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Book of the month

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MNHQ

And our MARCH Book of the Month is... WHAT WAS LOST by Catherine O'Flynn (discussion 31 March 8pm-10pm)

82 replies

HelenMumsnet · 21/02/2009 14:33

In a nail-biting finish, What Was Lost beat This Book Will Save Your Life by just one vote!

We'll be chatting about What Was Lost on Tuesday 31 March from 8pm to 10pm. Hope you can join us!

Don't forget you can order your copy here

And, for anyone who missed out on the vote here were March's book choices and this is how Book Club works.

OP posts:
MollieO · 22/02/2009 17:05

Will there be a live webchat with this one? I read the book last year and I have some questions!

TomNook · 22/02/2009 17:08

Oh i loved it.

foxinsocks · 22/02/2009 17:12

yes it was good. Made me laugh out loud on the train some bits.

janeite · 22/02/2009 17:12

I've read it and look forward to seeing what others thought of it.

TillyBookClub · 23/02/2009 20:51

I'll get in touch with the publicist now and see if we can sort a live chat with Catherine O'Flynn. Will keep you posted here...

kingprawnjalfrezi · 25/02/2009 15:32

Its cheaper on amazon.

hermykne · 26/02/2009 16:13

this book will save your life is a great book, a bit of relief in these pessimistic times. written by a woman but from a mans point of view , very well done,.

TillyBookClub · 02/03/2009 15:29

The author is sadly away on the week of our discussion night, but we might be able to do an emailed Q&A so note down what you fancy asking...

I'm enjoying very much indeed (makes me hanker after invisible ink and the joys of buying new stationery)

Bookish · 04/03/2009 17:30

I thought " What was Lost " was fantastic, especially for a first novel. Really well paced, and I thought her observations about working in retail very accurate and amusing! I hope she has a new one coming soon....

michelle1979 · 07/03/2009 19:38

Ive just managed to get a copy of "What was Lost" from the library, it sounds like a really good read. Looking forward to the discussion. Im a real bookworm but dont get much chance to read any more with my 6 month little boy!

TillyBookClub · 10/03/2009 11:57

Its an excellent read, and very funny. I'm now busily recommending it to everyone who asks me what to read next.

And the best news is that Catherine is happy to do an emailed Q&A, so start thinking about what you'd like to put to her...we'll gather questions at the end of the discussion night and put the answers up the following week.

EachPeachPearMum · 12/03/2009 21:11

I really enjoyed most of this book, but I found the ending disappointing.

TillyBookClub · 13/03/2009 13:53

EachPeach, I agree, I felt a bit deflated on the last 4 pages. Maybe we should dream up alternative endings on Tues 31.

MollieO,TomNook, foxinsocks, janeite: send me any questions you'd like to put to the author (and same goes for anyone else who's finished it). We can gather them all on discussion night.

EachPeachPearMum · 13/03/2009 16:56

Can we discuss the ending yet? or do we have to wait until the discussion night?

michelle1979 · 13/03/2009 19:00

Please don't discuss the ending yet, ive yet to start reading it! What happens on the night, is there a chat room?

TillyBookClub · 17/03/2009 20:45

We all gather here on this thread and then post frantically whilst trying to eat supper off the keyboard and drink a bottle of wine simultaneously. At least that's what I do.

And we'll hold fire until the night to discuss the ending (and all the other bits...)

See you on Tues 31, 8-10pm.

TillyBookClub · 18/03/2009 12:18

Polls have opened for APRIL'S BOOK OF THE MONTH - all votes must be in before next Friday 27 March

TillyBookClub · 31/03/2009 20:05

Evening all

This reminded me a bit of The Lovely Bones but much less saccharine, and more British.

There are so many voices in the book. I thought Kate's diaries were excellent, perfectly pitched and funny. I missed her when she disappeared. The shopping mall voices (like the Anonymous Male or Mystery Shopper) I found a little bit distracting. Lisa and Kurt were both very well drawn and sympathetic. The only person i didn't really believe in was Gavin - too much of an identikit misfit.

Which parts did you think were the most successful?

(and just to remind you, we're sending questions to the author so anything you want to ask, pop it up here tonight)

simnel303 · 31/03/2009 20:07

Hi Tilly

I thought Kate's diaries were most successful, I could have read a whole book of them and I really liked Adrian. It was real laugh out loud stuff.

spiderinthebath · 31/03/2009 20:08

I agree Tilly, the shopping mall voices was the only bit I found I struggled with - Kate was a fantastic character and Adrian too I thought

MNHQ
carriemumsnet · 31/03/2009 20:08

Logging in in the interval of dd's gym and dance show! Looking forward to seeing what everyone else thought of it. I really enjoyed it and I usually hate anything that has any sadness in it. I would like to know where the idea came from, it's such an unusual setting for a story. I'd also like to know if she spent any time with security guards.

I liked the fact that the threads tied together at the end - but of course if I could have had my way the brother would have been cleared just before he died and the little girl would have been discovered in the underground bunker living happily in the wild and reunited with her childhood friends and everyone would live happily ever after, but that's why I'll never be a novellist!

Sorry to butt in early (and hope it's ok to talk about ending now... whoops?) - will catch up with this after the next installment of dance display

spiderinthebath · 31/03/2009 20:10

This was the 1st book I have read in bloody ages and it felt so good to have my nose stuck in it (even though on holiday with MIL..... )

MNHQ
carriemumsnet · 31/03/2009 20:11

... and of course the brother would not then have died.

I loved the record store stuff - reminded me dead end Sat jobs I've done.

MNHQ
carriemumsnet · 31/03/2009 20:12

reminded me of.... sorry, hard to concentrate in school hall

whistlejacket · 31/03/2009 20:13

Yes I agree with Kate's diaries, I really identified with her as I was 10 in 1984 too. I thought her Dad was agood character, shame there wasn't more of him. Lisa and Kurt were good too as was Teresa Stanton - liked the twist of her story. Was great to read about the 'inside world' of a shopping centre, the author thanks a security guard in the acknowledgements so I guess he helped her out with that story. I agree Gavin was a stereotype weirdo but I didn't guess he had something to do with Kate's death - so sad I too was really hoping she'd be found!

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