Why Tristan why? Tristan explained he was looking for a female writer to dampen down the rampant testosterone that is such a feature of the Hove Book Group. He was also looking for the antithesis of a group of middle aged men and identified teenage girls as the polar opposite. He may have a point.
So how was it for you? Tristan really enjoyed this non linear, coming-of-age story, and Catton's keen insights into high school's herd mentality and the remarkable set pieces in which the young actors are put through their paces by their tutors. 8/10
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| Keith - confusion reigned |
All eyes now turned to Keith, a man who can never be second guessed. "What's going on?" asked Keith, after he had speed read through a third of the book. Confusion reigned in Keith's world.
"Identity, youth, sexuality, desire...all very disturbing. Where am I?"
"Why does Catton lapse into preciousness and have a drama-killing tendency to interpolate herself?" murmured Keith, looking around with a concerned expression. Alas, none were able to do more than offer supportive smiles. 5/10
Nigel's initial impression was that the book was intriguing. Here's the saxophone teacher addressing a mother: "I require of all my students, that they are downy and pubescent, pimpled with sullen mistrust, and boiling away with private fury and ardour and uncertainty and gloom ... If I am to teach your daughter, you darling hopeless and inadequate mother, she must be moody and bewildered and awkward and dissatisfied and wrong."
Intrigue soon gave way to frustration. Nigel lacks the patience and the inclination to ponder the improbable, non-linear plot. Nigel also lacks the patience to work out what is real, what is imagined, and what it might all mean. The insurmountable hurdle was that Nigel just could not care less about any of the characters. About halfway through he resorted to reading the plot summary on Wikipedia. Never a good sign. At that point, he started to skip ahead. Whilst he was invariably struck by the simple and accessible quality of the writing, he also could not escape how this was married to a tedious "plot" and dull characters. 4/10
Intrigue soon gave way to frustration. Nigel lacks the patience and the inclination to ponder the improbable, non-linear plot. Nigel also lacks the patience to work out what is real, what is imagined, and what it might all mean. The insurmountable hurdle was that Nigel just could not care less about any of the characters. About halfway through he resorted to reading the plot summary on Wikipedia. Never a good sign. At that point, he started to skip ahead. Whilst he was invariably struck by the simple and accessible quality of the writing, he also could not escape how this was married to a tedious "plot" and dull characters. 4/10
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| Hamish - demands more |
Hamish thought the plot was conventionally provocative however, he added crypically, "the plot was not the point". Catton obscures the line between reality and fantasy. A group of drama students decide to use the recent sex scandal as fodder for their end-of-year production and for Hamish it resembled a literary hall of mirrors. The characters in The Rehearsal are soulless, their speech is overwrought and scripted, and the heart of the novel is elusive. Frequently frustrating and flickeringly fascinating, Hamish demands more. Much more. 4/10
Nick felt there was "a lot" to "recommend" this book labelling it an experimental, theory-driven novel which "speaks the unspeakable". The Rehearsal deals with social roles, especially those foisted onto teenage girls. Fragmentary scenes shuffled together like a pack of playing cards juxtaposing the aftershocks of an affair between a high-school student and her music teacher. Nick is already keenly anticipating a second reading and revisiting the charged emotional landscape of Catton's world. 8/10
So The Rehearsal polarised Hove Book Group opinion and stimulated a very enjoyable discussion - what more can a book group wish for?
Next up we discussed Tristan's musical selection...
"Pure Heroine" (2013) by Lorde
"Pure Heroine" is the debut studio album by New Zealand singer-songwriter Lorde (Ella Yelich-O'Connor).
Tristan claimed it was alright, but "nothing special". Keith just growled "move on". Nigel was more effusive - his kids say "Yes!" to Lorde, luxuriating in the reverbed synths and electronic pulses aligned to pleasing words. That's all that it takes for Nigel's household. Hamish's family, who insist on calling her "Lordy" were similarly in thrall to Lorde's frank analysis of pop culture. Nick felt the lack of twerking keenly but, once he'd put this to one side, was able to admire her sharp satire and sentimental brevity. "You can call me Queen Bee" he smiled. Quite so.
"The Virgin Suicides" (1999) dir by Sofia Coppola
Finally, and with Nick having slipped away as he was yet to view it, we discussed The Virgin Suicides.
The Virgin Suicides is a 1999 American drama written and directed by Sofia Coppola, produced by her father Francis Ford Coppola, starring James Woods, Kathleen Turner, Kirsten Dunst, Josh Hartnett, and A. J. Cook. Based on the novel of the same name by Jeffrey Eugenides, the film tells of the events surrounding the suicides of five sisters in an upper-middle class suburb of Detroit during the 1970s. After the youngest sister makes an initial attempt at suicide, the sisters are put under close scrutiny by their parents, eventually being put into near-confinement, which leads to increasingly depressive and isolated behaviour.
The Virgin Suicides is a 1999 American drama written and directed by Sofia Coppola, produced by her father Francis Ford Coppola, starring James Woods, Kathleen Turner, Kirsten Dunst, Josh Hartnett, and A. J. Cook. Based on the novel of the same name by Jeffrey Eugenides, the film tells of the events surrounding the suicides of five sisters in an upper-middle class suburb of Detroit during the 1970s. After the youngest sister makes an initial attempt at suicide, the sisters are put under close scrutiny by their parents, eventually being put into near-confinement, which leads to increasingly depressive and isolated behaviour.
Tristan declared himself ambivalent about the film. All of us were unclear about the reasons for the suicides. Was there a sickness in the town? In society? Meanwhile the boys in the Lisbons’ neighbourhood, who feature as the narrators, try and reach out to the girls however were all rebuffed. Questions, questions, give us no answers. With furrowed brows and ambiguity hanging heavy in the atmosphere, we said goodnight.
