The Book Club Meeting welcomed 13 Members, with apologies received from those unable to attend the evening. Brenda asked for comments on this book which had not really generally been felt well received. It soon became apparent that this was the feeling unanimously with many commenting they had no idea what the point of the book was. The feeling from several Members was that “age” had probably made more of a problem with relating to the storyline having a great deal to do with this. Questions were raised and discussed whether this storyline and its situation really went on, with most agreeing, it did not go anywhere. Several Members “ploughed” halfway through and gave up hoping that those who struggled until the end would have more of a grip with it to help further the discussion. The storyline taking place in Hong Kong with “confused” bi-sexual girl Ava, from Ireland, teaching rich children grammar in a new Country in a boring job and who had nothing in common, apart from constant sex with the male character, Julian, a banker, who had money and a flat was an improbable one in the way it was told. It was thought that the “conversations” in the book were banal. Even when Ava met up with Edith, a Hong Kong local who worked in a Law firm and paid Ava lots of attention and took an interest in her which she found flattering, especially with having no friends at work or previously with her flat mates, and Julian being the complete opposite. It was agreed that there was no plot, not well drawn with no visualisation or descriptions apart from the explicit sex between Edith and Ava!! She, it was agreed, lived in a total fantasy World with Julian, as with her even agreeing to the move to Frankfurt.
Members had no empathy with any of the characters, disliking the fact they did not represent people!! There was no plot, they struggled with the non-descriptive storyline, the unanswered questions and wonderment how even this “less true” inconclusive book was published!!!
The phrase was mooted “I DID NOT CARE” and a lesser understanding of the seven (yes!!) pages of reviews and, more importantly, were we EVEN reading the same book came to mind!!!??
A resounding “no recommendation” of this book from us!!