Beautiful World, Where Are You

St Just Monday Morning Reading Group 27th June 2022.

Beautiful world, where are you. Sally Rooney.

I am sorry to say that most of the reading group found this book tedious and uninspiring, and several readers gave up with it.

One person enjoyed it, finding it “a good book about friendship, and lovers, how we can stay in touch”. She liked the way Rooney built up the suspense for the meeting between Eileen and Alice, and the tension in the emails, about “something unresolved”. Felix’s character was well developed, he being the catalyst who helps the three old friends discuss their true feelings; and a happy ending was satisfying. Other readers said they were glad to have read it despite their criticisms, and that it was lifted by some genuinely lyrical passages. There was a perception that the book had something to say, and drew a contrast between a sort of existential angst about the state of the world, and people getting on with their ordinary lives despite it all.

However, most readers said they found the book pretentious, lacking in storyline, inconsequential and uninteresting, and failed to empathise with any of the characters. ‘An odd mixture of erudition and sex”; “self-indulgent and quite depressing”; and “I was always hopeful something would actually happen”. The sex scenes were commented on as not really adding anything to the story or the relationship concerned, and as seeming out of place.

Several readers mentioned how Alice, an author in the book, gave a negative opinion of authors and publishing in general, saying that authors were out of touch with the public and only interested in their own success. Was Sally Rooney attempting a technical challenge by engaging the reader through a combination of meandering introspective emails and an account of the characters’ lives? This might have been so, but the problem remained. One reader remarked that: “We are all experienced readers and can take new approaches in our stride. It’s just not interesting!”

Similarly it was suggested that perhaps this book was meant for a younger generation. But this also was rejected in the end, since surely a serious novel should speak to us all?

This book was read during June 2022 and the continuing restrictions due to the Covid-19 virus, and so the discussion was not 'live' as usual, but took place via a Facebook group, email and telephone conversations.

I really enjoyed reading Sally rooney's books as she has a way of including the small things in a refreshing way. The way it realistically talks about the silver linings and difficulties of young adults in their 20's dealing with life changes, not many books contemporarily do that well. I didn't have a favourite, i enjoyed all of the character development at times. i have recommended this book to my friends.