Lucca English Book Club

Our book for April 2025 will be "Death At The Sign Of The Rook" by Kate Atkinson, an English writer who has achieved considerable success not only in the UK, particularly since her 2013 novel, "Life After Life". In her latest work, "Death at the Sign of the Rook" we are reintroduced to her favourite detective Jackson Brodie, in what sounds like Agatha Christie pastiche.  Etta's Bookshop already has copies.

Our choice of Zadie Smith's "The Fraud" was perhaps high risk given how much it was steeped in 19th century British history, literary and actual, which was bound to be unfamiliar territory for some. And so  much stuff - feminism, old age & decline, slavery, social justice & class, truth, literary ambition, perhaps too much, but nevertheless a great book for discussion, held together by Zadie Smith's descriptive gifts and sharp characterisation.  So many possible frauds over and above the  Claimant  -  Ainsworth, Bogle, Dickens,  even Eliza  who at least had honest self doubt,  And we had our own  - did Bogle  quietly mastermind the whole claimant case?  And how about  kinky Victorians with their hidden  whips?  On average, despite dissenters, we gave it a score of 7. We're heading into less demanding territory hopefully with our choice for April  - Kate Atkinson is again an English writer who has achieved...