Bailey's/Orange Women's Fiction Group discussion

Our March book is the novel A God in Every Stone by Kamila Shamsie. This book was nominated for the prize in 2015.

*********

Discussion Guide: https://www.bloomsbury.com/uk/widgetC...

A few questions to get us started:

1) What format do you plan on reading the book in? (Print/digital/audio)
2) Where are you getting the book from (Library/purchase/other)?
3) Is this the first book that you've read by this author?

My e-library have this - Yay!! Have to wait til the middle of the month for it. I have read 3 of Kamila Shamsie before and to me she is a quality writer. A lot of depth. I met her at a local book festival about 5 years ago. She headlined with Tracy Chevalier (who was the author I had gone to see) and at that time I had not heard of her. Since then I have read each book she has published - I think. Excited to see how good this one is! (Need to finish Stay With Me first!!!!)

Hello, this sounds great I’m looking forward to reading it. I’m going for a kindle version, I’m quite new to kindle, this will be my 3rd book. I prefer an actual book, but can’t keep buying books, no room left in the house, I vowed to not by any actual books until my TBR pile in this house is under 50, so kindle is my way of getting hold of books I don’t have for now. I used to listen to a lot of audiobooks whilst walking to work, but now as I’m home working a lot more and when I am in work getting dropped off and using home walk to keep in touch with family. I am hoping to find more time for audiobooks though, I miss them. The only other Kamila Shamsie I’ve read is Home Fire, which I listened to the audio version of last year when reading all the previous winners. I really enjoyed it and it was In my top 5, great to hear Penny is a fan.

Jessica wrote: "A few questions to get us started:

1) What format do you plan on reading the book in? (Print/digital/audio)
2) Where are you getting the book from (Library/purchase/other)?
3) Is this the first bo..."

Hi all, I'm going to listen to an audio version - I'll use one of my audible credits for this. I've been thinking of dropping my subscription for a while now but every time there's a book I'd prefer to 'listen' to and I can't find it at my library or hoopla, I rethink my plans!

I read and adored Home Fire and will try to go in without expecting it to be as good for me, that would be setting the bar unfairly high.

I did thoroughly enjoy Home Fire very modern and believable.

But my favourite so far is Burnt Shadows which I thought was mesmerising and on an epic scale. It's one of those books that requires a bit of effort by the reader but once you get going its gripping, insightful, poignant - and any other wonderful adjective!! I loved it so much I bought a copy for my Dad. (I've been encouraging him to read more female authors as he admitted to me a few years ago that he hardly ever read anything by a woman.)

I have read Home Fire and Salt and Saffron. I enjoyed them both, but of the two I favored Home Fire.

I see there is an Audible edition of this book, so I may try that out.

Penny- your post makes me really want to read Burnt Shadows.

I have also had a paperback copy of her book Kartography sitting unread on my shelves.

I've started listening to the Audible version and I am about 1/3 of the way through. I am really liking the narrator. I need her to record positive affirmations for me to listen to when I am stressed out. :D

It is narrated by Joan Walker.
https://www.imdb.com/name/nm1894879/

Checking in to say that I enjoyed the book but Home Fire is still my favorite book that I've read by Shamsie.

This one was an interesting look at Colonial India, with a British protagonist as written by a Pakistani author.

Hello everyone, I really enjoyed this and found it engaging and thought provoking. I particularly liked the end section and could not predict how it would workout. I agree i5 wasn’t quite as good as Home fire, but I’m looking forward to Burnt shadows.

Hope you like Burnt Shadows Carol. I got a bit bogged down with this one and am reading something else for my ‘in-person but Zoom’ bookclub!! But just started back up with it today

I like this one more once the story moved to India. The part set in Europe was a tad too long in my opinion.

I am hoping to read Burnt Shadows sometime this year. And maybe also finally read the copy of Kartography that's been sitting on my shelf for years.

I would agree it improves once we are in India and the Europe section could be shorter.