Reviews

You'd be lucky to find any other author who would take such a risk as to publish a novel as vague and philosophical as this one, and then throw in the dark themes that emerge towards the end. I won't say much to avoid spoilers, but this is one of those novels where the plot is the least important part: the inner dialogue of our narrator is how we move forward. It goes to some dark places and leaves much unsaid, but Banks' prose is beautifully written and thematically dense in a way that never feels overwhelming. It left me feeling like I'd tackled something significant, even though it's relatively throwaway even when compared to his other novels. Not essential, by any means, but a pleasure to read

rosemarieshort's review against another edition

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4.0

Iain Banks has always had a particular brand of fiction. His books do not shy away from the grotesque and the disturbing, embracing the harsh reality of life and unbalanced nature of humanity wholeheartedly. A Song of Stone runs in that same vein. A male protagonist (though in Banks novels protagonist does not always mean good guy) who is clearly a little mentally disturbed, a little depraved and yet, nevertheless, is our guide. His relationship differs with the accepted social norm, he lies down when he should stand up, he acts bravely when he should cower. However I couldn't help but feel sympathy for the character. Amid tales of childhood sexual experiences, rebuttals from his Father and the ongoing storyline of having his home invaded without any choice - no matter his actions or choices, there is a magic to Banks' storytelling which allows you to nod along, despite disagreeing morally, and accept. A fascinating read.

nickdablin's review

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1.0

A vicious tour de force. The writing is exquisite, which makes the subject matter all the more excruciating. The setting is left deliberately unclear - a few details aside, this could be any time or place, a ruthless condemnation of human nature without the hypocritical comfort of it being someplace other, someplace else. Society's descent into anarchy and lawlessness is at first reflected with contrast through the eyes of the protagonist, but soon his own thoroughly unpleasant nature is revealed in skin-crawling, yet disturbingly relatable, detail. This is the viewpoint of a misogynistic, perverse and secretive wretch, his own maggot-ridden underbelly exposed by the loss of social structure to seering attention. The female characters are deliberately left voiceless and objectified by the perspective, and meet predictably unpleasant ends, rendered all the more distantly vile by the warped priorities of our narrator. The novel descends smoothly from threatening tension to lurid, horrifying brutality, it's depravities accreting gradually until you are almost numbed to its horror. Yet ultimately, it's hard to see what the point of it all is, beyond a nihilistic exercise in misanthropy. As an exercise in writing irredeemable characters in an irredeemable setting, it is apocalyptically sublime. As an enjoyable novel, it is impossible to recommend.

twincam59's review

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too disjointed for me to get a grip on the plot

jpoffline's review

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adventurous challenging dark medium-paced

3.0

ronanmcd's review

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4.0

I read this post-Bosnia, 18 years ago, when it was published and I was in school. Revisiting, I expected a fast read. The earthy sodden language stopped me in its get bleakness. Banks used words with a spartan beauty, describing a loss of social order, magnitudes of transgression, and a decent to hell. A landed bon vivant has his possessions and heritage taken from him as social order falls apart. A stark, harsh story full of the imbecilic and profound stupidity of armed conflict.

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