The Promise - Feb 2022 Book Group discussion thread

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TeeBee Apr 2022 4:23pm, 15 Apr 2022 8,706 posts	0 TeeBee Just finished this. It reminded - in terms of the bleak tone/location/era - of Disgrace by J. M. Coetzee, also a Booker Prize winner. It was obvious from the outset that this wouldn't be a cheery read, but the story was compelling, and I found it easier to stick with than I suspected that I would do early on. Got the hang of the lack of punctuation quite quickly. I was looking for some hope somewhere in the story, but that was finally snatched away at the end with Lukas' reaction to Amor and the fact the land may be restored to the misplaced community (maybe some hope for the community, I guess). Given her central role in the story it is interesting how little we learn about Salome, but I think that's really the point - as alluded to by the author, when he refers to us knowing nothing about her community. Desiree's insistence in calling her the 'girl' also really grated on me. Amor's transition from her childhood into a selfless, compassionate and emotionally intelligent adult was a surprise to me, and, in some ways unexplained. Similarly, her compulsive behaviour patterns she displayed in childhood and early adult life. Or did that all stem from the lightning strike? I may have missed that - perhaps I too need to re-read. But not yet. Book reviews aren't my forte (I'm no great expert in literature) but I'm glad I read it. It was thought provoking and, as I said previously, highly compelling. I think I'll give it a 7 or 8.
TeeBee Apr 2022 4:23pm, 15 Apr 2022 8,707 posts	0 TeeBee By the way Linds - the annealing temperature is very important in PCR reactions (that's where I know the term from).
LindsD Apr 2022 4:49pm, 15 Apr 2022 54,089 posts	0 LindsD Ooh. That's interesting. Thank you. And nice review