BOOK CLUB
READ CAREFULLY: MANY OF THESE
SELECTIONS HAVE A MESSAGE, SELECTIONS HAVE A MESSAGE,
HIDDEN OR IN CLEAR VIEWHIDDEN OR IN CLEAR VIEW..REV IEWSREV IEWS ANNABEL L AWSONANNABEL L AWSONQUICKSAND QUICKSAND
MMalin Persson Galin Persson Giolito, iolito,
SimSimon and Schuster, $29.99on and Schuster, $29.99This book won Sweden’s crime novel of
the year award. It’s obvious why. The the year award. It’s obvious why. The
plot follows the trial of an 18-year-old plot follows the trial of an 18-year-old
who shot every one of her classmwho shot every one of her classmates, ates,
including her lover. Only one student including her lover. Only one student
survived. Hsurvived. His vital eyewitness testimis vital eyewitness testimony ony
dissolves under interrogation by the dissolves under interrogation by the
defence counsel, a cool and cryptic defence counsel, a cool and cryptic
professional who performprofessional who performs ms miracles iracles
with mwith miniminimal evidence. The reader, al evidence. The reader,
stunned, mstunned, must decide to what extent the ust decide to what extent the
defendant’s mdefendant’s mother and father are to other and father are to
blamblame. They love and protect but they e. They love and protect but they
are devotees to their daughter, not are devotees to their daughter, not
parents. Hparents. Her judgemer judgements, churning ents, churning
amamong all too recognisable emong all too recognisable emotions, otions,
expose the plight of young adults expose the plight of young adults
dependent on 24/7 connection. Wdependent on 24/7 connection. When hen
there’s no response, desperation leads there’s no response, desperation leads
either to shutting down or acting out.either to shutting down or acting out.THE COWS THE COWS
Dawn O’Porter, HDawn O’Porter, Harper Collins, $29.99arper Collins, $29.99I’m disappointed that so few authors
have used the titanic lurch away have used the titanic lurch away
fromfrom the old ways in which we used the old ways in which we used
to interact. Social mto interact. Social media features edia features
in min most most modern novels but it’s only odern novels but it’s only
on the surface. O’Porter plunges down on the surface. O’Porter plunges down
to the depths. Wto the depths. While you’re squirmhile you’re squirming ing
with mwith mirth and horror at the viral video irth and horror at the viral video
that undoes Tara, you’re mthat undoes Tara, you’re made uneasy by ade uneasy by
CamCam’s blog, which evaluates how we treat ’s blog, which evaluates how we treatthe childless. And as for Stella, does her the childless. And as for Stella, does her
tragedy have to be a three-ring circus? tragedy have to be a three-ring circus?
Display your life to an unseen public and Display your life to an unseen public and
they own you. O’Porter, however, loves they own you. O’Porter, however, loves
her three protagonists and concludes her three protagonists and concludes
that when everyone you’re exposed to that when everyone you’re exposed to
is either agog or cringing then at least is either agog or cringing then at least
you’ve proved that you don’t follow the you’ve proved that you don’t follow the
herd. That’s her hashtag by the way.herd. That’s her hashtag by the way.THE STRANGER IN THE WOODS THE STRANGER IN THE WOODS
MMichael Finkel, Simichael Finkel, Simon and Schuster, $29.99on and Schuster, $29.99Three decades spent hiding in the
woods of Mwoods of Maine not far fromaine not far from a city is an a city is an
unimunimaginable achievemaginable achievement in this day ent in this day
and age. Hand age. However, Christopher Knight owever, Christopher Knight
did just that. In winter he needed to steal did just that. In winter he needed to steal
food fromfood from cabins and eventually was cabins and eventually was
apprehended by a gamapprehended by a game warden in 2013. e warden in 2013.
HHis return to the comis return to the company of humpany of humans ans
was fraught with diffiwas fraught with diffiwas fraught with difficulty. Today he just culty. Today he just culty. Today he just
wants to be left alone. Wwants to be left alone. What lingers after hat lingers after
the last page is our lost opportunity to the last page is our lost opportunity to
be part of the natural world.be part of the natural world.SPOOK STREET SPOOK STREET
MMick Hick Herron, John Merron, John Murray, $32.99urray, $32.99In this outrageous thriller, Slough House
is where Mis where MI5 deposits those deemI5 deposits those deemed ed
not up to the job. A lifetimnot up to the job. A lifetime of pretend e of pretend
work at a cheap desk awaits and, of work at a cheap desk awaits and, of
course, without budget or direction, course, without budget or direction,
they end up outsmthey end up outsmarting the comarting the competitive petitive
agents at Hagents at HQ. A retired MQ. A retired MI5 lumI5 luminary inary
has gone senile and to avoid himhas gone senile and to avoid him giving giving
away secrets, an “enhanced retiremaway secrets, an “enhanced retirement entplan” mplan” must be applied. You guessed it. ust be applied. You guessed it.
A bullet in the head. Don’t be put off by A bullet in the head. Don’t be put off by
the untidy opening pages. By chapter the untidy opening pages. By chapter
four Hfour Herron’s comerron’s comic genius is evident ic genius is evident
and he’s mand he’s managed to get a grip on the plot.anaged to get a grip on the plot.ELEANOR OLIPHANT ELEANOR OLIPHANT
IS COMPLETELY FINEIS COMPLETELY FINE
Gail HGail Honeymoneyman, Han, Harper Collins, $29.99arper Collins, $29.99At the office where Eleanor works with
exemexemplary effiplary efficiency, her less couth ciency, her less couth
colleagues snigger behind her back colleagues snigger behind her back
—— it’s her clothes, her funny way of it’s her clothes, her funny way of
taking everything literally. Htaking everything literally. Htaking everything literally. Half her face alf her face alf her face
has been burnt by fire. She has blanked has been burnt by fire. She has blanked
out how it happened. Gradually there are out how it happened. Gradually there are
changes. For one of her colleagues she changes. For one of her colleagues she changes. For one of her colleagues she
is ever so slowly becomis ever so slowly becoming ming more humore human. an.
Quirky and wryly amQuirky and wryly amusing.using.THE REFUGEES THE REFUGEES
Viet Thanh Nguyen, Corsair, $32.99Viet Thanh Nguyen, Corsair, $32.99“Am I good?” asks a young Vietnamese
refugee in one of Nguyen’s stories. The refugee in one of Nguyen’s stories. The
question recurs, somquestion recurs, sometimetimes referring es referring
to mto morality, somorality, sometimetimes to parenting or es to parenting or
sexual performsexual performance. These newcomance. These newcomers ers
don’t know what to mdon’t know what to make of what ake of what
happens around themhappens around them. The culture they. The culture they
grew up with —grew up with — a com a composite of Asian posite of Asian
heritage, French colonisation and heritage, French colonisation and
accomaccommmodation to Amodation to American forces erican forces
—— doesn’t fit what they find in California. doesn’t fit what they find in California.
These short stories zero in on the These short stories zero in on the
mmystery of whether or not we can ystery of whether or not we can
shed one skin and grow another.shed one skin and grow another. PHOTOGRAPHYGUY BAILEYPHOTOGRAPHYGUY BAILEY1 32 1 32 CCOOUUNNTTRYRY S T S TYYL EL E JUNE 2017JUNE 2017BBOOOOKKSS