Rainbow Readers met up last month to dicuss The Hours by Michael Cunningham. As the novel concerns the Lesbian, Gay, Trans. and bi, not to mention literary community it seemed fitting as a choice for our book group.
The novel it’s self is structured around the lives of three women who each affect the next in different ways; Virginia Woolf is imagined, at her death and at the time she is writing The Hours, the novel which later became Mrs Dalloway; Laura Brown a dissatisfied and lonely housewife in California, reading Mrs Dalloway in the fifties and Clarissa Vaughn a contemporary woman in New York City whose own life echoes that of Clarissa Dalloway in the novel
Without wanting to spoil the novel and tell the whole plot I do want to say that I thoroughly enjoyed this book. I love the way that it blends reality, imaginings and fiction. I especially love the part in the book where Meryl Streep appears and causes a commotion; it’s at this point in the film the author of the book is actually visible as an extra for a fraction of a second.
One of our members also said “ it was beautifully crafted (even if “Mrs Dalloway – to which it continually made literary reference – had sent me into a literary coma years ago.) Good to read a novel laced with gay and lesbian characters and references, sharp characterisation and a shocking denouement.”
All in all the book was well received.
Rainbow Readers is a Lesbian, Bi, Trans and Gay reading group, the discussion is all inclusive and everyone is welcome. It’s not necessary to finish the book before the meeting, however it’s recommended that you read as much as you can or be left behind! All suggestions for books will be made at the meetings. The next meeting for the reading group is June 8th, and we are reading “The Well of Loneliness” accompanied by “Making Cocoa for Kingsley Amis” Please email rainbowreaderslancaster@gmail.com for more info.
