Stonemouth
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Product Description
Review
Readable, gripping . . . One of his best (Evening Standard William Leith )
To create an emotionally satisfying while intellectually convincing ending is a rare achievement . . . Beguiling (Stuart Kelly Guardian )
'There is more than a shade of Pip and Estella in Stewart and Ellie, and to create an emotionally satisfying while intellectually convincing ending is a rare achievement . . . Beguiling (Guardian )
The mythology of Stewart's past, and of Stonemouth itself, is utterly absorbing. Addictive, funny, and brilliantly observed (Daily Mail )
Banks at his waspish, intelligent, nuanced best. His fans will give thanks (Scotland on Sunday )
To create an emotionally satisfying while intellectually convincing ending is a rare achievement . . . Beguiling (Stuart Kelly Guardian )
'There is more than a shade of Pip and Estella in Stewart and Ellie, and to create an emotionally satisfying while intellectually convincing ending is a rare achievement . . . Beguiling (Guardian )
The mythology of Stewart's past, and of Stonemouth itself, is utterly absorbing. Addictive, funny, and brilliantly observed (Daily Mail )
Banks at his waspish, intelligent, nuanced best. His fans will give thanks (Scotland on Sunday )
Book Description
* The long-awaited and stunning new novel from the unrivalled Iain Banks
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Most Helpful Customer Reviews
10 of 10 people found the following review helpful
Format:Hardcover
Addictive, nostalgic, funny, tense and satisfying. I'm shocked to see so many unflattering reviews of Stonemouth above - (in fact I almost took note of the 'same old formula' lines myself) - but I have to disagree that this book is boring, flat, predictable... following a tried and tested formula.
Sure, Banks displays some of his more trademark themes throughout, but he does it so well. And Stonemouth is such a tight, well paced novel... the plot moves so smoothly and effortlessly, its a wonder he can evoke such knowing and telling segements of the past we are all so familier with - love, betrayal, violence, returning home....
The Steep Aproach to Garbadale may seem very much a companion piece to Stonemouth (its no Crow Road - he may never surpass that), but Garbadale I found a little clunky in places, a tad too long.
Stonemouth cuts to the chase. Yes there a family secrets and a sense of dread in Stewart returning home. Yes there are romantic moments and themes on lost love.... but if you've been a fan of his and find his storytelling so real and close to home, then this will not disappoint.
The music/ drugs/ childhood anicdotes and smart-alec quips are all here, but you'd be hard pressed to find another writer who can do it in the way Banks can.
Perhaps some were hoping for something a little different, sure. But do not be put off by a 1/2 star review stating Banks is perhaps lazily revisiting old ground here.... Its handled beautifully - a very accomplished book, well paced, tone pitch perfect and one of the more satisfying endings I've seen in Banks for a while now.
Better than Steep Approach, but no Crow Road - 4 stars seems about right
Sure, Banks displays some of his more trademark themes throughout, but he does it so well. And Stonemouth is such a tight, well paced novel... the plot moves so smoothly and effortlessly, its a wonder he can evoke such knowing and telling segements of the past we are all so familier with - love, betrayal, violence, returning home....
The Steep Aproach to Garbadale may seem very much a companion piece to Stonemouth (its no Crow Road - he may never surpass that), but Garbadale I found a little clunky in places, a tad too long.
Stonemouth cuts to the chase. Yes there a family secrets and a sense of dread in Stewart returning home. Yes there are romantic moments and themes on lost love.... but if you've been a fan of his and find his storytelling so real and close to home, then this will not disappoint.
The music/ drugs/ childhood anicdotes and smart-alec quips are all here, but you'd be hard pressed to find another writer who can do it in the way Banks can.
Perhaps some were hoping for something a little different, sure. But do not be put off by a 1/2 star review stating Banks is perhaps lazily revisiting old ground here.... Its handled beautifully - a very accomplished book, well paced, tone pitch perfect and one of the more satisfying endings I've seen in Banks for a while now.
Better than Steep Approach, but no Crow Road - 4 stars seems about right
30 of 35 people found the following review helpful
Format:Hardcover|Amazon Verified Purchase
This novel is essentially a love story, and a very modern one, where the main characters, who are in their mid twenties, experiment with almost everything - often with serious consequences. The story is centred around the return of Stewart Gilmour from London, where he has found some success, to his home town near Aberdeen, and his reunion with the people he grew up with, including his former girlfriend, some close friends and a number of people who he has enraged in the past by his actions.
The town of Stonemouth has problems; an unusually high fatality rate involving the nearby bridge, a strong drug culture, and the presence of two dominant families, who mix legal and illegal activity in fairly equal measure. The story is unfolded against this backdrop. Iain Banks covers strong themes here; loyalty, friendship, enduring love, fear and courage, and beautifully evokes aspects of life in Scotland, as well as what it is to be young, smart, and prone to making some very bad decisions.
This is a beautifully written and highly enjoyable work of fiction. I found myself caring what happened to the main characters and I was sorry when it was finished.
Highly recommended
The town of Stonemouth has problems; an unusually high fatality rate involving the nearby bridge, a strong drug culture, and the presence of two dominant families, who mix legal and illegal activity in fairly equal measure. The story is unfolded against this backdrop. Iain Banks covers strong themes here; loyalty, friendship, enduring love, fear and courage, and beautifully evokes aspects of life in Scotland, as well as what it is to be young, smart, and prone to making some very bad decisions.
This is a beautifully written and highly enjoyable work of fiction. I found myself caring what happened to the main characters and I was sorry when it was finished.
Highly recommended
1 of 1 people found the following review helpful
Format:Kindle Edition|Amazon Verified Purchase
To put my disappointment in context, I have been a huge admired of Banks since I read the Wasp Factory, soon after it was published. That was fabulous, Stonemouth on the other hand felt like it was half hearted. I didn't see anything remotely new in this and actually found myself getting irritated as I read it, it was so poor. I only stuck with it until the end, as I hoped/believed that Banks would do something interesting at the end.#
Then it fizzled out. I felt bored and annoyed
It is a pity, because he has produced some astoundingly good writing. With this one - better if it hadn't been published
Then it fizzled out. I felt bored and annoyed
It is a pity, because he has produced some astoundingly good writing. With this one - better if it hadn't been published
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Most Recent Customer Reviews
not there yet
I have all IB/IMB's books, and reread them occasionally, for the writing (if not the politics).
Boy meets girl, loses girl, etc, set in fictionalised version of somewhere in... Read more
Boy meets girl, loses girl, etc, set in fictionalised version of somewhere in... Read more
Published 3 days ago by C. Heneghan
Has Banks become pointless without the 'M'?
When will Iain Banks accept that his talents lie as a science fiction writer and give up churning out these exercises in mediocrity? Read more
Published 5 days ago by fredster
Banks still delivers.
Not his best but still an extremely credible and gripping yarn. Delivered in extremely well measured doses that keep you page turning for the next revelation. Read more
Published 8 days ago by T. Judd
Stonemouth
Really enjoyed it, but I do not think it is his best book, maybe I have come to know his style as I was guesing the plot so saw the twists coming, (unlike Wasp factory - did not... Read more
Published 10 days ago by Zakalwe
Stonemouth - a north east frontier town
Violence, sex, substance abuse on an industrial scale and the working out of a love story interrupted five years earlier when the narrator had to flee his home town to avoid... Read more
Published 10 days ago by Robinthereader
Disappointing
I really thought I was going to enjoy this book. It starts in classic Banks territory, as the first-person narrator stands on a road bridge waiting for a thuggish former classmate... Read more
Published 13 days ago by T. Bently
Stonemouth
Good read ,Not quite up on the fantastic level of wasp factory but Iain Banks has wrote yet another great book !
Published 13 days ago by Cherrypie
Book purchase
As a fan of Iain Banks my opinion is biased, but I would recomend this book to anyone who likes a good read.
Published 15 days ago by A. Conaghan
Excellent
Not sure what some people are moaning about. I thoroughly enjoyed Stonemouth. Okay, it does cover familiar territory but........ Read more
Published 16 days ago by A. Watson
Iain Banks is as good as ever
I cannot agree with the negative reviews left by some readers. Yes, this is primarily a love story, and the novel is indeed more linear than many others Iain Banks has written... Read more
Published 19 days ago by Patrick Jeanne
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