Book Chat Issue #78

The sweet life

Hello reading friends!

I’m on holiday in South Australia for a few days, so this is a shorter than usual newsletter, but I didn’t want to miss an issue. I’m here with my two sisters to celebrate a significant birthday (not mine) and we are having a ball eating and drinking and generally talking our heads off.

I’m on the left, but we do look very similar

What I’ve been reading

I borrowed a whole stack of books from the library in preparation for my holiday but some were a bit disappointing, so they quickly went back into the return pile. I didn’t think they were badly written, just not what I was in the mood for. However, I started reading a new book by Jo Baker and it was really intriguing. Beautifully written, but not what I expected.

The Midnight News is set during the Blitz in WWII but doesn’t conform to the tropes for books set in that era. It has elements of romance, but doesn’t have the cheerful ‘old chums’ Britishness you often find in this type of book. The characters are complex and interesting, and the descriptions of the bombing raids sounded very realistic. You could really understand how frightening it must have been to hold your breath night after night while the sirens whined overhead.

There are some people who bustle and talk there way through fear, and Mrs Callaghan is such a one. She talks as aircraft thrum closer, as she puts the tea cosy on the pot, as she turns off the gas at the meter.

Charlotte, on the other hand, goes still, and quiet. When the bombs fall she silently stakes a step aside, a step away from herself. She becomes the girl in a story she is reading, a girl who is by turns clever and foolish and cunning and kind and occasionally downright bad, and who makes mistakes and sometimes even gets away with them…

I really enjoyed this book. It’s a very satisfying read.

What I’ve been eating

I’ve been eating all manner of delicious things whilst I’ve been away from home. Last Sunday we visited the famous Adelaide farmers markets and bought some sweet treats from Jamface, a patisserie run by Poh Ling Yeow (winner of MasterChef). Back to the salad and veggies next week I promise!

Book club

There are a few new subscribers this week, so hello and welcome if that’s you!

This is a special note to let you know we have a book club. It’s free and we meet virtually using the magic of the internet. Our next meeting is in early May and we are reading How to Build a Boat by Elaine Feeney. To participate, just send me a quick message by hitting reply, and I’ll send you a meeting link.

---

I’ll be back in two weeks with a slightly longer edition, but until then, look after yourself and take a moment to enjoy the sweet things in life.

Happy reading,

Marg xxx