Monday, November 22, 2010
December Selection
We have selected The Good Daughters by Joyce Maynard as our December selection. Discussion will begin on January 3, giving you New Years Eve to read! Have a happy holiday.
Wednesday, November 17, 2010
Next Book Choices
Darlene is the "host" for this next book club. Her book offerings are: The Knitting Circle, by Ann Hood; I'd Know You Anywhere, by Laura Lippman; Half Broke Horses by Jeanette Walls; and The Good Daughters by Joyce Maynard. For your information, I'd Know You Anywhere and The Good Dauthers are only available in hardback.
Please vote by emailing Kris (kzmclain@comcast.net) by Sunday night, November 21.
Please vote by emailing Kris (kzmclain@comcast.net) by Sunday night, November 21.
Friday, November 5, 2010
Juliet: A Novel
Who knew Juliet Capulet had a sister??? Anne Fortier has a lot of fun in this novel, showing off her ability to write complicated plots and her intimate familiarity with Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet. I’m not sure this is as much fun for the reader, however.
I did enjoy the novel. While not great literature, it entertained me. I loved the Siena backdrop. Having visited Siena several times during a recent trip to Italy, and having had the Palio explained to me by my sister and brother-in-law, I could easily picture the scenes as Fortier described them. According to the author’s notes at the end, originally this legend was placed in Siena, which interested me.
While I was happy just to go along for the ride, there was little about the plot that seemed realistic. I found it hard to believe that sisters with so much baggage between them would work together as Juliet and Janice did. Certainly they were placed in a situation that called for teamwork, but old feelings die hard. Same with Umberto. Oh, oops, he’s really their father and a gangster! They didn’t seem nearly as upset at learning this as I would expect in real life.
And then, the characters… Usually, what engages me (or not) about a book is its characters. It wasn’t so much that I didn’t like these characters as that I didn’t believe them. The relationship between Juliet and Janice didn’t ring true for me. Alessandro confused me throughout the book: bad guy or good guy? At the end, good guy, but there are some unexplained actions along the way. Same for Umberto, and even Aunt Rose. Fortier leaves a few too many loose ends, character-wise, for my taste.
Ultimately, what entertained me about the book was the connection to Shakespeare’s play. I liked knowing where the quotes at the beginning of chapters came from in the play. It was a hint about what would happen in that chapter. I liked some of the questions asked about the original plot, especially the one around Friar Lawrence/Lorenzo. In the play, no one pays much attention to him after the deaths of the young lovers. In the novel, Juliet discovers that the Friar was in big trouble with the families, which seems likely to me. Because I’ve taught and seen the play many times, the obvious connections to Romeo and Juliet made the novel a worthwhile read.
So, my big question is this: If you’re not as familiar with Shakespeare’s play, did the novel work for you? Were the quotes and references interesting, helpful, or just confusing? And, if you do know the play well, did you enjoy the connections or were they a distraction?
I did enjoy the novel. While not great literature, it entertained me. I loved the Siena backdrop. Having visited Siena several times during a recent trip to Italy, and having had the Palio explained to me by my sister and brother-in-law, I could easily picture the scenes as Fortier described them. According to the author’s notes at the end, originally this legend was placed in Siena, which interested me.
While I was happy just to go along for the ride, there was little about the plot that seemed realistic. I found it hard to believe that sisters with so much baggage between them would work together as Juliet and Janice did. Certainly they were placed in a situation that called for teamwork, but old feelings die hard. Same with Umberto. Oh, oops, he’s really their father and a gangster! They didn’t seem nearly as upset at learning this as I would expect in real life.
And then, the characters… Usually, what engages me (or not) about a book is its characters. It wasn’t so much that I didn’t like these characters as that I didn’t believe them. The relationship between Juliet and Janice didn’t ring true for me. Alessandro confused me throughout the book: bad guy or good guy? At the end, good guy, but there are some unexplained actions along the way. Same for Umberto, and even Aunt Rose. Fortier leaves a few too many loose ends, character-wise, for my taste.
Ultimately, what entertained me about the book was the connection to Shakespeare’s play. I liked knowing where the quotes at the beginning of chapters came from in the play. It was a hint about what would happen in that chapter. I liked some of the questions asked about the original plot, especially the one around Friar Lawrence/Lorenzo. In the play, no one pays much attention to him after the deaths of the young lovers. In the novel, Juliet discovers that the Friar was in big trouble with the families, which seems likely to me. Because I’ve taught and seen the play many times, the obvious connections to Romeo and Juliet made the novel a worthwhile read.
So, my big question is this: If you’re not as familiar with Shakespeare’s play, did the novel work for you? Were the quotes and references interesting, helpful, or just confusing? And, if you do know the play well, did you enjoy the connections or were they a distraction?
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