The Ravishing Readers

The Ravishing Readers Bookclub

Our Book Club is based in North County Dublin, Ireland. We have been ravishing books now for four years as a group and have called our Book Club The Ravishing Readers.

We meet every four weeks to discuss our latest literary victim. We host in our own homes and whoever hosts the evening gets the chance to nominate the next riveting read.  After every Book Club meeting we write up a review taking into account everyone’s opinion and score the book on our list.

We have had some success with the Tubridy Book Club reviews in the past. We are all busy with our family  and our working lives but we still manage to make the time and effort to indulge our passion for books. and we hope you will enjoy our reviews.

Cutting for Stone

Author: Abraham Verghese

Description: Score 10

Cutting For Stone, is one of those books that we simply cannot lavish enough praise on. It is an incredible read with quotes so impacting and life changing, that it is impossible to comprehend the sheer genius of this author. Here are just a few fantastic lines from this inspirational novel The Ravishing Readers found intriguing:

The Operation With The Best Outcome Is The One You Decide Not To Do!

Thou Shalt Not Operate On The Day Of A Patient’s Death!

We Come Unbidden Into This Life, And If We Are Lucky We Find A Purpose Beyond Starvation, Misery, And Early Death, Which, Lest We Forget, Is The Common Lot!

A Rich Man’s Faults Are Covered With Money, But A Surgeon’s Faults Are Covered With Earth!

This is a book to be read time and time again. The characters are so inspirational and despite the horrors of humanity been illuminated throughout the novel, the warmth and richness of the writing enables the reader to enjoy every page of this epic book. With brilliant writing, wonderful words of wisdom abound in this novel delivered through the telling of the incredible birth and survival of Shiva and Marion. This novel scored an impossible 10+++++ in our Book Club leaving so many thousands of novels C.T.D. (circling the drain).

The White Tiger

Author: Aravind Adiga

Description: Score 7

The White Tiger was generally considered to be an enjoyable read amongst The Ravishing Readers. Some considered the character Balram to be too cynical. We liked the idea of Balram addressing his account of becoming a highly successful entrepreneur to the Chinese Priminister. Relating his exposure of contemporary India over a seven night period, we felt did help to enhance the novel.

While our readers did enjoy the debate that ensued discussing the novel, the book did not impact so well on our group as other less high profile books have done in the past. We recognise that The White Tiger is an important book for India and portrays a very candid picture of the other less glamorous existence of so many of India’s deprived and desolate people. We scored this book 7 out of 10, which despite it achieving the status of The Booker Prize in 2008, did not place it amongst our top 5 books to date.

Let the Great World Spin

Author: Colum McCann

Description: Score 8++

Every single member of our Book Club were delighted when Colum McCann won the National Book Award with this popular novel. Let The Great World Spin impacted well on our readers. We found McCann’s style of writing endearing. We enjoyed the portrayal of both Jazzlyn and Tillie’s characters in particular. We all praised the warmth, humour and vivaciousness of Tillie. There were moments in the book where some felt the story lost it’s momentum, however overall this novel was one of our most inspirational reads for some time.

The Ravishing Readers scored Let The Great World Spin 8++ out of 10. It is a book we will be recommending, enhanced by the tragic events of 9.11 and the telling of the story on the day of the tight walk rope between the two towers will surely place this novel on a very special shelf, perhaps listed under, Captivating and Memorable.

You Remind Me of Me

Author: Dan Chaon

Description: Score 9+

You Remind Me Of Me was a very popular read in our Book Club. The plot of the book was intriguing. Our readers were literally drawn at a perfect pace through the thrilling revelations and events in the novel. This book seemed to please all our readers. There were so many angles and topics to be discussed. The characters we found riveting, the plot was explosive and for us, dramtically thrilling. The terrible sadness of destroyed lives was exposed and the sturidity of the Human Condition laid bare. This memorable novel scored a very high 9+ out of 10 with our readers and we will be recommending No Time For Good Bye to others too.

Suite Francaise

Author: Irene Nemirovsky

Description: Score 6.5

This novel, while proving challenging to read for some, did give a very vivid account of life for the ordinary people of France. It highlighted brilliantly the great depths people will go to, to save themselves regardless of others. The author managed to emphasise the great pride of a nation slighted by the occupation of an army of intruders and violators. The novel proved without doubt the terrible double dishing of disaster and disgust and the disappointment the older generation felt when they were invaded for the second time in their lives. Some of them had lived through the horrors of the first world war and were devastated to be experiencing the nightmare of war, yet again.

Suite Francaise is not an easy read. It is convoluted and often dis-jointed, it requires perseverance and commitment. The language used by the author is captivating and while some readers did find the novel too long, it is a wonderful tribute to all those who endured the terrible trauma of Wat Time. We scored this book 6.5 out of 10. Although not one of our popular reads, Suite Francaise is an important historical novel that captures the true reality of lives lost and lessened by the Occupation of France. It also highlights the many lives enhanced entirely by endurance.

No Time For Goodbye

Author: Linwood Barclay

Description: Score 6+

We felt that No Time For Goodbye held a wonderful plot for a murder mystery. The initial part of the book, in particular the disappearance, flowed beautifully for all our readers. The author managed to sustain sensational suspense and thrill throughout this novel until we were disappointed with the truly lack lustre ending. The book began to lose all credibility and what should have been an epic ending turned into a not too plausible shambles. The Ravishing Readers scored No Time For Goodbye 6+ out of 10. Surely if the author had been given better editorial advice, then we may well have recorded an entirely different score. Linwood Barclay is undoubtedly an interesting capable author but we would not recommend this book to others.

Revolutionary Road

Author: Richard Yates

Description: Score 8.5

The Ravishing Readers felt this book was a story of Survival, not Living. A story of Existing without truly Experiencing. The pretence of suburbia still survives in our world today. Not a lot has changed, similar to Revolutionary Road, people continue to convince themselves and those around them that they are happy. The world is full of couples playing out a role, as if on stage. This vast theatre will never be short of actors and actresses, perhaps what they really require is a Director of true grit, John Givings would have been perfect!

Scoring 8.5 out of 10, Revolutionary Road proved to be one of our more interesting reads of late. We would highly recommend this book to all our suburban soul mates.

Family Matters

Author: Rohinton Mistry

Description: Score 10

This was a popular read amongst The Ravishing Readers. The strengths and weaknesses of all Rohinton’s characters give a very good account of how people throughout the world relate to each other within the family. There will always be the kind unwavering dedicated one, such as Roxie, who lavishes love to everyone. This love is returned in abundance. There will always be the bitter, resentful, mean character of Coomy who harbours past wrong doings to fuel her anger and distaste at those whom she feels are responsible. This just serves to drive a wedge deeper between the person she yearns to be loved by and her own bitter self. The novel highlighted the fact that so many people can be leading two very different lives. Jezad’s employer is the obvious one who springs to mind. He behaved in an infantile manner at work. His relationship with Jezad was like a tonic to him in comparison to the horrible nature of his wife at home. She managed to manipulate him entirely.

Family Matters by Rohinton Mistry scored an incredible 10 out of 10 with The Ravishing Readers, a very unique score. We found the book, realistic, entertaining, and graphic, attributes which certainly made it strike a chord with all our readers. This is one we would all highly recommend.

The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo

Author: Stieg Larsson

Description: Score 9++

The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo was a very popular read amongst the Ravishing Readers. This book seemed to tick all the boxes for our readers. Although gruesome and sadistic at times, the novel kept the reader enthralled throughout. The overwhelming desire to keep reading this mystery flourished for most of our members. We found the relationship developing between Salander and Blomkvist fascinating. Salander’s character is one of utmost intrigue and every reader is keen to read more about this amazing young woman with the photographic memory. This awesome novel, the first of the trilogy, scored a very high 9++ in our Book Club.

We found this book to be an enthralling high paced read. A vibrant evocative novel that will not disappoint the reader. We would certainly recommend this Book to everyone. What a shame Steig Larsson has left this world, surely millions of readers will be entirely grateful for the wonderful trilogy he has so generously left in his wake! Well done Steig Larsson and congratulations to the translator on doing such a brilliant job, nothing was lost in translation!

A Mercy

Author: Toni Morrison

Description: Score 9

Toni Morrison managed to produce a truly evocative novel depicting the harsh gruesome reality of how uncompromising and uncompassionate the world was for those burdened with Slavery. Her gruelling account of life aboard the various ships of the time, were vivid and disconcerting. Morrison’s brave and honest writing depicting these floating hells of slavery, remain branded forever on our conscience.

We would like to believe we have moved on and become so more civilised, yet we all know that you do not need to look to hard across today’s globe to encounter certain elements of the same sordid savagery. The Ravishing Readers scored this book 9 out of a possible 10. We would recommend A Mercy to other Book Clubs.