"The mind is its own place and in itself, can
make a Heaven of Hell, a Hell of Heaven." John Milton
19 Bookers met at the home of Rokhshie
Malone to discuss this month’s debut novel, a psychological thriller featuring
a famous painter married to an in-demand photographer whose life seems perfect
until one fateful night. We’re introduced to a gruesome murder followed by the
psychologist’s fascination with the murderer – she held captive in her own mind
– and his maneuvers to secure her as a patient. We follow his successes and
failures tied to her care while numerous subplots dangle throughout the book –
just enough to distract the reader from the “real” story. And, finally the
shocking reveal was as equally impressive as the slow-burning journey to that
point. It reads more like a character study methodically building flawed characters,
subsequently breaking them down layer by layer while investigating the mind of
a criminal. Many thanks to Rebecca Brisendine for dissecting this complicated
book and summarizing the plot as she said, “it seemed to begin in the middle,
go to the end, and then reveal the beginning, ending in the middle.”
Rebecca provided details about the author
that ties into the creation of his novel. He is a former screenwriter who was
once told, “Books expand a story and films contract a story. When you slow down
by building characters, plot, and details you share the lives in the story with
the reader.” Born in 1977 in Cypress to an English mother and a Greek father,
Greek mythology, especially Euripides who wrote the myth of Alcestis,
haunted him and he knew someday he would write about it. In the story the hero
is condemned to death by the Fates but is offered a loophole – escape death if
he can persuade someone else to die for him. Alcestis offers to die for him, he
accepts, she dies and departs for Hades, but it doesn’t end there. There’s a
happy ending referred to as a deus ex machina which is a literary plot
device where a seemingly unsolvable problem in a story is suddenly and abruptly
resolved by an unexpected and unlikely occurrence. Alcestis is returned to
living, hubby is moved to tears, but
she doesn’t speak and is led back to the house in silence.
Alicia’s
self-portrait was entitled Alcestis…it’s a painting about silence
and at the heart of all art lies a mystery – her silence was her secret and her
mystery. It was important to find out what molded her as the experts say no one
is born evil…a baby cannot hate the mother without the mother first hating the
baby…babies are sponges, blank slates with only basic needs…but something went
wrong in her house for her to harbor vengeful fantasies…rage like fear is
reactive…something happened in her childhood to shape her into a person capable
of murder. Her father’s comment after her mother was killed in a car accident
would be enough to trigger that response! And, in the end the only one she
could trust was her diary.
Most read and
liked the book although it started slowly for some; a few didn’t believe from
the beginning that Alicia murdered her husband. We talked about Theo and his
relationship with his wife and his relentless pursuit to prove she was having
an affair; why did Alicia give Theo her diary – was she manipulating him and
showing she held all the cards or did she trust that he was trying to help her;
the author skillfully revealed Alicia’s inner turmoil through her artwork and
her physical descriptions – she’s just out of reach to everyone but ever
present in the story. We wondered if Alicia had another copy of the diary as
Theo could have destroyed it, but he returned it to her – why – because it
didn’t incriminate him in any way. Secrets are at the heart of the novel and one
by one they are revealed and in the end our jaws hit the floor (at least mine
did.) We also talked about Room by Emma Donoghue when MN and I
recreated the 12x12 room Jack and his mother occupied. There was talk of
recreating this…a visit from Alabama would be in order…stay tuned but don’t
hold your breath!
On the business side:
We are all saddened by the passing of
Roger Prebis on Sunday. All we can offer are thoughts and prayers from our
hearts to theirs. Trees are planted, trunks get taller,
thicker, and stronger, old branches support new branches. Bookers Blessing
Branch represents an arm of comfort, the strength of friendship, the
empathy of a shared loss, a hug wrapped in heartfelt sentiment, and love from
one person to another. We attached our notes of support on the branch for
the Prebis family and I delivered it today…they were thankful and touched by
the outpouring! Bookers “rock.”
Many thanks to everyone who contributed to
the garage sale and to those who worked tirelessly to organize the PWC event of
the season. We endured gale force winds, blinding rain, and cold temperatures
but the dedicated spirit that makes it successful prevailed – it’s always been
about our community giving back, not only with the net proceeds going to
scholarships and local charities, it’s bigger than that…for the shoppers who
are treated to an early Christmas by completing their wish lists three-fold and
as Jean Alexander pointed out it’s also a bonding time for PWC members, new and
“old” participating in an effort to help others. That puts a smile on my face
and a warmth in my heart that writing a check would not compare (in my humble
opinion of course!)
Barry Evans is slowly recovering from his
surgery and has been seen walking within the “compound” and rumor has it eating
as much ice cream as he can…baby steps in the right direction. We wish him
continued progress and send our love to the family as well.
Melba and Layton Holt covertly left
Pinnacle – maybe not in the dead of night, but unknown to many of us. I emailed
her “demanding” an explanation and she explained Layton needed to be somewhere
to be able to receive intensive treatment for his pain and although they were
“gone” their house is not on the market and she plans to visit us often. Good
news for all who adore them!
COLOR
CODING SYSTEM
WHITE: LIGHT READ
PINK: MODERATELY
CHALLENGING
RED: CHALLENGING
November 12: The
Chaperone, Laura Moriarty
A novel about the woman
who chaperoned an irreverent Louise Brooks (a famous silent-film star) to New
York City in 1922 and the summer that would change them both.
PINKISH WHITE
Home
of Beverly Dossett
Discussion
Leader: Barbara Creach (Thank you MN!)
December 10: Show up with the
Christmas spirit in your heart – the one that causes the weary world to look
beyond what confronts us daily and for a little moment forget the things that
are small and wretched. I’m in charge. No book to buy just enjoy a dusting
of Ho Ho Ho and bring one pair of warm and fuzzy tootsie covers – a sock in a
sack – to exchange.
Home of Jane Shaw
Program by JoDee Neathery
Bonnie
Magee will again coordinate the food and beverage.
January 14, 2020: The
Extraordinary Life of Sam Hell by Robert Dugoni
Sam always saw the world
through different eyes, born with red pupils he was called “Devil Boy” by his
classmates: “God’s will” is what his mother called his ocular albinism. His
unique condition, his mother’s devout faith, coupled with his father’s practical
wisdom and his two other misfit friends makes for an entertaining read.
PINK
Home
of Bonnie Magee
Discussion
Leader: TBD
February 11: Sold
on a Monday by Kristina McMorris
A scrawled sign peddling
young siblings on a farmhouse porch captures the desperation sweeping the
country in 1931. A struggling reporter snaps a photograph which changes his
life with consequences he never expected.
PINKISH RED
Home
of Daryl Daniels
Discussion
Leader: Rokhshie Malone
March 10: The
Roots of the Olive Tree by Courtney Miller Santo
A debut novel set in a
house in an olive grove in Northern California, a touching story bringing to
life five generations of women, including an unforgettable 112 year-old
matriarch determined to break all Guinness longevity records – the secrets and
lies that divide them and the love that ultimately ties them together.
PINK
Home of Patty Evans
Discussion Leader: Katherine McDonald
April 14: Beloved
by Toni Morrison
In honor of the late
Nobel Prize laureate’s finest achievement which stares unflinchingly into the
abyss of slavery transforming history into a story as powerful as Exodus and as
intimate as a lullaby…filled with bitter poetry and suspense as taut as a rope.
RED
Home
of Jean Alexander
Discussion
Leader: TBD
May 12: TBD
Home
of TBD
Discussion
Leader: TBD
Summer read: TBD
“As a single footstep will not make a path
on the earth, so a single thought will not make a pathway in the mind. To make
a deep physical path, we walk again and again. To make a deep mental path, we
must think over and over the kind of thoughts we wish to dominate our lives.” Henry
David Thoreau
Happy Reading,
JoDee
