Our 2nd Group Was a Success!

Written by Rachel:


The story behind the "Five Quarters of the Orange" certainly intrigued us all. Amidst the backdrop of occupied France a young girl lives one fateful summer of her life, when her life and the lives of her mother, brother and sister would forever be changed. Her story, told years later by a much older Framboise, joins her past and present when she returns to the hometown they were forced to leave all those years ago, out of a need to close the circle. Aided by her mother's recipe book, Framboise fills in some of the gaps of the part of the story she never knew, and leads her to understanding and forgiveness.

There was much discussion over 'Boise' and her relationship with her mother, what she did to her mother with the oranges, and reflection on what her mother was thinking and going through at that time, spiraling further into her darkness of migraines and morphine addiction (or were those really only migraines... was she actually insane? What price did she pay for that final bottle of pills?)

We reflected on the time they were living in, under the German occupation during WWII and how it is nearly impossible for us to understand those conditions of life. We discussed themes of innocence lost, survival, repression, love and obsession. This novel is so multi-layered, at times sweet but many times dark and full of secrets, exploring the darker side of human nature, but how with time and persistance that darkness can be overcome.

And then we split an orange!