March 2013 Selection

Charlene has selected The Light Between Oceans by M. L. Stedman as our March book from the category of general/popular/mainstream fiction.

From Simon & Schuster:

The debut of a stunning new voice in fiction— a novel both heartbreaking and transcendent.

After four harrowing years on the Western Front, Tom Sherbourne returns to Australia and takes a job as the lighthouse keeper on Janus Rock, nearly half a day’s journey from the coast. To this isolated island, where the supply boat comes once a season and shore leaves are granted every other year at best, Tom brings a young, bold, and loving wife, Isabel. Years later, after two miscarriages and one stillbirth, the grieving Isabel hears a baby’s cries on the wind. A boat has washed up onshore carrying a dead man and a living baby.

 Tom, whose records as a lighthouse keeper are meticulous and whose moral principles have withstood a horrific war, wants to report the man and infant immediately. But Isabel has taken the tiny baby to her breast. Against Tom’s judgment, they claim her as their own and name her Lucy. When she is two, Tom and Isabel return to the mainland and are reminded that there are other people in the world. Their choice has devastated one of them.

M. L. Stedman’s mesmerizing, beautifully written novel seduces us into accommodating Isabel’s decision to keep this “gift from God.” And we are swept into a story about extraordinarily compelling characters seeking to find their North Star in a world where there is no right answer, where justice for one person is another’s tragic loss.

The Light Between Oceans is exquisite and unforgettable, a deeply moving novel.

The Book Snobs Gathering

We met at Charlene's home on Monday, March 25, for dinner and discussion. Charlene served Australian Meat Pie with salad and, of course, wine.

This novel led to a great discussion which included mental health and post-partum depression. We talked about how isolation could lead to a warped sense of right and wrong and how a decision like the one in this book could have far-reaching impact on other people.

We concluded the evening with a delicious dessert which I believe was called Better-Than-Sex.

February 2013 Selection

Theresa has selected Gone Girl by Gillian Flynn as her selection from the mystery/detective/suspense genre.

From the author's web site:

Marriage can be a real killer. One of the most critically acclaimed suspense writers of our time, New York Times bestseller Gillian Flynn, takes that statement to its darkest place in this unputdownable masterpiece about a marriage gone terribly, terribly wrong. As The Washington Post proclaimed, her work “draws you in and keeps you reading with the force of a pure but nasty addiction.” Gone Girl’s toxic mix of sharp-edged wit with deliciously chilling prose creates a nerve-fraying thriller that confounds you at every turn.

On a warm summer morning in North Carthage, Missouri, it is Nick and Amy’s fifth wedding anniversary. Presents are being wrapped and reservations are being made when Nick Dunne’s clever and beautiful wife disappears from their rented McMansion on the Mississippi River. Husband-of-the-Year Nick Dunne isn’t doing himself any favors with cringe-worthy daydreams about the slope and shape of his wife’s head, but hearing from Amy through flashbacks in her diary reveal the perky perfectionist could have put anyone dangerously on edge. Under mounting pressure from the police and the media—as well as Amy’s fiercely doting parents—the town golden boy parades an endless series of lies, deceits, and inappropriate behavior. Nick is oddly evasive, and he’s definitely bitter—but is he really a killer? As the cops close in, every couple in town is soon wondering how well they know the one that they love. With his twin sister Margo at his side, Nick stands by his innocence. Trouble is, if Nick didn’t do it, where is that beautiful wife? And what was left in that silvery gift box hidden in the back of her bedroom closet?

Employing her trademark razor-sharp writing and assured psychological insight, Gillian Flynn delivers a fast-paced, devilishly dark, and ingeniously plotted thriller that confirms her status as one of the hottest writers around.

The Book Snobs Gathering:

The Snobs gathered at Theresa's home on Monday, February 25, for dinner, drinks, and discussion. The evening started with wine and a delicious warm artichoke dip. Our hostess served an excellent dinner that included pasta salad and tomato soup along with hot bread sticks.

After dinner, the discussion began. Generally, everyone enjoyed Gone Girl. There were mixed reviews about the writer's style using alternating chapters from each of the two main characters to tell her story. We were also somewhat divided on the book's ending. This was an excellent book for discussion. The topics we covered included a wide variety included spoiled children, mental illness, marital infidelity, and compulsive liars to mention only a few.