Milkman
by Anna Burns | Literature & Fiction | This book has not been rated.
ISBN: 0571338755 Global Overview for this book
ISBN: 0571338755 Global Overview for this book
1 journaler for this copy...
Journal Entry 1 by 
penelopewanders
from Saint-Loup-des Vignes, Centre France on Tuesday, March 28, 2023
penelopewanders from Saint-Loup-des Vignes, Centre France on Tuesday, March 28, 2023
Selected by my bookclub for our next discussion.
This was selected to be discussed by my bookclub.
I don't know if I would have continued reading it if it hadn't been "assigned". Towards the beginning I was reminded of my university days when, given the bulk of reading I had to do, I would set myself quotas of how many pages a day per book I had to get through in order to finish in time. I realize I have been very spoiled in that most of the books I read are such that I am usually only stopped by the late hour or other commitments.
Possible spoilers follow:
I have heard that others in the book group loved this. Initially I struggled terribly - I had no idea where things were situated, whether we were in South Africa, a dystopian future somewhere, à la Handmaids Tale, or central America... I didn't understand who was meant by the renouncers - so many questions. I found the ambiguity extremely irritating. The turning point was when at about page 120 I was thrashing about and I read somewhere - in a review or a blurb - that we were dealing with Northern Ireland. The penny dropped, I was able to confirm who the renouncers were, for example, and everything started to make much more sense.
From there I found it easier going, and there were so many interesting issues which were raised - not just about the society, but about young women and power and pressure and expectations, the beginning of the women's movement and how it was perceived, the role of family and women in that time.. The whole "relationship" with the Milkman (not the real one) was in some ways like a long, drawn out rape scene. The detachment and sense of watching from elsewhere, the inability to protest or speak of it...
Did I love the book? No. Once I felt less needlessly disoriented, I was able to appreciate much of the reflection and perception of a time, but I somewhat resent that it only became clear thanks to outside information. I usually plunge straight into books often without really noticing the title or what it's going to be about, and enjoy discovering it all page by page. Would I have discovered and understood what was going on eventually? I'm not sure. As clear as it all is once you know, without the hint, I think I would have remained in the dark and gnashing my teeth until the end.
I don't know if I would have continued reading it if it hadn't been "assigned". Towards the beginning I was reminded of my university days when, given the bulk of reading I had to do, I would set myself quotas of how many pages a day per book I had to get through in order to finish in time. I realize I have been very spoiled in that most of the books I read are such that I am usually only stopped by the late hour or other commitments.
Possible spoilers follow:
I have heard that others in the book group loved this. Initially I struggled terribly - I had no idea where things were situated, whether we were in South Africa, a dystopian future somewhere, à la Handmaids Tale, or central America... I didn't understand who was meant by the renouncers - so many questions. I found the ambiguity extremely irritating. The turning point was when at about page 120 I was thrashing about and I read somewhere - in a review or a blurb - that we were dealing with Northern Ireland. The penny dropped, I was able to confirm who the renouncers were, for example, and everything started to make much more sense.
From there I found it easier going, and there were so many interesting issues which were raised - not just about the society, but about young women and power and pressure and expectations, the beginning of the women's movement and how it was perceived, the role of family and women in that time.. The whole "relationship" with the Milkman (not the real one) was in some ways like a long, drawn out rape scene. The detachment and sense of watching from elsewhere, the inability to protest or speak of it...
Did I love the book? No. Once I felt less needlessly disoriented, I was able to appreciate much of the reflection and perception of a time, but I somewhat resent that it only became clear thanks to outside information. I usually plunge straight into books often without really noticing the title or what it's going to be about, and enjoy discovering it all page by page. Would I have discovered and understood what was going on eventually? I'm not sure. As clear as it all is once you know, without the hint, I think I would have remained in the dark and gnashing my teeth until the end.
