on the settings of the book, where the Black Cake (a pastry from Caribbean baking tradition) stands as a starting point for the events.

In her debut novel (2022), Wilkerson writes about two estranged siblings who must set aside their differences in order to deal with their mother’s death and and along the  way, come to learn more of  her hidden past.

We follow the stories of Covey and Bunny, of two friends, who carry us between different scenarios between Caribbean, London and California, and some minor pit stops in Italy, as well. We learn about their family history, relationships and the story explores e.g. how one’s choices can be passed on through generations. We learn little about people from Commonwealth countries, about the turbulent political relationships where subordination has been practised, etc.

However, the reading experience of the book is not necessarily “a piece of cake” … in the sense that the plot was felt a bit shattered, too complex, and chapters too short in their length. One needs to re-focus every single time the new chapter begins, as to get a grasp of the events. The reading as an experience felt more like watching a film with different scenes, but where there are slight difficulties in keeping up with the plot twists. Despite, many of the scenes have fresh and surprising elements in them which makes reading easy.

Review of our group:  3,2/5 stars!

-Marika

Photo: Goodreads.com

Matias Riikonen: Matara

Huhtikuun (2023) kirja oli Matias Riikosen Matara. Sekin kertoo poikajoukon kasvuvuosista. Tarina on hyvin eristetty, yhteen kesään keskittyvä kuvaus hyvin organisoidun fiktiivisen yhteisön valtataistelusta. Pojat viettävät kesää siirtolatyyppisessä yhteisössä. He ovat luoneet läheiseen metsään Rooman valtakunnan aikaista yhteiskuntaa muistuttavan yhteisön, jossa on kaikki järjestäytyneen yhteiskunnan tuntomerkit, systemaattisesta vallanjaosta ja hallinnosta puhtaanapitoon ja teatteriin saakka. Jokaisella pojalla on oma roolinsa, joka pitää koko leikin ajan vaikka edessä olisi epämiellyttäviäkin kokemuksia. Leikki katkeaa yöksi, mutta jatkuu joka aamu läpi koko kesän.

Kirjan päähenkilö on pikkuveli, joka on isoveljensä kanssa sotilastiedustelija. He vaeltavat luonnossa vakoilemassa viholliskansoja. Kun syttyy sota, veljekset taistelevat eturintamassa. Isoveli pitää koko ajan huolta pikkuveljestään, ehkä vähän vaivihkaa mutta silti lukijan silmiin itsestään selvästi. Ne hetket ja hurmiollisen kauniit luontokuvaukset luovat suvantoja muuten hektiseen kerrontaan ja julmiin tapahtumiin.

Kirjan kieli on hyvin kaunista. Luontoa kuvaillaan sanoilla, joiden olemassaoloa lukija joutuu tarkistamaan internetistä. Useimmat löytyvät kyllä murre- ja muista erikoissanakirjoista, vaikka niitä lukiessa joskus alkoi epäillä kirjailijan keksineen niitä omasta päästään.

Kirja jakoi voimakkaasti mielipiteitä. Osa lukupiiriläisistä ei ollut pystynyt tai halunnut lukea kirjaa loppuun sen väkivaltaisuuden, myrkyllisen naiskuvan ja lohduttomuuden takia. Osa löysi kirjasta paitsi kauneutta myös toivoa. Kun yhteiskunta alkoi mureta, valtaa ja voimaa alettiin käyttää väärin. Mutta toisaalta se herätti pojissa myös halun vastustaa vääriä johtajia ja epäoikeudenmukaisuutta.

Kiitettävää oli se, että melkein kaikki nekin, jotka eivät halunneet lukea kirjaa, tulivat keskustelemaan siitä. Keskustelu oli hyvää.

-Seija

Kuva: Kirjasampo.fi