An intriguing start to our reading year with William Boyd's difficult to genre-alise WW1 novel set in Vienna, England and Switzerland. It deals with relationships, sexuality, psychology and espionage. (And one or two other things as well.)
Thank you to Dawn for hosting and for providing this month's questions:
1. The opening of the book has similarities with Atonement. In your opinion should more of this thread of the story be developed?
2. Parts of the story are built on espionage and intrigue; how well are those developed?
3. Lysander struggles with the guilt of killing the men as he tried to get to the French lines of battle; he also uses Psycho-analysis how did you respond to the ways this part of the text is presented.
4. How do you respond to the presentation of Lysander’s relationships in the text, particularly with Hettie?
5. How did you find the presentation of the story as a whole?
6. What is the significance of the title?
7. Was Lysander’s mother presented as a sympathetic character? Why or why not?
