Next Festival Reading Group meeting: June 15 2011, 7.30-9pm at the Authors' Suite, InterContinental Hotel, Dubai Festival City

About the Festival Reading Group

The Festival Reading Group meets each month to discuss one of the books by an author coming to the festival. An open and informal gathering led by Becky Kilsby, the Reading Group is a place to share your thoughts on the selected books and meet other readers. There is also a Facebook group for online discussions: you can apply to join this group by emailing frgdubai@groups.facebook.com.

The day after the meeting, Becky and members of the group join Siobhan on Siobhan Live on Dubai Eye 103.8, for further discussion.

Members register before each meeting by emailing cathy.penaflor@emirateslitfest.com.

June Selection: Carte Blanche by Jeffery Deaver

The next book that the FRG will read is Jeffery Deaver's James Bond novel, Carte Blanche. Jeffery joined us at the festival in 2010, and was so taken with Dubai that he chose it as one of the locations visited by Bond in his latest adventure. He then returned to Dubai in January 2011 for a special Emirates Litfest event at the Dubai Cultural and Scientific Association, following a press conference at which the book's title and cover were revealed.

Generally well-received (see, for example, this review in the Independent), Deaver's Bond has attracted both praise and criticism for tinkering with the formula - and for the Bond tropes that remain firmly in place, including the girls and gadgets alongside the requisite creepy villain. Deaver's pacy but psychological approach seems to be well-suited to the Bond franchise, but what will our readers think?

The Festival Reading Group will meet to discuss jeffery Deaver's Carte Blanche on Wednesday June 15th in the Authors' Suite at the InterContinental Hotel, Dubai Festival City. If you are coming, remember to email cathy.penaflor@emirateslitfest.com to register.

The Festival Reading Group will return in September 2011

The FRG is taking a break for the summer, but will return in September with a new lineup of books leading up to the 2012 Emirates Airline Festival of Literature. This page will be updated soon with details; to stay informed about the FRG and other festival news subscribe to our newsletter or the Festival Blog, become a fan on Facebook or follow us on Twitter.