Shadow Judging Panel for the Orange Prize for Fiction 2009

[Danielle]

Six of the Spinebreakers are sitting on the first ever Youth Shadow Judging Panel for the Orange Prize for Fiction 2009. They are currently reading the books on the Orange Prize longlist and will be sharing their views as they read, here in the Spinebreakers Forum.

The books they are reading on the longlist are, in alphabetical order:
1. The Household Guide to Dying, Debra Adelaide
2. Girl in a Blue Dress, Gaynor Arnold
3. Their Finest Hour and a Half, Lissa Evans
4. Blonde Roots, Bernardine Evaristo
5. Scottsboro, Ellen Feldman
6. Strange Music, Laura Fish
7. Love Marriage, V.V. Ganeshananthan
8. Intuition, Allegra Goodman
9. The Wilderness, Samantha Harvey
10. The Invention of Everything Else, Samantha Hunt
11. The Lost Dog, Michelle de Kretser
12. Molly Fox’s Birthday, Deirdre Madden
13. A Mercy, Toni Morrison
14. The Russian Dreambook of Colour and Flight, Gina Ochsner
15. Home, Marilynne Robinson
16. Evening is the Whole Day, Preeta Samarasan
17. Burnt Shadows, Kamila Shamsie
18. American Wife, Curtis Sittenfeld
19. The Flying Troutmans, Miriam Toews
20. The Personal History of Rachel DuPree, Ann Weisgarber

Members of the panel, please share your thoughts on these books!

[pageturner]

I've begun with 'The Flying Troutmans'. Its a pretty simple read, quite colloquial and upbeat. The way in which it tackles quite a serious subject, of depression within the family, is quite refreshing... How the three protagonists cope with their misfortune is both endearing and inspiring, and the support they give one another reassures that this kind of predicament is not certain to destroy all those involved.

[Clarissa]

I'm starting to read "Evening is the Whole Day". Its quite an oxymoronic title. Its set in post-colonial Malaysia and I'm in a very "Slumdog Millionaire" mood after watching that film a few weeks ago. I think it's good and sad so far. Someone was quoted as saying it is reminiscent of Salman Rushdie, and i think thats quite true. But I suppose I havent finished it, so i can really say. I like the cover, but I think the book looks nicer when you take it off.

[TheWeepingQuill]

I have just finished The Invention of Everything Else and The Personal History of Rachel DuPree, both are wonderful books. The Personal History of Rachel DuPree is, as the title suggests, personal. It's gritty, romantic, passionate and often quite morbid. The Invention of Everything Else is quirky (also educational), and beautifully detailed. So far I have greatly enjoyed both. I am now moving on to Their Finest Hour and a Half by Lissa Evans.

[joe]

i'm reading "the wilderness" by Samanther Harvey. it's about a man who's memory and wits are being siphoned away by dementia. i rekon that this is a subject that could be botched quite easily, if the writing were too heavy handed then the text wouldn't feel sincere however Harvey has managed it well. it's elegant and in a way elusive, which is an apropriate quality for the subject matter. i am really enjoying it so far.

[Clarissa]

I started reading "Scottsbro" by Ellen Feldman this evening and have been hooked since the first sentence! I really like the selection of quotes in the epigraph as they really set up the context of the 'racial' and class divide in early 20th century America. Feldman's style of writing is very elegant and fluid, which allows you to really emmerse yourself in the story. I think her approach to such contentious issuses is very though provoking and also extremly tender. It makes you feel very sad, when you read about such barbaric things as "lynching", and the legacy slavery had during that time in that society. But at the same time she manages to make things optimistic and inspiring; showing the common humanity we share. The narrator "Miss Whittier" is very charming and latently witty and very real. Already there are so many scenes that stick in my mind. I love it.

[Clarissa]

I love the way Felman creates an anonymity about the narrator, yet slowly reveals things about her. I finally know her name now "Alice"! Knowing her first name, I think, adds another dimension to her, because so far throughout the narrative, she has divulged very little of her self . She has some secret, or event that has happened in her life that keeps getting hinted at, and i'm really intrigued, I want to know what it is. But by immersing herself and indeed the reader in the story of the "Scottsboro boys", she manages to divert our attention away from whatever it is......clever. The juxaposition of "Ruby Paterson's" narrative, is extremely effective, and later on readers really get a sense of the transformation she undergoes, both in terms of morals and eloquance. I love her description of the sun set, i think they would call it"social realism". From the moment we are introduced to Ruby we get a sense of her honesty in the sense that she says what she thinks, and it is very much unadulterated, which adds a confessional tone to her narration. Yet at first the admiration readers I feel should have for her, because of her honest, is nullified by her prejudice and of course because of the fact she lies about being raped. But she does later redeem herself, and I think you come to find her endearing. So far the story has been immensly compeling, with moments of laughter, near tears frustration and happiness . Almost finshed. I hope there will be light at the end of this green tunnel. Either way Feldman has done a fantastic job. This book would make an amazing film. Can i direct please

[Harmanicus]

Word up babes. After being screamed at by Clarissa, I've finally got round to making a profile. Driving test/new job made me busy of late but I'm down on the scene now. I am, to those who know and love me, or merely worship me from afar as some anonymous deity, Francis. I've made a start on Burnt Shadows.

Its thus far pretty accessible without debasing itself, and furthermore the actual writing is pretty solid, although I have yet to detect a particulalry unique voice in the prose. The plot is creditable enough, plot such as it is. I look forward to seeing how all the vignettes develop. The characters are pretty solid if not yet deeply engaging. Dialogue pretty good too, not exceptional. All in all thus far a good, well written book. It remains to be seen just how special it is this early on.

[Harmanicus]

Oh and clarissa they would be mad to let you direct a film of that book unless I'd already refused their pleadings.

Whoever the hell 'they' are. I wanna meet these guys.

EDIT: I'm assuming the mods don't mind double posting that much, it IS a phpBB forum after all...

[joe]

"molly fox's birthday" by deirdre madden is very good. it's Intuitive and intriguing, filled with characters that wll endear themselves to you through the very personal narration of the unnamed main character. it confronts identity through the discussion of acting, and the role of the actor. it's really very good me thinks.