November Book Club :At First Light

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Oh dear, I'm out of sync with the rest of you here. I haven't enjoyed this book, and I think it could have been so much better, given the subject matter. I found the writing style a little dull and repetitive, and I was expecting so much more from it. Truth to tell, I'm struggling to finish it, and will be skipping through the last 60 pages. I think the rot set in for me during the scene when the main characters were meeting the evil Jose and his men in the dead of night at Smathers Beach. The silly, childish behaviour of Alicia, our strong female role model, in what was a life or death situation - laughing and clapping her hands in delight just because she saw the water sparkling, putting them all in danger - made me cringe. It all seemed unworthy of a woman who could calmly stab her abusive husband in the goolies. Two pages later and she's at it again, letting out "a squeal of delight" and of course falling in the water, in "a cloud of hair lit up by the glowing green sea". All a bit Disney for me, I'm afraid.

I realise I'm in a very small minority here though, as the plaudits for this book are more or less unanimous on Amazon, Goodreads etc. Perhaps it's because I'd just finished re-reading my favourite Kate Atkinson - very few could follow her, imho.

Oh dear, I'm out of sync with the rest of you here. I haven't enjoyed this book, and I think it could have been so much better, given the subject matter. I found the writing style a little dull and repetitive, and I was expecting so much more from it. Truth to tell, I'm struggling to finish it, and will be skipping through the last 60 pages. I think the rot set in for me during the scene when the main characters were meeting the evil Jose and his men in the dead of night at Smathers Beach. The silly, childish behaviour of Alicia, our strong female role model, in what was a life or death situation - laughing and clapping her hands in delight just because she saw the water sparkling, putting them all in danger - made me cringe. It all seemed unworthy of a woman who could calmly stab her abusive husband in the goolies. Two pages later and she's at it again, letting out "a squeal of delight" and of course falling in the water, in "a cloud of hair lit up by the glowing green sea". All a bit Disney for me, I'm afraid.

I realise I'm in a very small minority here though, as the plaudits for this book are more or less unanimous on Amazon, Goodreads etc. Perhaps it's because I'd just finished re-reading my favourite Kate Atkinson - very few could follow her, imho.

Finished it, and LOVED it, thank you GN.
Am now reading A Christmas Candle, by Katie Flynn. Set in 1939.Nice read so far.

Just finished At First Light and echo the comments above as to it being an excellent book that opened my eyes to the ways of the KKK.
I was rooting for Alicia all the way from 1919 to 1993.
The fact that the author had based the book on a true story was not surprising.
I will be downloading Summertime too.

Thank you callgirl1. I'm looking forward to reading it.

You won`t regret it Mapleleaf, it`s an equally good book.

Thank you GN for another very good book choice. I've thoroughly enjoyed reading this book, a real page turner. I'd heard of the atrocities carried out by the KKK in the past, but like some other posters hadn't realized it also included Jews, Catholics and Masons. They truly are abhorrent.
I don't have any questions about the book for the author, as she gives a lot of information about the background for her story at the end. However, I will ask if she has another book in the pipeline? I've downloaded Summertime onto my kindle to read.

Thank you for this excellent book!

The book is set in Florida, and starts with a murder, by a 96 year old Cuban woman. She admits her guilt and begins her story to explain why she killed an old man, a Ku Klux Klan official.
It is a riveting story, which grabs you from the beginning and keeps you interested right to the end. It is well told with well portrayed characters and a great feeling of atmosphere and place. The story begins in 1919. Alica has been forced to leave Cuba and make a new life in Key West – a brothel the unlikely place to begin again. John is a soldier returning from Europe, thinking his fighting days are over. They fall in love and decide to live together, but mixed relationships are frowned upon and the Ku Klux Klan have been invited to town.

What comes over is the heart breaking distress caused by racialism and intolerance. Alica and John just want to live happily together, but they can not and John, having fought against the Nazis now must fight against a similar threat from the Ku Klux Klan.

I`m 3/4 of the way through the book now, and loving it, just as much as I loved Summertime. I love Vanessa Lafaye`s style of writing.

Would not be a book of choice for me but I enjoyed it and found it a good read.I found the characters were well described and believable. The subject matter was fascinating , it took me a little while to ‘ get into it’ but I will now buy the authors first novel as I like her style of writing and found it to be a refreshing change from my normal reading. I have now passed it on to my neighbour.

'At First Light' is an excellent read with a gripping and interesting story. The idea of beginning with the identity of the killer and the victim isn't a new one, but this focuses your mind for the story to follow (I kept returning to the initial chapter to identify characters as they appeared throughout the novel). We are certainly taken through so many emotions; some beyond our understanding as we were not part of America's history. My understanding of the KKK was that they were white racists and never knew of their added hatred of Jews, Catholics and masons. This is a very rich book and I have already looked at the author's Pinterest link to see her photos of the Keys, Manuel Cabeza etc. I love books that spark an interest which take you beyond the story and this is such a book. Wonderful book club selection.

A terrific book I needed to read although I would never have bought.
As I have got older I have found anything to do with inhumanity rather sobering and a wrong that can never be righted, the fact that such inhumanity and bigotry is still going on is truly sickening.
The characters are strong and well developed and as they are real people brought to life on the pages it must have been hard for the author to try and portray to do them justice without changing them.

Thank you GN for introducing books that make us come out of our perceived choice of easy reading and "comfy books".

This is a book I would have been attracted to on a shelf in a bookshop so I was delighted to receive a copy. A love story,a young boy who makes a terrible mistake to impress his violent father and the Klu Klux Klan, all this in one story. The only knowledge I had of the KKK is a memory of seeing films on the TV as a child where they were dressed in white and marching through the street holding fire torches out to get some poor soul. They terrified me ! Reading of them within a story was just as frightening. This was a really good read and because the story really started near the end draws you into finding out what happened to Alicia to make her commit murder. I haven't read the author's other book yet but I will be rectifying that soon. Although Vanessa answered many of the questions I had in my head at the end of the book I would like to ask her if during her research did she visit Key West or speak to anyone who might have been told stories by their families about that time in Key West's history ?

Thanks again Gransnet for a thought provoking read. As others have already said, this isn't a book I would have chosen.
I knew relatively little about this period of American history and the activities of the Ku Klux Klan prior to reading 'At First Light' but Lafaye's writing is so vivid and well researched, drawing the reader in to the story. From the Further Reading section at the end of the novel, you appreciate how the author has studied every aspect of life at the time. This novel is far more layered than a simple love story. Alicia and Morales are complex, fully rounded characters, who develop as the novel progresses. All the characters, even the more minor ones, are deftly drawn and will stay in my mind for some time....always the sign of a good read!
I liked the Questions for Discussion at the end, particularly the last one...given the impact of Trump's presidency on the apparent resurgence of the KKK. That said, I found the character of Dwayne a symbol of hope, in his ability to walk away from the prejudice of others and make his own mind up.
Any questions I had were answered by the concluding sections so I'd simply like to express my thanks and admiration to the author.

Well Gransnet team you have done it again, chosen a wonderful book. I must admit that, as usual, I would not have chosen to read it..I would have missed an amazingly well written book.
The characters are so well drawn. There is John the soldier returned from WW1,damaged by what he has seen and the friends he has lost. He vows never to get attached to anyone ever again until he meets Alicia. She is a beautiful Cuban of mixed race who has also had a troubled past with a bullying husband. Despite his vow he falls in love.
The emergence of the KKK in the Keys is frighteningly real. I felt the tension rise as they formed into a crusading gang who hated Jews, black people and anyone who was not like them. Even the police are involved, so there is no law enforcement to prevent the terrible deeds.
I did not know much about the Klan before I read this book and it really opened my eyes to the cruelty inflicted upon innocent people because of their faith or colour of their skin. Most joined through fear but others were just swept along by the rhetoric.
I won’t write any spoilers as some may not have finished it but I will say that it made me cry,a lot! I am now going off to buy Summertime by the same author. I have really any questions as most are answered at the back of the book,but I would like to congratulate Vanessa Lafayette for giving me so much enjoyment.

Cornergran, have you read Summertime, by the same author? Another good read.

This wouldn’t have been an obvious choice for me but I enjoyed it. The Klan sends shivers down my spine and I am aware parts of the USA remain relatively intolerant of racial difference. It is a challenging book in some respects but also easy to read, it didn't take long to finish. The questions I had were answered at the end of the book, many helpful explanations. I’ll look out for more writing from this author,

Excellent,very readable book which draws the reader in. It gives an insight into the awfulness of the Klu Klux Klan and makes you wonder about its part in American society today.

Thank you for my copy. I am halfway through it already. This wouldn't have been a book I would have picked up to buy but I find it hard to put down, so the author has obviously worked really well on this to keep my interest so focused. A lot of interesting history info too.

Thank you for my copy. I loved Summertime and am looking forward to reading this very much. I thought other readers might also be interested in the author's very moving cancer blog which i have been following via social media vanessalafaye.wordpress.com/living-while-dying/
Vanessa I find your writing an inspiration