Five Leaves Open Fiction Book Group Discusses Kairos, by Jenny Erpenbeck

“Berlin. 11 July 1986. They meet by chance on a bus. She is a young student, he is older and married. Theirs is an intense and sudden attraction, fuelled by a shared passion for music and art, and heightened by the secrecy they must maintain. But when she strays for a single night he cannot forgive her and a dangerous crack forms between them, opening up a space for cruelty, punishment and the exertion of power. And the world around them is changing too: as the GDR begins to crumble, so too do all the old certainties and the old loyalties, ushering in a new era whose great gains also involve profound loss. This is the  story of the path of two lovers through the ruins of a relationship, set against the backdrop of a seismic period in European history.”

www.theguardian.com/books/2023/jun/08/kairos-by-jenny-erpenbeck-review-a-monumental-breakup.

Our book group is open to all. Attend every meeting, occasionally or just once in your life. All we ask is that you read the book in advance and take part in the discussion. There’s a short introduction by a member of staff, a group regular, or someone we know with a special interest in the book in question.

Refreshments provided.

You can obtain the book from wherever you like – libraries are good! – but copies of our book group titles are available in advance from the bookshop at 15% discount