Reviews

Lanark: A Life In 4 Books by Alasdair Gray

maxhyner's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional funny hopeful inspiring lighthearted mysterious reflective relaxing sad tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.5

pruadh's review against another edition

5.0

This is a book (or 4 books) is one where it's hard to know where to begin discussing it. It's one of my favourite books that I'd recommend to basically no-one. Gray himself said, "I want Lanark to be read in one order but eventually thought of in another." Even after reading it in one order and thinking of it in another, I think I still need to return to it some day to uncover what I've missed.

Lanark stands out in Scottish literature in how romantically - however dark - the city of Glasgow is described. The novel, despite it being a depiction of hell, gave me a new appreciation for my home. It's both jarring and in a way validating to see the city and country I grew up depicted imaginatively instead of in news or documentary, and it was honestly refreshing however bleak Lanark might be.

Lanark is a challenging read, but remains one of the most imaginative and unique science-fiction novels I've ever read, yet still manages to be thoroughly human in the way it explores our shared experience with enough depth that one reading simply isn't enough.

clari's review against another edition

challenging dark reflective slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

lanadelgray's review against another edition

dark funny mysterious sad medium-paced

jimgibreads's review against another edition

challenging mysterious slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? No
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

2.75

calebchou's review against another edition

Sometimes really good and sometimes infuriating and boring. The main character has a tendency to be the most insufferable incel freak loser I’ve ever seen in a book but manages to still have his likable moments. I preferred the books that took place in Unthank, especially book 3.

jessmay27's review against another edition

challenging mysterious reflective sad slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? N/A
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? No
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

2.5

reallivejim's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional funny mysterious tense slow-paced

4.5

Wanted to love this even more and really thought I would, but ultimately this one let me down a bit by diluting its emotional impact with overwrought cleverness. Alas, this disappointment is relative—midway through, I thought I was perhaps amidst one of my absolute all-timers, but upon finishing it up, I realized it was simply great.

“Man is the pie which bakes and eats itself.”

obstinateheadstrongcurl's review against another edition

challenging slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

2.5

This book is bizarre. Overall I don’t feel like it really worked for me, and I think that’s because it’s very much a product of its time. There’s a lot of misogyny in here with some racism peppered in for good measure. It’s definitely a unique story, but is it one still worth talking about all these years later? Probably not. 

killajan's review against another edition

5.0

spent half the time writing down the quotes in this book. i first heard of alasdair gray when he passed (which is so interesting because he actually said that he expected lanark to gain attention posthumously) i was instantly caught by his murals present around glasgow. by chance, some months later i found (t)his book in a free book exchange in my student accommodation. i really do believe that i was meant to find his work. lanark is indescribable. gray touches on love, resistance, bureaucracy and capitalism. though written 40 years ago, i find that his predictions and comments about this little moist blue green ball we call earth ring ever more true. this book is simply beautiful. it was worth the year it took me to read. i will get back to this review once i have finished processing but in any case, may alasdair rest in perfect peace. a change is going to come.