BEMBRIDGE WINDMILL WI BOOK CLUB
OCTOBER 2024 BOOK CHOICE
The Secret Life Of Albert Entwistle By Matt Cain
Eleven Members were welcomed to the Book Club meeting with apologies received from those unable to attend together with their views to be added to the discussion pot. A few members agreed they did actually like the book and although they couldn’t say “enjoyed” was the right word. They found it a really lovely easy read with beautiful characters but that overall they were “a bit too nice” in as much as they all slotted in too easily and quickly within their own storylines. Albert’s awkwardness was found to be touching, credible, sad and relatable to several Members. His lifestyle and loneliness was well described with the story touching on what it was like to be a gay man in the 70s & 80s and society’s attitude towards homosexuality but not in a way which detracted from this love story.
Another group of Members felt that this not a dislikeable read but a little too sugary, with characters too easily accepting and manipulated by emotions and needing to take a step back as everything happened too quickly in a matter of weeks. However, they liked the different characters’ storylines and the way Albert responded to them in his kind, quiet and unobstrusive manner. One or two agreed that because the main characters, Albert and George, were depicted from an older person’s view, it made the story more relatable and an easier read. One Member however felt that it was a little too long.
Several other Members who disliked the book intensely said it was trite and annoying. They felt the writing style and dialogue were mundane, too predictable, shallow and unbelievable with everything happening and being resolved too quickly. For instance, when Albert “came out”, there were “congratulations” from the other characters in the book which seemed an extremely odd thing to say. But some other Members did not think or feel the same response to the “congratulations” statement as their theory was that it was more of a personal statement for him feeling he could admit this to them after all this time. There was a definite difference of opinion amongst the Members. Most thought that the reunion of George and Albert was a little disappointing; although happy for them, members felt annoyed with them – for one, not either telling the whole truth and for the other, leaving him hanging on with regards to rekindling their relationship.
So to summarise this book – initially thinking possibly a “Marmite” book BUT then following the whole discussion it became fairly obvious that this, very unusually carried a definite three-way split of opinions but nearly all agreed they did not actually really hate it!!
An interesting discussion then took place following what the Author Matt Cain had written at the end of the story headed “ Read on, for conversations inspired by Albert Entwistle :- with regards to reactions to conversations the Author had with various men in their later years of life living in various parts of the UK on their real life experiences, when younger, on being gay and their personal experiences on the reactions from family and friends when “coming out” . With an interesting discussion of members ‘ feelings and imagining how (and definitely hoped )they themselves would have possibly reacted .