The Other Black Girl: A Novel by Zakiya Dalila Harris
Leave the World Behind by Rumaan Alam
The Last Thing he Told Me by Laura Dave
Daisy Jones & the Six by Taylor Jenkins Reid
Wuthering Heights by Emily Bronte
Black Cake by Charmaine Wilkerson
Bullet Train by Kotaro Isaka
Remarkably Bright Creatures by Shelby Van Pelt
Homecoming by Kate Morton
Anything to add or subtract? Eventually, I’ll create the RCV poll, but we need to have six or fewer titles to use that successfully.
@mathmom, I didn’t read reviews before I saw “Leave the World Behind”, but as I watched I knew they would be mediocre at best. The book is strange and surreal, full of characters that are perplexing and ideas that start and stop in interrupted conversations. That disjointed, sometimes dream (or nightmare)-like feel is deliberate, and I really liked the book, but it’s a hard one to translate to the screen.
I’m not vetoing Wuthering Heights; I badly want to read it with this group. I suggest that we wait a bit before tackling it. Not forever, as I plan to follow @VeryHappy’s strategy for Peyton Place: she mentioned it till we chose it. I’m glad she did, as it was a good discussion.
With that in mind, my #1 choice will be Remarkably Bright Creatures. @silverlady keeps wanting us to chose it. I know others have indicated an interest in the past.
I liked - very much - The Last Thing He Told Me but I think discussion of it may be sparse. It’s one where you just sit back and enjoy the ride.
I veto Women Talking. Not up to immersing myself in the aftermath of sexual assault. That may be a harsh synopsis but the reviews talk “rape victims” “sex crimes” “violence against women.” Just don’t want to go there.
@ignatius , I honor your veto of Women Talking, but I want to express my admiration of Miriam Toews. I read her A Complicated Kindness last year – I wonder if that’s one our group might enjoy. It’s a complicated coming-of-age story of a young woman growing up in a fundamentalist Mennonite community in Manitoba – not unlike the author herself. Family drama but not trauma.
From Goodreads synopsis:
This darkly funny novel is the world according to the unforgettable Nomi, a bewildered and wry sixteen-year-old trapped in a town governed by fundamentalist religion and in the shattered remains of a family it destroyed. In Nomi’s droll, refreshing voice, we’re told the story of an eccentric, loving family that falls apart as each member lands on a collision course with the only community any of them have ever known.
Remarkably Bright Creatures is wonderful. The audio version is excellent-- a talking octopus, what’s not to like! Almost everyone I know has read it; I wouldn’t reread for discussion here, but this is not a veto.
Yes, we read Educated together in 2020. It’s the only discussion for which we ever got a warning from the powers-that-be (for sliding into a discussion on religion).
I substituted A Complicated Kindness for Women Talking. I eliminated The Last Thing He Told Me and Wuthering Heights (for now). I’m poised to eliminated Daisy Jones and the Six because I think that may also be an “enjoy the ride” kind of book, which many people have already read. However, I’ll hold off for the moment, pending feedback.
So we have:
A Complicated Kindness by Miriam Toews
The Other Black Girl: A Novel by Zakiya Dalila Harris
OK, I’ll veto Daisy Jones. I’ve read enough Taylor Jenkins Reid for the foreseeable future. And people can read it on their own or see the movie if they want!
I’ve read and enjoyed Daisy Jones but likely it wouldn’t lend itself to involved discussion of the book itself, although probably lots to talk about the times it takes place.
I’ve read the descriptions of all the other books and for the most part, if I eliminated any with tragic, dark, shattered, oppressive, or murder in the description, I think there would be nothing much left! (If you add secret and family, nothing left LOL.) If they are still on the list when it comes time for voting, I’m likely to pick Remarkably Bright Creatures and Black Cake. I did just check Libby and they each have 10-12 weeks wait. I placed holds just in case. For hard copy, the first has four holds per copy, and the second is available now.
Below is the RCV link. Please rank all six titles in order of preference – not just for accuracy, but also because it’s fun to see which books were most popular! (Ranking more than one title does not weaken your first choice vote.) Voting is anonymous (not that we really care about that, but just sayin.')
I"m having a terrible time ranking these, based on their Amazon descriptions. The only one I’m sure of is Leave the World Behind, since I’ve already read it (and will therefore rank it low). All of the others sound like books I want to read!!
Well, I arrayed them, based on some impeccable logic.
You can find more descriptions on Goodreads – I don’t think you have to sign up, but I could be wrong – and read other people’s reviews, too, if you are so inclined.
I’m happy with any of them EXCEPT The Other Black Girl, which I left halfway through because I couldn’t stand any of the characters. And that despite the author coming from my hometown and having attended high school at the same time as my kids.
The votes are in (14 or so) and Remarkably Bright Creatures is the clear winner!
My apologies to @jollymama, who has already read it. I hope you’ll pop in for discussion anyway! And my condolences to @mathmom, who may never be able to eat octopus again.
This one is fresh in my mind, so I won’t reread, but I will be here. As always, thank you so much, @Mary13 , for herding the cats – and for all the enlightening discussions!
