Book Club Report: What We Thought of Precious Bane

Overall, this book was a big hit at book club! Four and five stars all around! We for sure decided it's a classic that needs more love, so please, go out, find it and read it!

My review can be found here, but quickly, this book is about a small English town int he 1800s, more specifically about a particular family in the town. There's a brother and a sister in this family and the brother has some greed issues, and the sister has some physical beauty issues. This is the story of how they both deal with those issues and how the ending is a bit different for each of them.

Here are a few general book club thoughts:

• We all wondered why this book is not more well known? Especially given the fact that it's really quite good! Is it because it's about poor farmers and not rich gentry? If so.... that is just... dumb.
• We loved the contrast between the negative and positive reactions of each of the characters and their situations. 
• Some of us learned a new saying (or two) about the hare-lip affliction.... "a hare has crossed my path" or  "hare shotten." We realized this term "hare lip" is not even really used anymore at all and is now referred to as cleft lip or palate.
• Everyone agreed, this book is symbolism at it's best. It's there and you actually "get" it. 
• What is the "precious bane?" We decided his greed and her lip.
• We were fascinated with the "sin eating" which is an event that begins this story. They believed that when a person dies, another person needs to take on the dead person's sins by eating bread over the casket. We'd never heard of this tradition before.
• We all agreed that the dialect and language of the book took awhile to get into but once we did, it was fun and interesting. The book is written by how the people talk and you may even have to read parts out loud to actually get it. 

Bottom line: We loved it!

Other books the book club has recently read and discussed:

Jessica A. 

The Sisters Brothers by Patrick deWitt: she says "read it now!"

The City of Thieves by David Benioff: a fascinating book

Divergent by Veronica Roth: enjoyed it a lot because of the characters

Jenny has been reading lots of books she's really enjoyed lately:

Once Was Lost by Sara Zara: loved it

Saving Francesca by Melina Marchetta: loved it

Notes to Self by Avery Sawyer

Star Crossed by Elizabeth C. Bunce

Kim:

Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen: has been listening to this one, loves every word

The Curse Workers series by Holly Black: enjoyed it, but it's gritty

Edenbrooke by Julieanne Donaldson : a very light hearted fluffy Victorian romance that she LOVED!

Jenni Elyse:

Finished all the Harry Potter books... again... and is now having a let down from this high

Still reading Pride and Prejudice on her Kindle.... not sure if she likes it, still on the fence, scared to admit that at book club where we are all major fans!

Julie says "I read new books!"

Scarlet by A.C. Gaughen: it was good

My Unfair Godmother by Janette Rallison: she agrees this author is very fun

My Ridiculous Romantic Obsessions by Becca Wilhite: a hohum reaction to this one

The 13th Tale by Diane Setterfield: still in the middle of this one.... pretty creepy so far!

Tessa and Sam
Trying to catch up with their 5th grader on Eragon by Christopher Paolini!

Suey:
The House at Tyneford by Natasha Solomons: Loved it.
Supernaturally by Kiersten White: a fun fluffy paranormal
Before I Go to Sleep by S.J. Watson: okay, but not as amazing as expected