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tessjvl's review against another edition
dark
emotional
funny
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.25
_dilliam_william's review against another edition
challenging
dark
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
‘You know the score Sammy, ye go up to court ye dont start acting the clown, ye have to play the game. It's them that make the rules.’
I thought this book was pretty incredible. It is so interesting to read something that feels so much like a literary classic but written in language that's more like what i hear in my everyday.
The structure of the plot reminded me of Kafka. It was almost like a normal guy reacting to a Kafka-esque nightmare with all the appropriate 'fucks' and 'cunts'.
My only issue was the ending. although I completely understand why it was set up like that. It cements idea that this uncertainty goes on forever and we see Sammy rejecting yet another seemingly genuine connection. But I was still left wanting more. Maybe that's a good thing.
I highly recommend this, it was probably my favourite read of 2024 so far.
I thought this book was pretty incredible. It is so interesting to read something that feels so much like a literary classic but written in language that's more like what i hear in my everyday.
The structure of the plot reminded me of Kafka. It was almost like a normal guy reacting to a Kafka-esque nightmare with all the appropriate 'fucks' and 'cunts'.
My only issue was the ending. although I completely understand why it was set up like that. It cements idea that this uncertainty goes on forever and we see Sammy rejecting yet another seemingly genuine connection. But I was still left wanting more. Maybe that's a good thing.
I highly recommend this, it was probably my favourite read of 2024 so far.
morteno's review against another edition
Den endeløse strøm af tanker og handlinger og samtaler er ret intetsigende.
joeyoudan's review against another edition
2.5
Such an interesting book. Not bad, necessarily… I’ve not read a book before where I’ve been so impressed with the form, whilst being so disappointed in the narrative. That’s the crux of the issue- the book feels like an experiment conducted by Kelman. The style is, for me, perfect- I have not read a book with the stream of consciousness done so well. But, it doesn’t go anywhere with it, I don’t think it takes it anywhere interesting.
How is the solution to Sammy’s problems going to London? Why bother introducing Ally? Why bother introducing Peter? The police investigation, we never hear the end of. We never find out what happens to Helen.
Maybe that’s intentional, but… the book ultimately feels just frustrating. Technically, I think it’s fantastic, but sadly lacking in a supporting narrative framework to take the experiential prose to another level.
Maybe that’s intentional, but… the book ultimately feels just frustrating. Technically, I think it’s fantastic, but sadly lacking in a supporting narrative framework to take the experiential prose to another level.
terrypaulpearce's review against another edition
1.0
It wasn't the Scots vernacular; I was fine with that. It was the rambling stream of consciousness with no real points of interest, and seemingly, no point (maybe there'd have been one if I made it to the end).
anji444's review against another edition
4.0
Quite a simple story but unexpected in many ways. It was easy to visualize the main character Sammy Samuels. I imagined him to be like a Scotch streetwalker with the twitch in Mike Leigh's film Naked. Written in colloquial Glaswegian, there are layers in this story if you choose to look for them. What really happened to Helen? Did the rep Ally have an ulterior motive? Was Sammy really blind? What crimes did he commit? I loved the sly ending and could imagine this being made into a film by Ken Loach.