The book had with a heroine that you can't really warm to, an implausible storyline it was not a difficult read, but was an uncomfortable read. The main story line of a woman who has decided at the ancient? age of 50+ to end her life as her husband has died, her children no longer want to see her and her life is empty - who through a series of serendipitous events ends up with a man accused of matricide, finding out that her husband was not the man she thought - possible involvement in drugs, incest, and spying. Her children ranging from a high class call girl, a drug using beautiful but cruel homosexual and a well intentioned married woman. The story was almost about how much is hidden in a life. How people can intentionally not look to see what is going on to avoid difficult issues in life. It generated an interesting discussion more on the treatment of animals and how much Matilda had poured her love into her relationships with her animals to avoid being hurt. How she avoided the 'nasty' things in life - what her husband was, who her husband had turned into and the kind of people her children were. Deftly written with a sly black humor we all like it.
Words used to describe it: intriguing and unsentimental, blackly macabre, inspiring, implausible, masterful, blase, ambivalent, improbable, thought provoking. Marks out of 10 - between 6 - 9, it actually scored quite highly most giving it 8.
Next Book
An Equal Music by Vikram Seth
Next Date
Wednesday 16th April at 117 Harbord St
A few dates for the diary -
5th April Grand National
6th April Boat Race
15th May - next book club at 127 Harbord St
