Collen: Rape of Sita & Appanah: The Last Brother | Mauritius (Tour D'Afrique) first read: Sept 2013

[Marieke]

Hi everyone!

Again, deep apologies...my excuse involves work-work: terrible deadline I had to meet September 30, then this government shutdown here in the US. But I'm pulling myself together and for the unforseeable future, since we have no idea how long this shutdown will last, I will have hte time and space to get back into the swing of things here.

I'm curious: who has books for this stop? I managed to snag The Rape of Sita and the Durrell book (i like natural history stuff) but wasn't able to get The Last Brother (yet). I'm looking forward to this stop!

[Mark]

Africa's Embrace

[Myriam]

I've borrowed The Last Brother from my library, but I haven't been able to locate The Rape of Sita. Which is just as well, since The Last Brother is the one I was interested in in the first place! :P

[Isabel]

I got a hold of The Last Brother and may be able to get the other one as well. Looking forward to the discussion!

[Beverly]

I have The Last Brother. I will start to read this weekend. It is about 165 pages so hopefully it will not take me long to finish. :)

[Beverly]

The Last Brother is on sale at Graywolf Press:

https://www.graywolfpress.org/books/l...

[Liralen]

I finished The Last Brother this morning, and I'd be interested to hear any thoughts on the voice -- the choice to make the story one of an older man looking back rather than a child living the experience.

Other (brief) thoughts:
-Raj's interest in Christianity was probably meant to serve as a contrast to David's Judaism, but since it never came up again it felt a bit forced.
-Nice detail on the names -- David the king and Raj meaning king.
-The prison -- how interesting. I wish we'd had a bit more about it (and, more to the point, what the Jewish prisoners were subject to), although I suppose that's a sacrifice made for the sake of Raj being so young for the events of the story (and for the sake of the language difference).

[Marieke]

i wish i was able to get my hands on this book! i have one more thing to try, but at least i will be able to start and maybe finish Rape and Sita tomorrow.

Oh, Beverly, i just saw your link.

[Beverly]

Liralen wrote: "I finished The Last Brother this morning, and I'd be interested to hear any thoughts on the voice -- the choice to make the story one of an older man looking back rather than a child living the exp..."

I am still at the beginning of the book but hope to finish this week and then will be able to comment.

[Marieke]

I started The Rape Of Sita yesterday afternoon. The preface is one of the funniest I have ever read. So far I am really enjoying the narrator. It's a little hard to believe so far that the novel deals with such a heavy topic.

[Diane , Head Librarian]

I read The Last Brother a few months ago and enjoyed it. I own The Rape Of Sita, but can't seem to find it. Hopefully, it will turn up soon.

[Susan]

These look like great choices. I hope I can get them eventually.

[Melanie]

Finally had a chance to start reading The Last Brother last night. :)

[Melanie]

Once I was able to sit down and read it went fast :)

I enjoyed the fact that the book didn't focus much on dialogue but that the plot and relationships were mainly expressed by actions - the abuse Raj's father inflicted, the caring tenderness his mother took to make him well and hiding David without so much a word being spoken between them, and the play between Raj and David even tho they did not speak the same language.

[Beverly]

Melanie wrote: "Once I was able to sit down and read it went fast :)

I enjoyed the fact that the book didn't focus much on dialogue but that the plot and relationships were mainly expressed by actions - the abus..."

I have to agree with your thoughts. I did finish the book while away on a trip but have not had time to write up my thoughts. (I am suppose to be playing catchup this weekend so may have more to say).