Akin
by Emma Donoghue
This delightful story about an ageing octogenarian and his unexpected parenting of a great-nephew was totally engaging. After reading Emma Donoghue’s books, The Wonder and The Room, I was prepared for a challenging and perhaps dark or depressing read. So, for the novel Akin I certainly had not anticipated laughing out loud at some of the events but that is exactly what happened. This is a light story in which Emma develops her characters with such depth that the reader is rooting for their success. There are many issues explored in this book, such as the efforts of the resistance during the Second World War, unfair legal practices, loyalty and family ties, tourism in Nice France, the unravelling of family genealogy and the different ways in which millennials interpret their world. The variety of themes is expertly woven into the plot and makes for lots of interesting discussions. This would make an excellent “light” book club choice.
