Please note that the following will contain spoilers of the book plot and characters.
The first book to be enjoyed by the attendees of the new Books & Bakes book club, hosted by Hand In Hand Activities CIC thanks to funding from the National Lottery Local Connections Fund, was The Restaurant by Roisin Meaney. The Restaurant is a fictional “Cinderella story” about second chances and finding happiness in unexpected places.
From the discussion at the Books & Bakes Book Club meeting on Monday 23rd August it was obvious that everyone enjoyed the first book chosen as part of our four pilot project reads. It was an easy read that, at times, could be quite difficult to put down.
The Restaurant itself is less like a restaurant and more of a social luncheon club for people experiencing loneliness and isolation so that they don’t need to eat alone. Some members felt that the idea of this restaurant was nice but didn’t really appeal because of how uncomfortable they would feel sharing a single table with a group of strangers but would feel better attending with at least one friend. While others acknowledged that the simplicity of the business design meant that it would draw people in and help them to build relationships with people – locals and visitors alike. Namely the four key characters: Emily, Bill, Heather and Astrid.
Although the book is centred around The Food of Love restaurant, There were some other key places mentioned that our group members would like to visit:
Astrid’s house sounds like a gem of collated memories all encapsulated in some key items within the house, namely her grandmother’s pearl necklace and her vast collection of records.
Dublin city was also mentioned as a place to explore, as was a canal where a father-daughter duo shared some important moments.
The father-daughter storyline of Bill and Christine was picked apart by the group as they explored the drug use story line and how a teenage girl could end up on such a detrimental path where she needed drugs to be able to function while her mum was living with and then died from Cancer. We discussed how that tied into the wider story of Astrid and the loss of her family during World War Two when she was a small child.
If the group could put questions to the author, they wanted to know:
- Where did the idea come from? Have you over seen a restaurant like that?
- How do you pronounce some of the names?
- What came first, the title or the idea?
- What happened next? Did Astrid live to be 100 years old? Did Bill and Emily live happily ever after?
- Mike was a minor character but how did the story play out from his perspective?
The group felt Mike was a younger character, straight out of school or college but would like to further explore his part in the restaurant and how Emily’s decisions might have impacted him.
The ladies like the final plot twist that Emily is, in fact, Claire – the Agony Aunt who Bill was emailing about his issues with his daughter. It was a brilliant plot twist for those who missed the hints and it had been acknowledged that perhaps they would have made a good couple because he felt he could talk to her. However, the group was unsurprised by Fergal’s second betrayal as they expected that wouldn’t be a ‘happily ever after’.
The group liked that all of the threads were tied together at the end and it implied a happy ending for everyone. However, we discussed possible alternative future endings which included how perhaps the family Christmas for Heather, Lottie and Shaun may not be smooth sailing due to possible jealousies and animosity. Christine would go to rehab and work for a short time in the restaurant but that might cause issues with Bill and Emily because perhaps Christine would ‘fall off the waggon’ on holiday in Cornwall, which would seem more realistic. Astrid would continue to be cared for by Bill’s neighbour but remain in her own home until her death.
Books & Bakes Book Club was made possible thanks to National Lottery Local Connections funding to help bring the community back together. You too can join our next meeting on Monday 6th September where Amy Lord will be talking about her book, The Disappeared, and answering questions. Or, join our discussion group on Monday 20th September when we will be discussing The Memory Keepers Daughter.
This session was made possible thanks to the National Lottery Local Connections Fund.
1 Comment
Kathryn · September 5, 2021 at 3:06 pm
If you want a special read, I would highly recommend “The Restaurant” by Roisin Meaney. It’s a warm blanket of storytelling that wraps you up in the four main characters lives. It embraces you from page one and holds you right until the very last page. The story is like a little snapshot into each of the characters lives, story lines that merge together into a wonderful read. Roisin Meaney has produced evocative, honest and emotional writing, that deals with some fairly serious issues, quickly transporting you into the hearts and minds of the characters.
I really hope there will be a sequel as I really would love to hear more about Emily, Bill, Heather and Astrid. Finally, I would like to say, as an avid reader, what an absolute pleasure it was, to sit down with like-minded people to discuss in depth, aspects of this month’s book.
Comments are closed.