SA Book & Challenge Lovers discussion

Wayne and I will be reading Two Caravans as a buddy read from 24 May. Anybody else who would like to join our discussion, is welcome!

Had my first dip. Interesting set-up, seasonal workers picking strawberries in England, and what a cast? Bit apprehensive at this point, since the potential for tears is quite high.

I see it is dedicated to the Morecombe Bay cockle pickers. I very vaguely remember an event where a large group of immigrant cockle pickers drowned as they were caught by the tide.

Carolien wrote: "I see it is dedicated to the Morecombe Bay cockle pickers. I very vaguely remember an event where a large group of immigrant cockle pickers drowned as they were caught by the tide."
Thanks, I missed that Carolien, and googled now. Tragic, and when I look at the sentences dished out, the main perpetrator (according to the authorities) got less than a year per death.
The Guardian observation "Hilarious and horrifying". I guess one can only reach that conclusion at the end, when the laughter is as much one of relief, rather than pure comedy. Or maybe I am just a bit blue at the moment.

I did smile a bit at Farmer Dumpling (an addition seeking to add substance to a meal) counting pennies and slices of bread.

Any book that deals with a migrant experience has the potential for tears. It doesn't matter where in the world, no country ever seems to be happy to receive migrants. And for the most parts, migrants want what everybody else wants - a chance to contribute to society and a better future for their children. And they are up against the odds all the time - access to schooling, to health, jobs, etc.

I suspect most of us are a bit down at the moment facing the third wave. More lockdown.

I like the tone of the book overall. She's very matter of fact about the various horrors inflicted on the workers.

It really is a motley crew of characters and Vulk and Vitaly are pretty horrible traders in human beings. The scene at the chicken farm and abattoir is very funny, but will put you off chicken for a while. My sister is an agricultural engineer and spent one Sunday lunch explaining how chickens are slaughtered to the family. We all ate less than planned in the end!

I am really getting into this book, because it is such sharp commentary on life for the "contract" worker. The image sketched by the author early on of workers living next to a strawberry field while occasionally a vehicle goes by is spot on. Often, even when we are aware of injustices, we look away, not just because it is easier, but due to economic constraints.

The factory farmed chicken is a case in point. Buyers, constrained by small budgets, are not going to ask too many questions about the cheaper chicken (often imported) in the fridges, and even if they are made aware of the circumstances of the production, both of the workforce and the chickens, they will just shrug and buy the cheaper chicken anyway.

I must admit I laughed at Emanuel's pestering of Andriy for some Canal Knowledge, and I am really getting annoyed at Irina. When is the penny gonna drop about these opportunities that she is being offered by low-lifes such as Vitaly.

Irina is really naïve. The Canal Knowledge scenes are brilliant especially once they start considering the vegetable options to illustrate the functioning of a condom!

Chickens are especially problematic especially frozen ones and from a budget perspective it is a relatively cheap source of protein,

What a great and easy read. After a slow start, nothing to do with the read but more an apprehension about the subject matter, and whether I would have been able to overcome my abhorrence at the exploitation, and enjoy what was billed as "hilarious and horrifying. Two Caravans is funny, clever and well-observed" by The Guardian. I concur.

I agree, it was a very easy read and I enjoyed the characters very much. I'm glad I've finally read it, so thanks for the nomination!