The KU Reading Group invite you to join us virtually on Tuesday 17th December 2024, 5-6pm for November’s Reading Group when we will be discussing Diane Evans ‘A House for Alice’.
A House for Alice explores the difficulties surrounding family, identity, and home in the aftermath of personal and communal tragedies. Set in the context of the Grenfell Tower fire, the story begins with the death of Cornelius, the distant patriarch of the Pitt family. Cornelius’ death in a house fire sets off some sense of retribution within the family, particularly for Alice, his Nigerian-born wife. After decades living in England, Alice dreams of returning to Nigeria to spend her final days in a house her relatives are building with money Cornelius had been sending. However, her three daughters, Melissa, Jasmine, and Funke, are torn between fulfilling her wishes and their desire to keep her in London, where unresolved issues and secrets arise.
The narrative is threaded through the lives of the Pitt family and those connected to them, exploring themes of love, loss, and the impact of generational trauma. Melissa struggles with the vivid memory of her relationship with Michael, who is now married to Nicole but is still affected by his past with Melissa. The sisters confront their memories of Cornelius as an abusive father and distant husband, while dealing with their own reality and their own identities. Evans narrative paints a vivid portrait of London’s multicultural life, setting the characters’ difficulties within broader social and historical contexts, including immigration, racial tension, and societal change.
In the end, the novel questions the meaning of home and the legacies families leave behind. Alice's longing for Nigeria is not just about geography but about reclaiming a sense of self that has been lost in the racket of her life in England. The house in Nigeria presents a metaphor for both reconciliation and escape. With evocative prose, Evans crafts a deeply human story of resilience, clearly showing how the shadows of the past are there to shape the present. Come join this discussion about love, life and loss, remember it will take place on a Tuesday instead of a Thursday. See you on Tuesday 17 December at 5pm.
Please join us to share your thoughts and opinions about ‘A house for Alice’ at our next virtual reading group session on 17th December, 5-6pm. Please keep in mind this session will take place on a Tuesday. To take part in our December reading group session, please contact Karen on K.Lipsedge@Kingston.ac.uk
