Reading Group - Northern Lights

My only previous experience of reading groups was listening to Radio 4's Book Club with James Naughtie.  As could be expected of a Radio4 programme this tends to be a relatively high-brow, and certainly in depth discussion, of the month's chosen book - and with the author involved in the discussion as well.

The reading group at my local library was a slightly different experience.

I've thought of joining reading groups before but have never gotten round to it for various reasons, one being that I wasn't sure I wanted to commit to reading a book chosen by somebody else that I might not be interested in.  I have to say that Book Crossing has widened my horizons somewhat and so, after discussing the group with a colleague, I decided to join. 

Looking forward to reading something new I was, I have to admit, slightly disappointed to find that this months book was one that I had already read.  Still it is a good book so it was no hardship top read it again.  As is always the way I noticed things this time that I didn't remember from my previous reading.  Perhaps because I didn't notice them then, or maybe simply because I had forgotten about them.

Northern Lights is a gripping adventure story set in a very believable alternate universe.  Although it is often described as being an older children's, or young adult's, book it contains many themes that I am sure would go over the head of the average teen.  It plays with questions of innocence and original sin, the tension between predestination and free choice, and relationships between adolescents and their parents.  I was looking forward to discussing these issues.

When I got to the group there were, beside myself, just three other people present - the librarian, and two women in their 50's and 70's respectively (I think).  The older woman was keen to tell us that she had found many of the unfamiliar names confusing and that she thought that there was quite a lot of violence and visciousness in the story.  In her opinion it wasn't at all suitable for children.  That seemede to be about the extent of her insight, although she did say she had enjoyed reading the book and would like to see the film.  The librarian was obviously a fan of the Dark Materials trilogy and talked quite a bit about how the themes were developed in the other two books.  The 'younger' woman joined in to a limited extent with some of the discussion.

Over all I have to say it was a pleasant enough way to while away half an hour or so.  It may be that there would be a better discussion with more people present.  The fact that today was Mother's Day may have prevented some people from attending.  I have come away with another book to read for next month - The Vanishing Act of Esme Lennox, by Maggie O'Farrell.  Certainly not a book that I would have picked up myself but it looks as if it might be interesting; more next month.