Friday 4 March 2011

THURSDAY EVENING BOOK CLUB - Review of Freedom by Jonathan Franzen

A controversial and multi-dimensional discussion evolved from our book club this evening. Why? And pardon the rhetorical questions. From outside the square, it opened to questions of what 'freedom' or 'freedoms' or 'lack of' is being inferred: individual or that pertaining to a so-called democratic society. Going inside the square, for me, it was a read of individuals whose lives were defined by the times, their families and the circles their lives moved in and around. I saw myself and people I have known in almost all the characters ad it made me question my own freedom and what has defined and still defines that freedom. What I found particularly interesting from our discussion tonight was how the physical attributes or 'lack of' certain characters influenced perceptions and the conclusions drawn perhaps before characters are even fully developed. To finish with a question: are we guilty of forever seeking a perfect world in what we read?

Review by Theodora

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