Crime, Mysteries & Thrillers discussion

This is the discussion thread for The farm by Tom Rob Smith. Your moderator is Kirsten

Good morning, all! Thanks to all who voted my book. I look forward to reading along with you all. Please remember to use the spoiler tags when advisable. I will try and be a good moderator.

I'll do some looking around today and try to come up with some good links!

I'd like to say that Tom Rob Smith is probably the first author to break into the Man Booker prize nominations with a genre book. That should tell you what kind of author he is. His breakout novel was Child 44 and was followed by two sequels.

This book is a little more personal for the author. It was actually based on a real-life experience that happened to the author.

In 2014, he was interviewed by NPR's David Greene on Morning Edition:

http://www.npr.org/2014/06/09/3195426...

Another interview from Gay Times:

https://www.gaytimes.co.uk/culture/16...

I hope you enjoy this book. I'll check back in and see how you're doing.

Unfortunately i have too many books to read for other groups but it sounds fascinating so i will add this to my list & will follow the discussion. All the best Kirsten!

HNR

Kirsten *Dogs Welcome - People Tolerated" wrote: "I'd like to say that Tom Rob Smith is probably the first author to break into the Man Booker prize nominations with a genre book. That should tell you what kind of author he is. His..."

Thanks for the NPR/David Greene link along with the ref to the Mann Booker. Basically, thank you for nominating an author who hits so many of my marks. Can't wait until it arrives.

You're welcome, @Portia. Looking forward to reading along with you.

I read The Farm last year and found it very different from the average 'thriller', especially the author's historical series set in Soviet Russia. This is a deeply more personal story, one which plays with perception and the nature of relationships. Quite low key and gradual, but full of tension and intrigue - it'll be interesting to see what everyone makes of it. I suspect it's a story which people will either love or hate!

I agree, Rowena! I have heard some people really hate it. I loved Child 44. But this is a different kettle of fish. It is very personal as something similar happened to the author. How did you feel about the shifting POVs? Many hated this.

Hope others will join in!

I am finding the mother's story easy to dismiss. I think she is reading into things and adding value where there none. I find her annoying. But I'm still reading.

One small criticism. I'm not getting the brevity of the time Tilde is spending with her son. The amount of time the story from her point of view takes is stronger every than the few hours the telling of it takes.

How is everyone finding the book. Here is a question from the reading group guide:

As he listens to the differing accounts of his mother and father, Daniel is forced to question their convictions. What would you do if you were faced with the same predicament?

What do you think?

Kirsten *Dogs Welcome - People Tolerated" wrote: "How is everyone finding the book. Here is a question from the reading group guide:

As he listens to the differing accounts of his mother and father, Daniel is forced to question their convictions...."

3 choices. Believe one, the other or neither. Can't believe both.

What would I do? Hard to say unless faced with a similar dilemma. Which, happily, I've never been.

We first meet Daniel’s mother, who is in a distressed state, at the airport in London. What are your first impressions of Tilde?

I had a hard time believing Tilde but, (view spoiler)[ as is the rest of this book IMHO, this is an overly obvious conceit. Within minutes, I was getting ready for her to be right in the end. Waaaay too obvious. (hide spoiler)]

Another problem I had with the book is the impossibility of events. Two that I remember are:

Tilde is planning on having an interview with an important person. She writes that she will spend the morning before the interview relaxing and mentally preparing herself. Instead, she puts out a fire.

(view spoiler)[When her son visits the farm his parents abandoned in the summer a few days before December 13, he takes a shower. Who heated the water for him? A shower in Sweden in December in cold water? No mention of a waiting sauna, either. (hide spoiler)]

I read The Farm earlier this year.

It isn't really my type of book and didn't really fall into the crime novel area for me but it works as a psychollogical thriller.

What role does the landscape, particularly the Swedish landscape, play in the novel?

London is crowded and busy, as is to be expected. Daniel has no sense of his own place, though. He grew up in London, but first he was living with his parents and now he lives with Mark. He has not made any place his own.

Even though it is less populated, more people are present in the scenes in Sweden. So,okay, everyone knows you in a small town and you are anonymous in a city. Sigh. More obvious analogy.

Do your opinions of Chris, Tilde and Håkan change throughout the novel, and how?

Has everyone enjoyed the book?

I finished this book today. I initially had trouble believing Tilde, however by the time she finished telling her story I believed her. The story is an unfortunate one, especially where Tilde is concerned, but I really liked the ending.