Evening
Book Club
The
Story Hour, Thrity Umrigar
September
2016
“I am made and remade continually. Different people
draw different words from me.” Virginia Woolf
Readers expressed strong opinions about this book.
Most said they really liked it, but some did not like the story or the
characters at first. They definitely disliked Maggie the therapist because of
her relationship with Peter the photographer. He was the most despised of all
and readers felt he was a narcissist with no redeeming qualities. They were put off by Maggie’s self-centered behavior; everything
was the fault of someone else. She was not willing to give up her desires or
professional career until faced with the disastrous consequences of her
behavior.
The same was said about Lakshmi whose actions always
got her into trouble. She did not think about outcomes before she acted.
Several choices that she made backfired with terrible consequences for her and
others in her circle of acquaintances. She may have not been innocent or as naïve
as she appeared. Sudhir, Maggie’s husband was everyone’s favorite because of
his love and devotion to her and his sincere attention to Lakshmi an Indian
woman who would have been of lower caste in Bombay.
The story was character driven and revealed how the
interior lives of all of them were a product of their childhood and the culture
of their families and countries. Readers discussed how lives were affected by
relationships and choices made. They decided that the decisions of their adult
lives were not deliberate but that in the end changes were made after great
reflection their part. At the conclusion of the book readers felt there was closure
and hoped that things would work out to reclaim lives and start over.
Readers said that the title Story Hour was
not only about the hour of therapy with Maggie and Lakshmi but also about the
individual stories and secrets of all of the main characters. Perhaps there
will be a happy ending. Some readers said they were not happy with the ending
of the book so they shared their own endings with the group. Everyone was
satisfied with this and felt better about the author after the discussion.
“I close my eyes. In the dark I hears the ocean
banging its head against the sand. I have come as far as I can. What happen now
is the job of the same God who made the small Lakshmi and the big ocean. I
begins.” Lakshmi
Have you read The Story Hour? What did you think?
Please share your thoughts in comments.
