The Book Vipers discussion

This is the thread for discussion for the fiction book of the month, Pachinko

Things to consider:

1. Were you hooked immediately by the book or did it take a while to get into?
2. Did you like the plot?
3. Did the characters drive the plot or were they just passengers?
4. Did it come across as a credible story?
5. Did you connect to any of the characters in the story
6. Did you like the ending?
7. Did you have any quote or lines that stood out for you?
8. Would you read any other titles by this author?

Yay The Study Circle won. Another fine release by Dead ink. I really enjoyed this one. This was my book of the year in 2018.

Some brilliant characters and credible plot, the book gives the reader an insight into a world that is hugely misunderstood.

This was a book I picked up without really reading the blurb, I liked the cover, and was blown away by how good it was.

I am about 65% the way through and listening to this on audio. So far I am very impressed, love the descriptions of the scenery, social commentary and different takes on Islam.

Hi, this was the first book I have recommended to the group and glad you liked it.

I first heard of this author on a free collection of short stories on audible. I think his story was called Scolds Bridle and it really gripped me.

Back to The Study Group though. I really liked the ideas presented in this book and thought the characters were well written. It was good to have a counter balance to all the anti Islam rhetoric in the media these days.

Back to The Study Group though. I really liked the ideas presented in this book and thought the characters were well written. It was good to have a counter balance to all the anti Islam rhetoric in the media these days."

Yes there is so much in this a relatively short book to think about. I still haven't written my review as I wouldn't know where to start.

I like the way the book started and began some very devout Islam and was interspersed with a myriad of versions and cultures claiming Islam and all their distrusts of each other. The younger generation trying to enforce their more "devout" on their parents, the middle class British Islams trying to impress that the younger working classes should stop rocking the boat and to adopt a more British outlook etc.

It's also interesting to read the perspectives from a British Black male perspective and from a working-class perspective. Both of which are rare in literature too.

Prejudice seems to be a recurrent theme too. How we all assume that the other culture is less. For instance, the Muslim characters see the evils in white culture for drinking, lack of faith, etc while the white people see evils in the treatment of halal meat and prescribed religious dress. I like the way that the protagonist discovers that his elderly white neighbours are as capable of being a loving family as his own family is. This is probably something we are all guilty of, forgetting that though some cultures are different at heart everyone is human with the very same basic human needs - they are just expressed differently.

And of course that very dramatic ending!

Overall - good choice Gary !

Thanks Maria, glad you enjoyed it!