New Cross Reading Group News

The February meeting discussed Penelope Lively’s novel Family Album.

The novel held the interest of those who attended as it seems to effectively present, through the recollections of various members of a family, a realistic impression of life as it really happens, a series of events, reflecting the dynamics of family life, which although unremarkable in themselves are nevertheless of great significance to the individuals concerned.

Characters, including Alison, who refuses to relinquish her idyllic vision of motherhood and her disengaged and aloof husband, Charles are vividly portrayed. Allersmead, an Edwardian home of ample proportions, provides an apt setting for the story to unfold, which, as it is too large to adequately heat or maintain, seems a metaphor for the fragile quality of family life. Although there is some indication of a sinister occurrence affecting the children as they play their cellar games, while separated from the adults, nothing untoward, apart from play influenced by the benign creative powers of children,  seems to happen. In fact most of the six children enjoy success in their chosen careers as adults.

To the reader a sense of the novel encompassing a long period of time is conveyed while intrigue is provided by the length of Ingrid’s stay with the family which, untypical of au pairs, becomes permanent. It is interesting to see how Allersmead, although being used by Alison and Ingrid to hold cookery classes where their culinary expertise is emulated by eager participants, becomes outmoded in contrast to the other homes occupied by their more affluent neighbours. We are left with the universal truth that children reach maturity and go their separate ways while the older generation become lonelier.   

Next month’s book is Colin Beatrice’s novel The Luminous Life of Lilly Aphrodite.
Tuesday 1 March 2011, 6.30-7.30pm
New Cross library
Have you read this novel? Let us know your thoughts.