Books on the Broad reading group online discussion of God's Own Country by Ross Raisin Online discussion started 20 April, 2009, with comments on the first chapter only in the first week to allow people time to come on board. Complimentary copies of this book were distributed during The Readers' Voice Convention. If you wish to join in the discussion then you should email to BooksontheBroadmail@gmail.com to start the registration process. Once you have registered you will be able to add comments and to make attachments to these pages. Add your comments on chapters 20-26 (end) below. To add your comments for the overall review click here. You can use the navigation bar on the left to move between sections and add further comments back and forth as you wish. |
I have finally been reunited with my copy of G O C, and so read 20 odd chapters in 2 sittings.
I enjoyed the book more than I thought I would when I tackled the first few pages. The main character, really the only character, Sam, was well drawn,fairly plausible given his environment and parents, and proved to be not half as weird or despicable as I'd anticipated from the opening chapter..Kind to animals, pretty expert farm skills,only resorting to violence when provoked. He could have shone at school,his exam results showed he was capable enough, and girls obviously found him attractive.He was not a really evil person despite the descent into an unconvincing kidnapping . And where was her mobile?
His internal language was rich and varied,with wonderful descriptions of the scenery, very funny observations of people and animals. I found the heavy use of dialect, detracted from the poetry , as I had to pause and re-read so many words, spoilt the flow. But, hey, better than "bleep" words to identify his youth.
I was disappointed in the bleak ending, as I'd hoped for more of a climax, or that Sam would use his nous to outwit the system, somehow come out on top.
Or will there be another novel,Sam , 30 years old, writing a best seller.This whole narrative was,after all, told through his words alone.
Christine