A recent reading group read was Patrick Gale's Rough Music, which we all liked. The story is a sort-of family tale, starting with a tale of a prison governor's son who briefly befriends one of the prisoners. While the family are on holiday in Cornwall, there is an escape from the prison and later a train robbery. The story moves back and forward in time from past to present and back again. The main character changes his name, confusing at first although we eventually find the reason for this - a banal one, really. Characters are not quite who they seem at first - the boy's sister is not actually his sister. Subtly written, the relationships although complicated, were well decsribed. An interesting read.
I've been looking forward to catching up with Joanne Harris' The Lollipop Shoes , so was pleased it was chosen for a Book Club read recently. I found the change of narrator for each chapter a little bewildering at first, although soon adjusted. The suspense was well built up, and the theme of changing identity one Joanne Harris has used before. Although it has been described as a sequel to Chocolat, it's a complete story in its own right, and one that is well worth reading. Some of the characters we have first met in Chocolat, but things have moved on - Anouk is growing up and developing a mind of her own, Vianne seems to have changed her character completely and Zozie who we meet for the first time appears to be mischievious but harmless .I enjoy this sort of book as not too-demanding but a bit of fun.
