January / Coetzee : Slow Man

[WildCityWoman]

We only had 6 people at the discussion (there's a neighbourhood meeting going on in our area - Roncesvalles Ave., Toronto) and a lot of people were at that meeting.

Something we all agreed upon, then changed our minds . . . we did not think Elizabeth had any real place in the story.

Then we all cogitated on whether she was real - we all ended up agreeing she is NOT real - she's part of Paul Rayment's mind!

That made me feel a whole lot better about Elizabeth!

And, I now know that the same character - Elizabeth - is in a previous novel by this author - ha! ha!

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When asked if we would recommend this novel, all of us said 'not to every body' . . . there are people that wouldn't be interested in a story like this.

I skimmed through the rest of it in the late afternoon and more or less got the whole thing.

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Although Paul is 'touched' and thrilled to pieces that Drago, Miroslav and Marijana would participated in putting this fabulous bike together for him, we didn't think Paul is ready to ride it. We get the feeling that he WILL use the vehicle, but he'll need to accept himself as somebody who needs it.

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About Marijana and her family - I think this is what Paul was attracted to mostly . . . having a family - he was ready to adopt them all, including Miroslav.

Had they invited him to go live with them, he would have done so.

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Elizabeth Costello told him that when he made some decisions and committed himself to something, one way or the other, then there'd be no reason for her to be there.

And at the end of the story, he sends her off, and she's happy to leave.

[WildCityWoman]

In my opinion, this is a really good story; it reflects real life and how people really are.

Now, I'm ready to read through all the comments from this thread.

[WildCityWoman]

I'm still pretty early on in the book. But I didn't realize (until I started reading) that the book is actually set in Australia rather than South Africa.

So I am looking, as I read, to see if there are any elements of the book that are somehow informed by Coetzee's South African background.

That kinda' throws me too, K . . . but not that I didn't know. He wrote this one in Australia.

Our book club tonight, all agreed - there is very little about Australia in the book. Anyone who is a fan of Australian based books, would be disappointed.

For me, it didn't matter - it could have been England, the US, or Canada for that matter.

[WildCityWoman]

I finished the book yesterday.

First let me say that it's funny because my real name is awfully close to Marijana and Marianna (closer to the latter, though not exact). And I don't usually encounter my name in books, with a few notable exceptions. Took some getting used to.

I think for me the most interesting themes in the book were the consideration of history - what is history, whose history, does Australia have a history, what happens to someone's past when they migrate, etc

and also the consideration of "home." I really like the part where PR indirectly comments on how the word "home" is unique to the English language because in French it always has to be "chez soi" or "chez nous" or whatever. We had the same observation in a class that I was in a while ago. There is no word in French that is quite like the English word "home."

Are you still here, K? If so, can you tell me - how do you pronounce the name 'Marijana'? I'm pronouncing it as 'Mary-Yawnah', rather than Marianna.

[WildCityWoman]

Ok, I finished it. I thought it was ok. Pretty engrossing. I really like didn't the Costello woman, though. Whenever she was in the scene, I wanted her to go away. I don't why, I guess she kinda creeped me out some. I didn't really understand her character.

I like the quote "Here I am, killing time and being killed by time"

Oh, I liked that line too - I tried to remember it so I could bring it up at tonight's book discussion, but it left my mind completely.

'Being killed by time' . . . oh, that says it so well.

[WildCityWoman]

OK . . . one last thing from me tonight . . . I'm amused at how people identify with Elizabeth . . . some think of her as being a typical 'aunt' . . . somebody at our club tonight thought of her as being the Cathy Bates character in 'Misery' . . . know how I see Elizabeth?

In Shrek . . . the fairy godmother - the one that gets pretty nasty when things don't go her way . . .

That's how I see Elizabeth.

Once I realized she isn't a 'real person', I liked her a lot better.

There is a writer called EC? Well, fine and dandy, but Paul's 'Elizabeth Costello' isn't real.

I think she's his conscience, his higher self - and she'll tug on his shirttail, till he makes a decision himself - once he 'commits', she's outta' there.

Besides, why would a successful novelist be wanting a depressing old fart like Paul Rayment?

Another ha ha! for myself.

Carly :-)

[WildCityWoman]

Finished!

And no . . . I still don't believe Elizabeth was real - still think she's a figment of Rayment's imagination.

Good book.