Hove’s most celebrated literary salon assembled on Thursday 27th May 2021 in the convivial surrounds of a fashionable conservatory to celebrate Roland’s Troy themed selections starting with…
READING: The Silence of the Girls (2018) by Pat Barker
Roland confessed to slight disappointment and Hamish, juices flowing given the Regeneration trilogy was also a little sniffy.
Nigel felt it was an inspired idea to tell the story with female voices in this male dominated war. A masterstroke. We witness a whole new level of unpleasantness through the eyes of the women claimed as part of the bounty of war. These women were turned into slaves whilst having to process the trauma of their new masters having destroyed their cities, and killed their fathers, brothers and children. By viewing legends from a different perspective, Pat Barker allows us to rethink history. The Gods are there in the background however the primary focus is the cost of wars waged by men and the harsh reality of conquest and slavery.
Robin dismissed it as “a turkey”
Nick, by contrast, dubbed it “really great” and praised Pat Barker’s brilliance at evoking the visceral horrors of war before describing this as an earthy, clever and credible novel.
Alas Keith could not keep the love going and found it passable if a little unsatisfactory
Thankfully Tristan was on hand to laud a brilliant reinterpretation. Some sections are genuinely gripping and vivid, for example a section when a plague ravages the prison camp, or some of the blood-drenched battle scenes.
Nick 8 / Tristan 10 / Nigel 7 / Keith 5 / Roland 7 / Robin 3 / Hamish 6
Most of us could barely discern much difference between Movements 1 to 5. After Movement 6 it was easier to discern some progression but by that time wewere losing the will to live. All except Nick that is, who heralded this as “the best thing HBG have ever done”. Were drugs involved? Seems likely.
 |
| Another turkey |
Troy has the production values of 1954 rather than 2004. Bum numbingly long for no good reason, boring, ridiculous and dated. A load of old codswallop. Wooden horse, wooden acting. Robin again broke out the T word - it’s a turkey.
HBG endorse it: 23 April 2021 - 27 May 2021
Nomadland (film)
Motherland (BBC iPlayer)
This Time With Alan Partridge (BBC iPlayer)
Shuggie Bain by Douglas Steuart (Book/audiobook)
Halston (Netflix)
Next time out we are discussing Nick's choices….
*Cancel Culture*
READ: Portnoy’s Complaint (1969) by Philip Roth
LISTEN: You Are The Quarry (2004) by Morrissey
WATCH: Chinatown (1974) directed by Roland Polanski (DVD)
Date of meeting: Thursday 24th June 2021
Tristan will be unveiling the choices for 22nd July 2021
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