2024 Booker Shortlist - The Safekeep

[Bella (Kiki)]

Sam wrote: "I suggest doing nothing. There will be occaisional blow-ups due to people's sensitivities and other people's outspokeness. Rather than a prohibitive approach, I prefer educational.

Safekeep is a ..."

I will apologize to you, Sam, though I do want to point out that the community here seems to now only feel you sent it part way to hell, and I finished the task. I did not appropriate your title by choice, however; rather, I found it thrust upon me, but on the positive, at least you and I do have titles.

[Sam]

Beware Bela, do not feed the pigeons!

I have an empathy for the FNG and feel the new guy is sometimes judged a little more harshly in the group. I did not see any personal criticism of any member in messages exchanged and hope there was none because that is indefensible.

I live in a country where the attack upon views or perceived views has gotten out of hand. I find I dislike the practice since it can be exploited and magnified to a more negative degree than desired.

But I have a respect for all the members of this group that is based on the material they have posted that far outweighs any personal agreement or disagreement I might have with them.

Alwynne for example, IMO, has posted the clearest and most definitive review of The Empusium: A Health Resort Horror Story that I have seen commercially, or otherwise. I would hope you find peace with one another.

[Bella (Kiki)]

Sam wrote: "Beware Bela, do not feed the pigeons!

I have an empathy for the FNG and feel the new guy is sometimes judged a little more harshly in the group. I did not see any personal criticism of any member..."

Thank you, Sam, for the message and the advice, which I do take seriously.

I, too, find criticism of any member of any community, online or off, indefensible. If he or she is a truly "bad" person, there is no need to point it out. Others have eyes and ears, too. And there is no need to attack an innocent or "good" person. None of us are perfect, but no one needs it pointed out to him or her.

I did not attack any person or group, at worst, my dislike of the book in question was a bit too clumsily worded and caused mistaken interpretations. I did not like the book, not my cup of tea at all, but a lot of readers did and do, like it, so I cannot say it's a "bad" book. It has brought reading pleasure to many, and I suppose that alone is a good thing. I know I do not wish to diminish or take away that pleasure from others. Life is hard enough without wishing ill on anyone or anything.

[Bella (Kiki)]

Anna wrote: "Bella, as someone who has found herself (umcomfortably) on the same side of like/dislike of books as you twice now, the issue is not that you dislike a book with jewish and queer characters, but th..."

Anna, I didn't see or intend any micro-aggressions. Perhaps it's partly a cultural thing? Italians tend to be far more outspoken than some others, The exception would be Americans. At least, as far as I can see, but no blanket statement is intended. And I admit that I worded my post rather clumsily and said more than I needed to say, but at no point did I attack another poster or any ethnicity or community. I have no desire to do that, even in a micro way. Differences in culture, ethnicity, and the difficulty of understanding one another in a post rather than face-to-face all take their toll on all of us. I think people need to ask for an explanation before they accuse. I see no harm in asking someone, "Do you mean...". "I don't understand what you're getting at?"

As for changing my mind about books, I am a very reflective thinker. I don't even post a review for a week after I've read the book. Sometimes my initial feelings about a book change on reflection. They did about Orbital and about James. I grew to like Orbital less and James far more.

Like Sam, I believe this should be an educational experience, for me as well, in how we react to one another or don't react. Not everything needs a reaction, and if one feels it does, it's best to just ask.

[Alwynne]

Appreciate the compliment Sam.

Since various readers were apparently offended by the lesbian sex scenes I must move this one up my list, seems it may turn out to be more finger-licking good than I’d anticipated! Particularly since the author’s working title for Chapter 10 was “let the lesbians have some fun.” Also queer reviewers have pointed out that Isabel can be read as a baby butch in the making; and others have traced links between this and a wider body of contemporary queer writing interrogating notions of domestic space/ home. All of which increases its appeal.

But, reflecting on what’s been “said” on this thread, I’m also fascinated by the heterosexual readers unwilling or unable to resist centring their experience: who seemingly can’t imagine not being the primary audience/centre of a queer writer’s universe. Just as some seem unable to grasp the fact that queer Jewish authors exist and may legitimately opt to write about queer-Jewish topics.

As Anna’s post suggested, like the book, don’t like the book, but labelling it ‘disgusting’ or ‘filth’ is risible – and that’s the generous interpretation. As for those heterosexual readers who felt it necessary to highlight/bemoan the fact that they weren’t “aroused” by the representations of lesbian sex, it may be news to them – not for those of us in the queer/lesbian community – but their (lack of) sexual response is profoundly uninteresting/irrelevant. But perhaps some heterosexuals really do believe queer sex scenes exist solely for their titillation and/or queer fiction should be framed according to their sensibilities? If so, how quaint and, yet, how tiresome...