Customer Reviews

London Fields

5 star:		(25)
4 star:		(13)
3 star:		(2)
2 star:		(5)
1 star:		(13)

 

 

This seems to be a novel people tend to either love or hate, and it's not hard to see why. First of all, it is awfully long-and for such a long book, not a lot happens, which is bound to upset some people. Essentially, you have the tale of a not-so-romantic triangle comprised of Nicola Six (messed up psychic sexpot), Guy Clinch (posh, married, naive, and weak-willed), and Keith Talent (underclass wide-boy, schemer, on-the-fiddle, racist, sexist, alcoholic, generally scummy pub denizen), told by a dying American writer in London. The tale is set at the end of the millennium, with some vague catastrophe threatening the world, so it's safe to believe that the trio's story has some larger meaning. The west London of this book is a pretty nasty immoral place, where carpe diem means grab what you want and screw everyone else. As the physical world of the book obliquely slides toward disaster, the moral landscape is already destroyed. The protagonists themselves are stereotypes, the two men representing the opposite ends of the social spectrum, and the most recognizable "type" of modern British male: upper-crust wimp, lower-class lout. Nicola Six exists solely to satirize, and thus subvert, their sexual fantasies with her psychosexual games. Amis appears to be painting a larger picture about British enrapturement with... well, it's not clear precisely what Nicola represents. Capitalism? America? Or just the dreams and fantasies that have led the country astray? Overarching metaphors aside, Amis can write the hell out of sentence, and there's plenty of awfully good description and dialogue here-especially when it comes to wide-boy Keith. There are large swathes of the book devoted to darts, and Amis makes it come alive. Some of this is devastatingly funny amidst the overall dark and bleak tone. My own favorite line is about scratches on Guy's face that (and this is not verbatim, but give's the gist): "made him look like a determined, but inept rapist"). Ultimately the book is too long, and the broad main characters and interjecting author get rather tedious. Still, it's a major work of modern British literature and merits a look if you're into that stuff.

Other reviews have given synopses, so I'll skip that...

Firstly, this book is worth reading if you live in London - Amis captures perfectly the bizarre juxtaposition of sleaze against wealth that is everywhere in the city, and the book is wonderfully atmospheric of both of these aspects of London and more.

The wider appeal of the book is surely Amis' writing rather than the plot itself; his astounding use and manipulation of the English language makes 'London Fields' a real tour de force.

Most of all though, the general obvservations of peoples' behaviours, psychologies (particularly with regard to sex), reactions to one another, and the varying viewpoints on life offered here are captivating and, I would say, remove the need for a gripping, suspenseful story; these observations are also often made in an extremely witty way.

However, I also disagree with other reviewers, who claim that "nothing happens" in 'London Fields': this is a highly misleading thing to say about this book - there are several narrative strains which meet excitingly at the end of the novel and I personally found that despite Amis' determination to make the book more about the 'journey to the climax' than the ending itself, there is real tension. I do agree, though, that the plot might not be the main focus of the book.

All in all, I would recommend this book to almost anyone who feels that they might want to read something which is something other than (or more than) just a story and experience the writing of someone with a trully masterful command of the English language.

London Fields is not packed with action and events, because its strengths lie in different areas. The characters are brilliantly crafted, simultaneously engaging and complete to the reader, whilst being totally unrealistic and caricatured. In Nicola Six, Amis has created both a male fantasy and a female icon, and Keith Talant is strangly likeable despite his disgraceful behaviour.

The constantly shifting narrative voice keeps the reader focused on the several interwoven plots, and generates continual questions as to who is controlling the actions and the reporting of them. London Fields is not an easy book to read, and sometimes Amis' style can get a little pretentious, but the more you read it, the more accessible it becomes.

I came to this book after hearing a discussion on the radio, which intrigued me. I loved reading it, and couldn't put it down at all. The reviewer who counsels just letting the novel wash over you is absolutely on the money. The plot doesn't really matter. Constant amusement from the unlikeable and unloveable Keith Talent, for me especially the points at which he reviews himself by use of tabloid headline cliches. Nicola is terrifying, but frighteningly familiar. Guy is a great device. I also always enjoy the 'knowing narrator.'
Great read, not a bit too long.

Money lacked a plot, believable characters, plausible human behaviour (unless perhaps you live in a world populated by the dysfunctional) or even credible reactions to events. London Fields is the same but worse because it's longer.

Reading the reviews - the less adulatory ones- I learn that it's a recommended text in the how not to do it lesson. I can endorse that. At the moment, the educated mind still has to read some Martin Amis in order to engage in conversation, in a few years' time, this trifling tedious rubbish will be forgotten.

I am not at all surprised, having read the other reviews of this book, that it has inspired such diverse views. Many people will find 'London Fields' a difficult book but once you understand what Amis is trying to achieve it becomes a wonderful study of modern life, looking at both the beautiful and ugly aspects of humanity. Amis' grasp of the English language is superb and he manages to simultaneously conjure a world that is both believable and fantastical. An interesting fact related to the book is that Blur's album 'Parklife', particularly the song 'London Loves', is heavily based upon 'London Fields'. Damon Albarn has admitted to being inspired by the book and you will certainly find similarities in the way 'larger-than-life' characters are created. It is certainly a millennial novel, dark and somewhat postmodern. One of the best things about 'London Fields' is that Amis makes you work hard for what you will get out of it and this is precisely why many will not enjoy the novel. However, if you like a challenge and appreciate being made to think by literature, then I heartily reccommend this book.

This is a long and challenging fable full of savage satire, breathtaking language, and irredeemably bad characters. It might be too bleak for some, but for me this is offset by two things. Firstly, the humour - the book is deeply funny, if on a very black level. Secondly, my view on the book is it is a cautionary tale - this is what happens if love dies. The darker it gets, the more you value its opposite, and Sam the narrator knows that too. Overall, a novel of considerable stature, not just 'worthy' but enjoyable too.

This book is truly brilliant. Admittedly not much happens, but the characters (Keith Talent in particular) are so superbly evoked that you just can't help enjoying it. Amis is the great British talent of the late 20th century and writes with a passion and fury far beyond McEwan or Barnes. Everything in life is here. I put it down and started re-reading it the next day - first time I'd done that since A-level English in the 80s. Wonderful!

We were supposed to be reading this for our Book Club (10 of us) but only one person finished it. Know he is a famous author but have read so many more modern writers which have found easier to get into. My own personal feeling is that I didn't like the characters anyway so could not really get a grip on them. Sorry!

One of Martin Amis best books, with a very intent view on the structure of the novel, with the city of London as a main character and all those characters that are a bit like archetypes striving to be real and anyway full of human suffering, sense of humour and despair