Citadel by Kate Mosse

Sorry this is late, lost my notes, here goes ...

The beginning was slow but the second half was better.  The time jumps were confusing and we found we needed to concentrate to follow.  Everyone liked the characters.  This was a book we wouldn't have picked ourselves but we were glad we read it.

Concept: 8/10
Plot: 7/10
Ending: 9/10
Cover: 7/10
Page Turner: 4.5/10
Slap?  Authie (the gun rape guy)
Cheese: Silent dancing
Recommend?  3/5
Better as a ... board game!

Kate got to choose our next book: Thunderbolt Kid by Bill Bryson.

Our next meeting will be our Christmas meal out (organised by Lucy) on Tuesday 17th Dec.

Heft by Liz Moore

Suzie hadn't finished the book, so Kate, Jen and I discussed whether or not we thought the ending was 'bad' and came to the conclusion that it was supposed to be related to the wider concept of things not being quite what they seem (I had forgotten, for instance, that Arthur doesn't turn out to be Kel's Dad because it seemed so likely throughout the book that this would turn out to be the case). Lots of things are left unresolved, and the end happens when everyone is just about to come together - it leaves the schmaltzy bit where they actually come together out entirely. We also thought it was good he didn't win the trial at the Mets, because that would have been too easy - seemed more real this way. 

Concept.

We gave the concept 5/10. The two narrators are two people you wouldn't expect to meet who turn out to be totally connected by one other person.

Plot

(not much of a plot) - just a journey? 5/10

Ending

Suzie abstained because she didn't reach the end. We thought it was good that it left loose ends, but maybe there were too many? Paths are just aligning and then the book stops - quite abrupt. 3/10

Cover

Some embossing, but no shiny. 8/10

Page Turner? 5/10

It wasn't unputdownable *shudder*

Reccommend it? 1/4

Jen was the only one who said she would recommend it, and she 'read' the audiobook, which may be why! 

Who would we slap? 

Arthur Opp's famous architect Dad because he was a meanie!

Ou est le fromage? 

Getting scouted for the mets... pretty cheesy!

*NEW CATEGORY* (possibly?)

It would be better as a....

FILM (we can see the teenage party scenes working out well, and see ourselves laughing at / crying with the big feller) 

The next book (December) is Stonemouth by Iain Banks, selected by Suzie. 

Trouble with Lichen by John Wyndham

A last minute change of venue saw us (Jen, Susie, Lucy and I) at Jen's house where she treated us to yummy meringue things.  With copious amounts of tea, we settled down to discuss this month's book.

A short, easy to read book which posed interesting ethical dilemmas was the general consensus.  Jen was disappointed as she had read other novels by the same author and enjoyed them more.  We thought this was more like a concept book, a long short story rather than a full-blown novel.  We liked the different theories on what would happen if we could all live for 200 years and also how practical it would be with work and house prices etc.  We felt that the story could have been expanded and made into a normal sized novel as many aspects were introduced and then not mentioned again.  All in all, a very good read.

Concept: 9/10
Plot: 5.5/10
Ending: 5/10
Cover: n/a
Page Turner: 8/10
Who to Slap: The daughter in law
Where's the cheese: The nursery at the end
Would we recommend this: 4/4

Overall: 7/10

We chose the next book by putting our names into a 'hat' and then the person drawn could then choose a book.

Lucy chose 'Heft' by Liz Moore which we will be reading for the October meeting.

Our next meeting will be at 8pm on Wednesday 11th September, I did volunteer to host this at my new house, but I'm on a training course in the Midlands that week, so won't be able to make it.  Lucy said she would like to host, so I'll double check with her and will send an email out to confirm.