A Mercy by Toni Morrison

Jacob is an Anglo-Dutch trader and adventurer, with a smallholding in the harsh North. Despite his distaste for dealing in 'flesh', he takes a small slave girl in part payment for a bad debt.
This is Florens, 'with the hands of a slave and the feet of a Portuguese lady', who can read and write and might be useful on his farm. Florens is hungry for love, at first from the older servant woman at her new master's house; but later, when she's 16 from the handsome blacksmith, an African, never enslaved who comes riding into their lives.
A Mercy reveals what lies under the surface of slavery, but at its heart, it is the disturbing story of a mother and a daughter in a violent ad-hoc world - a world where acts of mercy, like everything else, have unforeseen consequences.

First comment ... 'This should be renamed A Misery'.

That just about summed up our club's view of Toni Morrison's latest novel. There were few of us who found anything but heartache, despair and injustice in the lives of Morrison's characters, and felt that they had heard it all before, the wretchedness of slavery.

But several of us did try and struggle to the other side of this book and found a powerful vehicle for female relationships (particularly mother and daughter), and saw the place of pure vulnerability that all social levels found themselves. Then followed a discussion on choices and freedom, what they were, both within the book and in general. Very interesting and engaging talk that involved even those that decided not to read this book.

It was also mentioned that the prose lacked fluidity, was jerky and hard to read, but in contrast to this ... 'paints a vivid, powerful picture', 'interesting historically' and very believable, to the extend of being distressing.

We have read two other Morrison novels throughout the years and knew that she can present a challenge. She demands the readers' full attention, which is the only way to get the most of her stories.

So, looking for a challenge? A Mercy will give it to you!

The Road Home/Trespass by Rose Tremain

In a silent valley stands an isolated stone farmhouse, the Mas Lunel. Its owner is Aramond Lunel, an alcoholic so haunted by his violent past that he's become incapable of all meaningful action, letting his hunting dogs starve and his land go to ruin.
Meanwhile, his sister, Audrun, alone in her modern bungalow within sight of the Mas Lunel, dreams of exacting retribution for the unspoken betrayals that have blighted her life. Set among the hills and gorges of the Cevennes, the dark and beautiful heartland of southern France, this is a thrilling novel about disputed territory, sibling love and devastating revenge.

Like so many others, Lev is on his way from Eastern Europe to Britain, seeking work. He is a tiny part of a vast diaspora that is changing British society at this very moment. But Lev is also a singular man with a vivid outsider's vision of the place many call home. In his innocence, his courage and his ingenuity, he is perhaps Rose Tremain's contemporary version of Candide.
In front of Lev, lies the deep strangeness of the British; their hostile streets, their clannish pubs, their obsession with celebrity, their lonely flats. London holds out the alluring possibilities of friendship, sex, money and a new career - but, more than this, of human understanding and a sense of belonging.

We followed a slightly different format last month with the reading of two books by the same author. Members could read both or just one, depending on availability and personal time and taste.
As it turned out, Tremain scored high with our group, with most of us lamenting her well developed characters, insight and believable study of relationships, and life as an immigrant. The strength of the female characters in both stories was mentioned and applauded. No surprise there! And Eleanor summed up beautifully by saying that the author had the ability to take an ordinary story and turn it into something brilliant.

There were some negative comments however, Anne thought the writing not strong enough for the emotional issues tackled, Tera was surprised at the lack of communication problems immigrant Lev had in a new country. This did not feel realistic to her. And Carol thoroughly enjoyed The Road Home, but found Trespass and its characters completely unlikable, finding it hard to believe they were written by the same author.

There was also comment on a slightly slow section in the middle of The Road Home, and Viti was challenged by the moral dilemma in Trespass - 'an innocent person paying for the wrongs of others'.

So, a new author has certainly been brought to our attention through these two titles, and a few of us are interested in reading more of Tremain's work. Opening our reading experience that little bit more.

And that's why we belong to a book club!