Myla Goldberg's Bee Season
So a friend of mine started a book group and I was like YAY because of course there are few things I love more than talking about books while sitting in a circle. I was slightly less excited that this is our first book--I read it when it first came out like ten years ago, and all I remembered was the brother's subplot--and that I didn't like it at all. But I figured, hey, ten years, maybe this time I'll be into it!
And then I spent a LOT of time bitching to anyone who would listen about how slow this book was, how flat the story and the writing felt (despite the use of present tense), how it's not really a story about a Jewish girl competing in spelling bees (ah, now you see why I read this in the first place) at all, but about how a couple of completely insane married people screw up their children through neglect and general looniness. And their daughter participates in spelling bees and is pressured by her father to get into Jewish mysticism, and their son joins the Hare Krishnas (interestingly, I looked up the movie version, and the guy who introduces the son to the cult is played by Kate Bosworth in the movie).
Actually, towards the end things get interesting for a little while, and then get super super weird. At least there are plenty of things to discuss. C.
I think the theme of the group is books that were turned into movies--so if you have suggestions of GOOD books that might fit the bill, please let me know, so I don't have to feel like book group is homework.
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