Book-a-book of the Month Club discussion

Discuss the characters here

Karen Blixen introduced - the real name behind the pen name Isak Dinesen

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Karen_B...

Also, did not realize going in that Beryl Markham was a real person, too!

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Beryl_M...

Also read that one in the characters in Out of Africa is likely based on Beryl Markham

Now that I'm rereading, I do vaguely remember looking up Beryl when I read this the first time. Wikipedia gives her a kind of "women power" vibe, but I don't think I buy that. While this book is, I think, relatively sympathetic to her, other non-novel depictions make her seem more like she really truly did live for herself, even when it was at the expense of others.

Karen - I think this book portrayed Karen as more weak than she likely was. Where it tried to make Beryl look strong and independent, Karen was written as almost not doing much other than pining around for Denys. Lots of focus on Karen wanting to tame him, and being blind to his ways, etc. I just didn't buy it.

Mansfield - (view spoiler)[I realize that she really married him and have no idea how the real courtship played out, but I totally didn't buy him as someone Beryl would even take as a lover, let alone marry. She thought Jock was a good man but did not love him before she married him, and that turned out horribly. WHY do the same thing again? And were we meant to think Mansfield may have been gay? The many references to his "less masculine" preferences and like for gardening kept making me think that, but I'm not sure if it was intentional or just happened. (hide spoiler)]

Denys - for someone who was ultimately so important, I actually don't feel like I know much about him - a large amount of what was shared about him was that he's "not the marrying" type, explained in as many different ways as possible. Maybe she didn't dive as deep into his character because he's already so "well known"? I wanted more Denys.

Leah wrote: "Now that I'm rereading, I do vaguely remember looking up Beryl when I read this the first time. Wikipedia gives her a kind of "women power" vibe, but I don't think I buy that. While this book is, I..."

You should definitely read Out of Africa. Karen was NOT as simpering or weak as this book made her out to be, and I don't think she ever thought she could tame Denys, simply loved him. That book gives much more detail about the two of them, and they were both quite a bit more likable than Beryl.

Kandice wrote: "Leah wrote: "Now that I'm rereading, I do vaguely remember looking up Beryl when I read this the first time. Wikipedia gives her a kind of "women power" vibe, but I don't think I buy that. While th..."

Ohhhh, I love the “simpering” description - spot on!

Thank you for the interesting discussion on Karen and Beryl - I think my appreciation of them as characters in this book has been enhanced by your comments and opinions of them.

One thing I see here that I have seen in other books is when an author is a fan of a particular character, it might make them seem and behave superior to other characters who may not see such harsh treatment in a book where they are the main character.

An example of this that comes to mind is Edison and Tesla. Read a book by anyone who is a fan of one, and the other is terrible.

So, I guess Paula McLain is a Beryl Markham fangirl ;)

Matthew wrote: "An example of this that comes to mind is Edison and Tesla. Read a book by anyone who is a fan of one, and the other is terrible...."

That's definitely true!

Matthew wrote: "Thank you for the interesting discussion on Karen and Beryl - I think my appreciation of them of characters in this book has been enhanced by your comments and opinions of them.

One thing I see he..."

Yep, definitely agree!

Tesla and Edison is killer example too. I wouldn’t have thought of it, but the last book of them I read was soooo spot on to that. Now I need to go figure out which one that was if I want to sleep tonight!!