Review
Dining on Stones follows familiar territory for Iain Sinclair. The reader is carried through London boroughs, weaving a tortuous route through the minutiae of strange, rich and sometimes unsavoury characters as it detours through Kent, past grisly murder locations and on to the coast. His characters come alive, their detail and foibles seemingly beyond fiction, leaving one with the disquieting impression that these are real people, snatched from life for a cameo performance for the reader's pleasure. The main character, struggling to regain his muse, and tortured by feelings of plagiarism is continually slightly puzzled by the unfolding life around him. He seems a passive observer, never quite engaging with his world, and yet allows us, the reader, an intimate look at his unfolding life. Sinclair's trademark staccato style, short, punchy half sentences, heavy with colour and implication, make for a bumpy read, and the book, partly presented as several proofs by the various characters, offers a number of skewed perspectives on the same events. As always, this author demands some effort from the reader, but unlike so many books nowadays, the reward is worth it. (Kirkus UK)
Will Self
'The reach, integrity and beauty of Sinclair's writing is without parallel. The hierophant of contemporary English
letters.'