Mr B's Blog of Bloggy Delights

A bloggy thing created for the book groups of Mr B's Emporium of Reading Delights (Bath's fabulous award-winning independent bookshop) so we can continue chatting about the books and others can join in. Whenever possible we ask the authors of the books we read to answer a few questions, so we'll put their answers here so everyone can see them and debate them. And I expect the blog might get used for other bookish and Mr B'sish stuff too, if inclination, time and demand seem to encourage it.

Monday, 3 January 2011

Kamchatka by Marcelo Figueras. A random read by Mrs B over Christmas

We WILL all be better at blogging this year. We really will. And to kick start the year here are a few words on a thoughtful (and very well translated) novel I read over Christmas this year.

Set in 1970’s Argentina, a young boy is whisked out of school by his parents fleeing to a safe house to escape the new military ruling power. I was expecting a high octane, suspense-filled novel and was at first disappointed by the lack of pace. However, I found it ultimately much more fulfilling as a look at where we look to escape to when reality becomes too painful - all through the eyes of a boardgame-loving, Houdini-obsessed young lad trying to make sense of a world closing in on his family.