February’s book club meeting was another great success with a solid turn out and even another new addition to the group!
Maurice by E.M Forster was up for discussion this month and was enjoyed by the overwhelming majority. Some did not quite take to the language like others did whilst most saw it as a welcome break after Dickens.
The main themes discussed were love, class, friendship- and of course- homosexuality. Once the discussion really opened up it became clear that Forster’s depiction of homosexuality was something that a lot of people could identify with and were very reminiscent of adolescence and feelings of alienation.
What many of us realised was that although Maurice was written so long ago, a lot of the discrimination and thinking surrounding homosexuality hasn’t changed at all. One book club member even brought a recent newspaper clipping of a Christian counsellor who was treating someone for their homosexuality. This eerily mirrors scenes within the novel in which the protagonist is treated by a doctor.
Some found the ending far too unrealistic for the time it was written. However, most agreed that Forster’s novel ended to leave the reader with a sense of hope and was written for a better time as his forward suggests.
After the session we went round the table and shared our top five books we’d like to read. Some had less than five…whilst others had more so we from this we came up with a list of those which really resonated with us the most.
The Maintenance of Headway by Magnus Mills is the next book up for discussion. This is fairly short so the group decided we would try and go for a real door-stop next time.
Our next choice was The Woman In White by Wilkie Collins. This Gothic novel will be sure to get hearts racing and good discussion going!
So the next sessions are as follows:
March session: The Maintenance of Headway, Magnus Mill – Tuesday 20 March
April Session: The Woman In White Wilkie Collins – Tuesday 17 April
We’ll keep you posted on how we get on. And remember: all are welcome.
Jenny
The Mill Book Club aims to bring people in the community together through a common desire to read and to share ideas. We meet on a monthly basis to discuss a previously agreed text with nibbles and refreshments.
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