Online Book Club Session 4

For our fourth Online Book Group session, we moved on to a different series: The Buckinghams. We started by taking a closer look at The Master of Maryknoll.  

The Buckinghams first meet Charles. The adventure unfolds in the Shropshire and Herefordshire countryside, as the new friends play hide-and-seek with danger in the shadow of the hills surrounding Ludlow. The story builds up to a terrific climax that comes as an unpleasant surprise to that mysterious and dangerous man known as the Master of Maryknoll.

For some, the Buckinghams hold no candle to the Lone Piners but 'Dear Readers," said Coordinator Pam, "We must expand our horizons!"

Thoughts on the book ranged wide: discarded bikes, petrol rationing, iron rations, the freedom of young people to roam, unbounded trust in strangers (unless they look weird!), the emphasis on plot and action, rather than landscape, and the love/hate affair some of our readers have with Juliet Buckingham. There was general sympathy for the plight of Charles Renislau - although he had to be admonished for casually leaving his precious "fiddle" anywhere around the county. A happy ending...

Looking to the future, some members felt that we could mix and match the stories a little more. Plans included another 2 of the Buckinghams books and then, later in the Spring, a couple of the Jillies books, thereby giving any members of the Book Club who might be new to Saville (like the Coordinator!) a good introduction to a broader range of other characters. After that the plan was to 'dib in and out' of a range of books and series - all thoughts and suggestions were invited by Pam and would be very welcome!

The next book - on Thursday 15 January - was to be The Buckinghams at Ravenswyke.