The Book Group Report - 5

Wow!  It was a big night at book group!  First Heather showed us the amazing bathroom that she and her husband just renovated.  All 9 of us fit inside.  Then, while we played a game involving not saying each other's names, which I sucked at, Lynne told us about being in the Oprah audience for the Favorite Things episode!  She even wore the Ralph Lauren sweater and the diamond watch so that we could see them.  Then we had our annual used book exchange.  I scored copies of Out Stealing Horses by Per Peterson, The Rose Labyrinth by Tatania Hardie, The Fig Eater by Jody Shields, and a Rachel Ray cookbook.  Finally, we talked about our book of the month, The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo by Steig Larsson.

I try not to spoil books by telling you too much about them on this blog.  That being said, I can't tell you how I feel about TGWTDT without giving away the ending.  So, if you plan on reading the book, you should stop reading now.  I will take this opportunity to insert a nice picture of the book cover, so that hopefully you can avoid reading the next paragraph, if you don't want to know.

Any who . . . if you are still reading, this is what I hate about this book.  In the beginning, Henrik Vanger is introduced as a wealthy man, who is unhappy.  Despite the fact that he has money and business success, he is not satisfied because he does not know what has happened to his niece.  He is fine with knowing she is dead; he is fine with knowing that she is alive; but he just needs to know.  In the end, his question is answered, but in reaching his resolution, he learns of several other girls who have died.  He decides not to tell their families what has happened to them, but instead to give their families monetary gifts.  He was not satisfied with money, but he expects that these other families will be.  It just seems that the whole point of the novel for Henrik is the importance of knowledge, but in the end, it is more important to him to preserve his family's reputation than to set the record straight, and give closure to other families. 

The rest of the book group was not bothered by this issue.  Of the 9 of us, 2 refused to read it, 1 loved it, 1 (me) hated it, and the rest were somewhere in between.

Next up:  The Little Stranger by Sarah Waters.  I told you I would have the book group read this one!  I can't wait to hear what they think about it.

Still Reading:  A Soldier of the Great War by Mark Helprin.  I am really liking this book so far.  I am about 220 pages in, which is only about 1/4 of the way through.  So far, the tone of the story and the voice of the teller are reminding me of Pillars of the Earth by Ken Follett. 

Still Listening to:  Olive Kitteridge by Elizabeth Strout