Amongst gobbling sausage rolls and marshmallows we talked about 11.22.63 by Stephen King. This is a hefty book, I was impressed that most people finished it as if you didn't start it straight away it would have been difficult to find enough time! I think everyone really enjoyed reading this, it had the odd chapter that wasn't as gripping as the rest but generally it kept you on tender hooks wanting more and took us on a journey through time.
After getting over the fact that Jake readily agrees to believe and take on a challenge of going back in time to stop the assignation of JFK (which he does seem to do without much question) you are taken back to 1950's America, where Stephen King describes the music, the people, the clothes as if he was really there himself. An epic amount of research must have gone into writing this. Because the rabbit hole can only take him back to a date in 1958, he actually has 5 years to wait until the assignation, so the first chunk of the book doesn't really mention much about JFK as he finds many other things to occupy his time, such as saving a family from a murderous father and a girl from a life changing accident. Once he's been the hero he settles down and actually begins to fall in love with a librarian whilst working at a school. In fact he really falls in love with the 1950's and the people around him.
Things don't however always go his way he does not have an easy ride of it as the past does not like to be changed (as we are often reminded) and always tries to throw a spanner in the works. This was a great book to talk about as there was so much going on, Jakes relationships with the different characters and the periods in which it was set. When Jake considers taking his new love back to the future with him we all agreed that he was crazy to think she would like the future as it would be totally overwhelming, thinking about the way the world is now to back in the 50's there have been so many changes in the way people speak and behave. Could you imagine living in the 50's with the limited technology they had and coming back to now seeing the internet, mobile phones the lot, you wouldn't think it was only 50 years in the future, you'd think we are all aliens from a space age.
The only bit of the book that I wasn't so keen on was later on when he came back to the future and saw what had happened in relation to what he had changed in the past. I felt this chapter was so rushed, I'm not sure why in a book that was so hefty you would only save one chapter to describe an entire world and all the things that had changed in its history over 50 years. The things that had changed were also extremely dramatic and unbelievable when compared with what effect Jake really had on the past, could it really have made that much difference? I guess we will never know.
I don't think we rated it, but the general consensus was that this is definitely worth reading! For quite a few this was their first Stephen King so I think he has made a good impression.
Right the next book for our December meeting (Cannot believe Christmas will almost be upon us) is...'The Woman In Black' by Susan Hill. This one is a tiny book so no excuses for not getting this one finished after last months epic! I have seen the play (amazing) and the film (not so great...) but I reckon the books going to be quite good, lets see if its scary as I am very easily spooked!
'Arthur Kipps, a junior solicitor, is summoned to attend the funeral of Mrs Alice Drablow, the sole inhabitant of Eel Marsh House, unaware of the tragic secrets which lie hidden behind the shuttered windows. The house stands at the end of a causeway, wreathed in fog and mystery, but it is not until Arthur glimpses a wasted young woman, dressed all in black, at the funeral that a creeping sense of unease begins to take hold, a feeling deepened by the reluctance of the locals to speak of the woman in black and her terrible purpose.'
Oooooh spooky! Get reading!!
Next Book Club:
Date: Wednesday 4th December
Time: 7.30pm
Location: TBC (as usual)
Just to show we aren't too sensible...
