This very original novel, chosen by Penny, was very much enjoyed by the majority of the group. I think that one of the most interesting aspects of reading a book that one might not have chosen oneself, as we do in a book group,  is that you don't know where it might take you. In this case a number of our group are possibly going to reread James Joyce and some of us expressed an interest in reading the biography about Nora Barnacle to learn more about her, as well as her life with Joyce.

The novel is based on the true relationship between Nora Barnacle and James Joyce. Although, from the moment they arrived in Trieste station in 1904, aged 20 and 22, the story takes off and the author reconfigures Nora as an 'unbound' woman, who takes charge of her own destiny and follows a completely different trajectory. She does not wait for Joyce in the station, as he bid her, but accepts a lift with an unknown man and a totally different life for Nora Barnacle unfolds.

The story is very well-researched and makes reference to Joyce's writing, as well as to their friends, acquaintances and families. There are numerous references to things that actually occurred in their lives, but the lines between fact and fiction get blurred as this is a novel, one in which the reader has to suspend belief and go with the narrative flow of Nora's reimagined life.

We had a fascinating discussion, instigated by Penny, based on her current reading of the biography 'Nora' by Brenda Maddox (1988).  Clearly there's a huge background to the novel and we only touched the tip of it as we talked about Joyce, his codependent relationship with Nora and their extraordinary life together. There is so much more to learn about them both and about indeed his great literary works.