Active discussions

Meet the Other Phone. Flexible and made to last.

Meet the Other Phone.
Flexible and made to last.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

Talk
Book of the month

Find reading inspiration on our Book of the Month forum.

Original poster

APRIL BOOK OF THE MONTH DISCUSSION NIGHT - come here for Fall on Your Knees chat on Tuesday 29th April

102 replies

TillyBookClub · 23/04/2008 21:05

This is the thread to come to for April's Bookclub chat - we'll be kicking off at 8pm on Tuesday 29th April and discussing the brilliant Fall on Your Knees by Ann-Marie Macdonald.

And just a reminder that you can now vote for May's bookclub choice on our May Book of the Month page - we have six very prestigious Orange Prize shortlisters up there for the taking, so get voting now...

OP posts:
CocodeBear · 29/04/2008 21:38

Yes, I would have liked to have seen Anthony bulked out a bit. Rather than 'he was happy'. The end.

Arti · 29/04/2008 21:44

I would like tho ask the author what she thought was the reason for James being the way he was-that question is still one that disturbs me...

CocodeBear · 29/04/2008 21:44
CocodeBear · 29/04/2008 21:45

His own father was flawed, I think? He left his wife and son, at least, but we heard nothing else of his character.

strawberrylace · 29/04/2008 21:45

hmmm - i don't know, i quite liked the end as it was, i'm not sure i cared enough about anthony...

Original poster
TillyBookClub · 29/04/2008 21:45

A thought on James and his behaviour - listening to the news and the horrific Austrian father keeping his daughter prisoner, i felt that the book wasn't quite as wild in its imagination as I thought. James almost seems tame in comparison.

I wonder how the story would have turned out if James had been killed in the war...

OP posts:
FlossieTCake · 29/04/2008 21:46

Funny, I noticed that on Amazon too

Does MN have an affiliate link for Amazon any more??

strawberrylace · 29/04/2008 21:47

coco - i got this from the library too - i did wonder about buying it now i've read it as well, but then realised i could probably never lend it to anyone else, as i'm not sure how i could recommend it as a read!

lemurtamer · 29/04/2008 21:48

I wasn't gripped by the book but am trying hard to understand why other people were. The story seemed too grim with little hope in it. I felt some parts of the plot were "bolted on", for example Frances being shot, but it didn't change anything, and Kathleen suddenly having a lesbian relationship. From what we already knew that wouldn't change her father's feelings towards her, and the outcome of his trip to fetch her back was inevitable.

CocodeBear · 29/04/2008 21:49

Oh yes, imagine if he had been killed. And he tried, didn't he! He obviously hated that side of himself, the side that meant he desired his daughters. At least he really did know and feel that it was wrong.

strawberrylace · 29/04/2008 21:50

tilly - you are right about the similarities with that news story. i think that the girls would've still been quite self-destructive with or without james - something about sibling rivalry i think

CocodeBear · 29/04/2008 21:51

strawberrylace, yes, you're right about lending it! Having said that I recommended it to one of my BFs today, without really thinking (oh, btw, it contains paedophilia, infanticide, incest, attempted murder etc etc etc!!!)

CocodeBear · 29/04/2008 21:54

lemurtamer, I did find the NY stuff with Katherine a bit silly at the beginning, and when she 'turned' lesbian I thought , and all the stuff about 'hep cats' etc etc. I think it kind of managed to get away with it though, because at some point I stopped thinking this is silly, and just hung onto every word. I even gasped out loud when I realized James fathered the twins [sadcase emoticon]

billybass · 29/04/2008 21:55

It has been interesting seeing what you all thought of this book.I will get the May book's title on Friday. Tillybookclub are you expecting a baby soon? If so, best wishes. Bye

Original poster
TillyBookClub · 29/04/2008 21:59

flossie, do you mean there's something about the Austrian story and this book on Amazon?
I think we have an affiliate link with them but also with Blackwell - totally up to you where you get the book really, links are just there to be useful.

lemurtamer, interesting to bring up Kathleen's sudden lesbian relationship. I thought that plot twist was quite a nice device as you're assuming all along that she's had a male lover (because of coming back pregnant). But it did seem to come from nowhere, almost like an experimental love affair.

OP posts:
Original poster
TillyBookClub · 29/04/2008 22:04

thanks billybass, am due exactly a week today with Baby 2, on my first son's birthday in fact - not sure what he'll make of that particular present.

Great chat everyone, its been a meaty book to get into and have enjoyed looking at it in a different light since I first read it.

Will post the result of May vote on Friday - see you all for the next one I hope (and meanwhile I'm going to practise trying to breastfeed and type at the same time...)

OP posts:
FlossieTCake · 29/04/2008 22:06

No, no - just wondered if there was an affiliate link that ought to be used when linking to an Amazon book! Like Coco I noticed it was cheap on Amazon at the moment...

The lesbian affair was what made me twig that it must be James that had fathered the twins. I thought it was not a very convincing episode, but then it felt strongly like it had been ripped off from the Colour Purple - funky black musician who introduces main character to joys of same-sex love etc. etc.

FlossieTCake · 29/04/2008 22:07

Ooh, Tilly - good luck! Hope all goes well. I will be SERIOUSLY impressed if you are here for the next book club - it took me about 6 weeks to even check my email after DS2 arrived

CocodeBear · 29/04/2008 22:07

Tilly, my cousin had twins on her first boy's 2nd birthday - so now has 3 Ds's born on the same day!

CocodeBear · 29/04/2008 22:09

Flossie, that is disappointing if she's been influenced to such an extent by another book - makes me feel a bit let down somehow!

Arti · 29/04/2008 22:11

Best of luck Tilly xx

Original poster
TillyBookClub · 29/04/2008 22:20

Thanks Arti, and everyone - am hoping baby might come sooner rather than later and I don't have to lumber about like a diplodocus. On the other hand, I feel HUGELY unprepared and haven't even packed hte hospital bag. Denial? Me?

coco, your cousin must have one hell of a shopping trip going on the week before...but I guess rather nice to get it all out the way? In our family we have 6 birthdays in December, including 2 on Xmas eve. Everyone a bit sick of presents by Xmas day.

Flossie, just to add that I think (at least I'm fairly certain I read it somewhere) the author is a lesbian herself, so I wonder if there's a element of wanting to get that experience into her book.

OP posts:
FlossieTCake · 29/04/2008 22:23

Well, she puts her own spin on it and does more with the dimension of race - the lesbian relationship in the Colour Purple is two black women after all. But the "love interest" is a nightclub singer. Very different to Rose in character, but I was really strongly reminded of scenes in the Colour Purple by the NY bits in this book.

(Is there a time limit on this book club thing and should I stop posting now??)

strawberrylace · 29/04/2008 22:23

All the best Tilly. I'm waiting with interest to see what's picked as the next book of the month - think i may reserve the current front runners from the library just in case! thanks for an interesting discussion everyone - see you next month?

Original poster
TillyBookClub · 29/04/2008 22:38

flossie, you've reminded me that i must read The Colour Purple - have never got round to it somehow.

No limit on posting but I guess we usually wrap up between 10 and half past. I am off to heave my vast bulk onto one of those v shaped cushions. See you next time, X

OP posts: