The Bell, by Iris Murdoch

Average Rating: 7.5
Noteworthy: Sara's last book club

Tina: 8.5 - Slow beginning but necessary for rest of book. Good story and a "coming to peace". Left some characters open-ended. Michael/Nick store quite unsatisfying. She copped out at the end. The end somewhat anticlimactic. (At 6 week of quitting and kicking ass.)

Anne: n/a - (pg. 68) Love the characters. Dora is hilarious. Excited to see where the story goes. (Went to Cafe Ena. Adjusting to not working. Will is now sleeping through the night.)

Dana: 7.5 - Similar to Crossing to Safety. Late 1950s wives but didn't get to see Dora's "wife" dutier. I liked the description of the characters. Things didn't happen until the very end. (Planning Vito's 1st birthday, pirate themed. Finished 2nd year of grad school.)

Sara: 9.0 - Couldn't put it down. Beginning slow. Wondered what would happen. Ending didn't have closure that I wanted. Irked me that Nick and Michael never ended. Religion interested me. The impossibility of high standards makes it harder to hold standards. (Moving to Chicago. I'm a doctor, life is crazy. I'm excited for shopping in Chicago, nervous too.)

Rebecca: 8.5 - Reminded me of Crossing to Safety. Love the beginning. Thought it ended in limbo. Bothered me you didn't get to know other characters, but if you did, it would have been too much. Dora's ability to take ideas from another intrigued me. (Rotating jobs again. Looking forward to summer. Got a hookah.)

Crossing to Safety, by Wallace Stegner

Average Rating: 8.1

Dana: 7.0 - The book didn't keep my attention. I am most like Charity but I would not want to be like Sid because he was walked over completely. I think Charity needed to be such a character though. Was this a true story?

Anne: 8.5 - I like the beginning part more than the 2nd and 3rd. I got annoyed with Larry- he was not a very strong character. I thought of the relationship between Charity and Sid was similar to my parents- whatever makes her happy, makes him happy. I think this would be a great movie. I am most like Sally because I am not as organized as Charity and I don't like being the center of attention. I liked watching the friendship evolve.

Rebecca: 9.0 - I loved the book. I also liked the 1st part most but it needed the 2nd and 3rd part for the story to be complete. The book told from Charity's point of view would be fascinating. I liked the flow of the book. It was well written and kept me intrigued. I would be most like Sally or Larry. But I don't have a strong opinion about Larry. Charity is a go-getter & I am not.

Erika: 7.5 - I liked the 1st part, did not like the 2nd, but felt the 3rd tied everything together. I was frustrated in the end with Sid's character. He let her walk all over him. This was his chance to go after the thing he wanted. It seemed she was just being stubborn. I would be most like Charity, organized and stubborn.

Tina: 8.0 - I really liked it once I got past 30 pages. Now I am on page 177. Perception of characters was shaped in the intro which told the basic character stories. I saw Charity as manipulative and overbearing like when she made people square dance at her party. I understand her desire to want to control things maybe to the point of fault. I was able to handle the flowery sentences- it was still concise & easy to read. I guess I am Charity. Oh God am I overbearing? Maybe I'll have to buy a whistle! I don't particularly like Charity.

Sara: 9.0 - I really love the first section of the book. I love being at the age of meeting new friends in our 20's & understanding that we can do and be anything. The sentences were absolutely beautiful but never felt as though I got lost in the words. The 2nd section bothered me a bit because I felt that Larry was quite conceited. I did not appreciate hearing all about his reasons for writing. The story picked up in the 3rd section when it all came together and the friendship between all four friends became so apparant. It was strange to me why Sid decided to leave Charity on her last day. I guess I would be most like Charity.

Love in the Time of Cholera, by Garcia Marquez

Average Rating: 7.8

Sara hosted a wonderful book club last night- we chatted about "Love in the Time of Cholera" and watched Desperate Housewives.

Here are the ratings and comments:

Sara: 8.5- Good book but didn't like America. Thought Florentino and America's relationship was gross. It made it difficult to like Florentino.

Rebecca: 8 - (on chapter 5)Thought the book was well written but difficult to read. The names were confusing, but it was a good story and a pretty story to read- would recommend it.

Erika: 8.0 - Liked the first part when the story was about their courtship. The middle part was difficult to get through- wished there was more of a plot in the middle part- would recommend it.

Tina: 8.0 - (on chapter 1) The book would be best read if a person had a few long sessions of reading instead of short reading sessions. The book requires a commitment from the reader.

Anne: 7.5 - Loved the first 150 pages. Loved the story of the courtship, but found the middle part quite slow. Was annoyed that the whole letter thing started up again towards the end. Well written book.

Dana: 6.0 - Liked the beginning and the story about Dr. Urbino and his life. Did not like Florentino and his compulsions- slow book. Also thought it was strange that there were so many parts in the book that were about animals dying.

Erin: 7.0 - Beginning was great- but the book was a very intense book to read. Some of the important plot ideas were not covered like what did Florentino do to get to the top of his company? Florentino was very pathetic.