The Ventnor Library Reading Group met again in the St. Boniface Arms to discuss Ben Elton’s First Casualty and Chimananda Ngozi Adichie’s Half of a Yellow Sun …….The group will be reading Markus Zusak’s, The Book Thief next.
Chimananda Ngozi Adichie – Half of a Yellow Sun
..a bit slow to start but once it had “¦really gripping ..
.. what a tragedy “¦I had forgotten so much about the Biafran war, all I remember is the pictures of starving children “¦
…I found the writing deceptively simple, it lulled you into thinking this a story in the tradition of the African oral storyteller, but of course it is more complex than that “¦
..I wonder if it would have been better if the author had opened with the year and then explained where the society and the characters had come from “¦how it had disintegrated “¦ how thin the veneer of civilisation is “¦
I thought the characters were finely drawn ..although I only really connected with them in the latter half of the book ..perhaps I am more open to thinking of the African condition being one of adversity and not so cosmopolitan .. how simplistic of me “¦
Ben Elton First Casualty
“¦. I had to stop myself expecting a comic novel..
“¦.I was irritated by some inaccuracies but I suppose they were forgivable because it is quite a good read ..
“¦.I can’t say I was much impressed ..perhaps it suffered from Elton’s reputation as a comic novelist ..
“¦.having read so many fine novels of the first world war which were outstanding, such as Birdsong and All quiet on the western front, I can’t say I was that impressed – however they can’t all be great! ..
“¦ I thought the characterisation a bit glib but actually it was quite well written ..
“¦the blurb had warned about disgustingly realistic action – an overstatement. However the discussion of the treatment of conscientious objectors was interesting “¦
