Had another lively book discussion at the Tottenville branch. I wasn’t sure how the group would receive this one. (Plot summary below.)  While all, including me, pretty much reviled all the characters in this book, the story, and what the characters did and how they acted, made for a good discussion. Even though the description below makes it sound like a standard detective-thriller, it is suffused with moral, philosophical, religious, and spiritual questions.

There was one participant who thought the book was anti-Catholic, but everyone else disagreed. It was about characters who, according to one participant, had a twisted view of their Catholic faith. (And Catholicism is a prominent theme in this book, as I believe it is in many of Greene’s books.) Most were somewhat sympathetic to Rose who is Pinkie’s (the main character) girlfriend, although there was a debate about how much she was being used as opposed to her quietly getting what she wanted and needed, even if it hurt other people.

Most had a much more positive view than I did of the character Ida Arnold, who acts as a sort of detective and protector of Rose, trying to save her from Pinkie. They saw her as earthy and fun-loving; I saw her as kind of a sad, lonely middle-aged woman who was very disappointed with her life. However, I agree that she is a seeker of justice, and yes, someone concerned with Rose.

There was a lot of British slang in the book that made it difficult at times, and the book is actually a sequel to A Gun for Sale and a lot of relevant action is not explained in Brighton Rock which made things a bit difficult for all of us. But we cleared it up at the discussion.

I have to say, that as I was reading the book, I felt it was just OK, maybe somewhat interesting. And if the book would have ended on page 266 instead of 269, I would have said it is just a so-so book. BUT THE LAST CHAPTER BLEW ME AWAY! It had one of the most devastating endings I think I have ever read in a book in my entire life! (Or at least in the last few years.) And the final line of the final chapter had the effect of the rug being pulled out from under you!

However,  the group didn’t quite get the last chapter, at least in the way that I did, and I had to ask a lot of follow-up questions to get them to see what was going on. I didn’t want to give them “the answer.” It was an interesting process trying to elicit from them something I saw that they didn’t see. I think I was successful at getting most of them to see the point Greene was making without giving them my interpretation outright.

I’ve only read one other Graham Greene book,  The Heart of the Matter, also for a book discussion. I have to read more of Greene’s books!

Highly recommended for a book discussion.

ABOUT THE BOOK

Pinkie Brown is the newly appointed leader of the rival to the Colleoni race gang in Brighton. The gang’s previous leader, Battling Kite, for whom Pinkie was right-hand man, was murdered by the Colleoni gang, because of information supplied by Fred Hale, a reporter turned informer. In revenge Pinkie murders Hale. The murder is rash and Pinkie spends the remainder of the novel trying to cover up the small mistakes that tie him to the murder. Every cover-up effort Pinkie makes fails to solve the problem entirely, leading him to make further murders which result in further cover ups.

Ida Arnold, an easy-going demimondaine who Hale befriends on the last day of his life in an attempt to stave off his potential killers, turns detective when she discovers discrepancies in the events surrounding his death and doggedly pursues Pinkie in her search for justice.

Rose is a young waitress who stumbles upon a major flaw in Pinkie’s alibi. In order to ensure her silence Pinkie marries her and then coerces her into a suicide pact. When Ida realises that she will not gain her evidence against Pinkie she sets her heart to saving Rose instead.

(Plot Summary from www.randomhouse.co.uk)