Book Club

[pateacher]

I just finished Margaret Atwood's The Heart Goes Last.

Stan and Charmaine are a married couple trying to stay afloat in the midst of an economic and social collapse. Job loss has forced them to live in their car, leaving them vulnerable to roving gangs. They desperately need to turn their situation around—and fast. The Positron Project in the town of Consilience seems to be the answer to their prayers. No one is unemployed and everyone gets a comfortable, clean house to live in . . . for six months out of the year. On alternating months, residents of Consilience must leave their homes and function as inmates in the Positron prison system. Once their month of service in the prison is completed, they can return to their "civilian" homes.
At first, this doesn't seem like too much of a sacrifice to make in order to have a roof over one's head and food to eat. But when Charmaine becomes romantically involved with the man who lives in their house during the months when she and Stan are in the prison, a series of troubling events unfolds, putting Stan's life in danger. With each passing day, Positron looks less like a prayer answered and more like a chilling prophecy fulfilled.

Atwoods futuristic novels are always interesting and a little more than chilling.  I enjoyed this one because many of the ideas within  could become reality.

[Lilysmom]

@pateacher, it has been a long time...years... Since I have read Margaret Atwood.  I found her depressing although I confess I didn't read many of her novels to arrive at that conclusion.  This one sounds interesting, one off the beaten track from mainstream literature.  LM

[pateacher]

Lilysmom,

You are right about some of the works being depressing.  I enjoyed The Handmaid's Tale and The Blind Assasin.  This one is also a dystopian society but a little more humorous and suspenseful.

[Alter Ego]

A public service announcement...

If you want to waste an hour (meaning, an hour of your life you will never get back), read the Gillian Flynn short story "The Grownup"

I suppose there might have been an interesting story had it been longer and fully developed.  But, you have to believe the reviews.  It does read like a first draft or like fan fiction, with the writer trying to be Gillian Flynn.   I've been waiting for the next Flynn novel, having devoured her previous books after enjoying "Gone Girl" so much.  But, I can't recommend to anyone who isn't a big fan.

[pateacher]

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@Alter Ego wrote:

A public service announcement...

If you want to waste an hour (meaning, an hour of your life you will never get back), read the Gillian Flynn short story "The Grownup"

I suppose there might have been an interesting story had it been longer and fully developed.  But, you have to believe the reviews.  It does read like a first draft or like fan fiction, with the writer trying to be Gillian Flynn.   I've been waiting for the next Flynn novel, having devoured her previous books after enjoying "Gone Girl" so much.  But, I can't recommend to anyone who isn't a big fan.

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Alter Ego, I got a chuckle from your observtion about wasting an hour that you will never get back.  I've not read The Grownup"  but have wasted many hours reading less-than-stellar second works by authors whose first novels I found  so outstanding.  It is, indeed, a hit- or -miss  endeavor.

[smoky22]

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@pateacher wrote:

I just finished Margaret Atwood's The Heart Goes Last.

Stan and Charmaine are a married couple trying to stay afloat in the midst of an economic and social collapse. Job loss has forced them to live in their car, leaving them vulnerable to roving gangs. They desperately need to turn their situation around—and fast. The Positron Project in the town of Consilience seems to be the answer to their prayers. No one is unemployed and everyone gets a comfortable, clean house to live in . . . for six months out of the year. On alternating months, residents of Consilience must leave their homes and function as inmates in the Positron prison system. Once their month of service in the prison is completed, they can return to their "civilian" homes.
At first, this doesn't seem like too much of a sacrifice to make in order to have a roof over one's head and food to eat. But when Charmaine becomes romantically involved with the man who lives in their house during the months when she and Stan are in the prison, a series of troubling events unfolds, putting Stan's life in danger. With each passing day, Positron looks less like a prayer answered and more like a chilling prophecy fulfilled.

Atwoods futuristic novels are always interesting and a little more than chilling.  I enjoyed this one because many of the ideas within  could become reality.

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@pateacher Question: I looked this up and it says it's book 4 of something called the Positron series.  Do you have to read the others first? 

[mcbet]

Wish there were more hours in the day and nothing else to do but read. I enjoy this thread but every time I come on I add to my list of recommended books. Just finished The Storied Life of AJ Fikry by Gabrielle Zevin, I am hoping to find A Man Called Ove on my next trip to the library. Meantime I will start The Girl Next Door by Ruth Rendell, unfortuneatly not an Inspector Wexford but I think the only Rendell book I have not read. 

[pateacher]

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@smokymtngal wrote:

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@pateacher wrote:

I just finished Margaret Atwood's The Heart Goes Last.

Stan and Charmaine are a married couple trying to stay afloat in the midst of an economic and social collapse. Job loss has forced them to live in their car, leaving them vulnerable to roving gangs. They desperately need to turn their situation around—and fast. The Positron Project in the town of Consilience seems to be the answer to their prayers. No one is unemployed and everyone gets a comfortable, clean house to live in . . . for six months out of the year. On alternating months, residents of Consilience must leave their homes and function as inmates in the Positron prison system. Once their month of service in the prison is completed, they can return to their "civilian" homes.
At first, this doesn't seem like too much of a sacrifice to make in order to have a roof over one's head and food to eat. But when Charmaine becomes romantically involved with the man who lives in their house during the months when she and Stan are in the prison, a series of troubling events unfolds, putting Stan's life in danger. With each passing day, Positron looks less like a prayer answered and more like a chilling prophecy fulfilled.

Atwoods futuristic novels are always interesting and a little more than chilling.  I enjoyed this one because many of the ideas within  could become reality.

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@pateacher Question: I looked this up and it says it's book 4 of something called the Positron series.  Do you have to read the others first? 

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smokymtngal:

I haven't read any previous Positron books.  It worked well as a stand- alone for me.

[DiAnne]

I just finished A Man Called Ove that so many here recommended.  I usually read mysteries and this was a nice change.  Lovely book that brought a smile to my face. 

[TuesdayTaylor]

I'm still in the process of reading the Bible cover-to-cover.  I've been sticking with it and loving it!