Sample Saturday is when I wade through the eleventy billion samples I have downloaded on my Kindle. I’m slowly chipping away and deciding whether it’s buy or bye. This week, all three samples are from the Man Booker 2018 longlist.
Warlight by Michael Ondaatje
Summary: Post-war London and Nathaniel and Rachel are left by their parents in the care of a shadowy figure named The Moth. The Moth and his crew of odd men and women are determined to protect and educate the children. What is the motive?
I’m thinking: Yes (the killer opening line reminded me of similarly good one in Richard Ford’s Canada).
In 1945 our parents went away and left us in the care of two men who may have been criminals.
Everything Under by Daisy Johnson
Summary: As a child, Gretel lived on a canal boat with her mother, and together they invented a language of their own. After decades estranged, a call from a hospital reunites Gretel and her mother and questions from long ago surface.
I’m thinking: Yes (a story about words – lovely!).
Milkman by Anna Burns
Summary: In an unnamed city, an unnamed protagonist attempts to keep her mother from discovering her maybe-boyfriend and to keep everyone in the dark about her encounter with ‘Milkman’. But rumours start, drawing unwanted and dangerous attention to the protagonist.
I’m thinking: No, didn’t hook me.
I had my usual resounding lack of fulfillment of my Man Booker wishes but of these I’d definitely go for Everything Under which sounds lovely.
To be honest, I liked your list better.
Thank you. So did I!
I’m going to try and read Ondaatje because I’ve enjoyed the earlier material I read by him even though Im not entirely sure I will enjoy a book with a character called moth if its some kind of other world figure. I am a realist fan pure and simple….
Third one sounds strange, Everything Under sounds interesting, and I’ll definitely be reading Warlight. Never actually read anything from Ondaatje before (not even English Patient.)
I really should read more Ondaatje because I’ve only read The English Patient & I did enjoy it. The premise of Milkman really doesn’t appeal to me at all, maybe I’m missing something…