Next Book Club: Tuesday 26 March at 17:30
First, a review of Lola in the Mirror from member Janet Pennington
There was a lively discussion on this month’s Book Club book, “Lola In The Mirror” with views ranging from generally enjoying the book, to a strong dislike!
The story is about a 17-year-old girl living in a van in a Brisbane scrapyard with her mother. Together they have been on the run for much of the girl’s life – changing names as they go, after the mother stabbed and killed the ‘monster’ they lived with to escape an abusive relationship.
The imaginary Lola in the cracked mirror is used as a means to project the girl’s dreams which include becoming a world-acclaimed artist, searching for answers about her past, and questioning whether she will find true love, or endure the abuse that had coloured her past.
The book describes the characters in her ‘houseless’ community, the girl’s violent experiences from drug courier to police informer, the mystery of her past, and how she meets her ‘Prince’. We agreed it was a romping tale (perhaps destined for a TV series, like the author’s Boy Swallows Universe?) but questioned its credibility. Was it believable or a fairytale? We thought the latter, with three-word summaries being: “Hard to Swallow”……”Cracked Brisbane Fantasy”…..”Trailer Trash Treasures”.
It scored 6.5/10.
Next Book is “The Turn of the Screw” by Henry James
In “The Turn of the Screw” by Henry James, a young governess finds herself immersed in a chilling tale of psychological suspense as she assumes the care of two orphaned children at a secluded country estate. Haunted by a pervasive sense of sinister presence, she becomes consumed by the belief that an evil force is targeting the innocent youngsters under her charge. As the tension mounts and eerie occurrences escalate, the governess grapples with the ambiguity of her perceptions, blurring the lines between reality and imagination in a haunting exploration of fear, innocence, and the darkness that lurks within.
