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venkyloquist's review against another edition
3.0
Very few writers possess the clarity of thought as was possessed by the late Iain Banks. A clarity that is almost frightening in it's impact and visceral in it's hold. 'Stonemouth' grips the reader in clasp iron and even as the last page is turned over, leaves him gasping for more! There is a Stewart Gilmour lurking in the darkest recesses of each of us, plagued and haunted by our very own versions of a haunting Ellie Murston! Banks' untimely passing leaves the literary world much the poorer.
angrygreycatreads's review against another edition
2.0
Stonemouth is my second Iain Banks novel. I read The Wasp Factory not long after his death and although I found it very well written I was really disturbed by all the animal cruelty in it. Stonemouth is nothing like The Wasp Factory, in fact is difficult to believe it was written by the same author.
In Stonemouth, a young man is returning home to a town that is rife with corruption ruled by two crime family clans. He left home 5 years ago, escaped really, and now must return for the funeral of one of the heads of the clans. He has made a huge success of his life after leaving this close knit community. The crime families still seem to have their fingers in all the goings on everywhere. He has since graduated art school and has been made partner in some type of architectural firm lighting buildings.
His visit home is causing him to reflect back upon his life. The woman he left behind. The life, family, and friends he left behind. His art, which he is not really pursuing except in a very corporate manner, etc. It is as though he is having this huge mid-life crisis, except he is 25, so I guess it is a quarter-life crisis. I just didn’t feel that a young man who left home at 20 and has only been gone 5 years, five years that have been spent going to school and traveling the world, beginning his career; he just this minute made partner, would be all full of wistful reminiscing and regretful longing. He seems pretty attached to the “toys” his success has brought him, his phone, his nice clothes, access to pretty young women, etc. He also seems very anxious to avoid the real thugs that prowl the roadways and pubs of his hometown. I think this would have worked better, if he came back 20 years later or more. Some of this would have been more believable at 40 or even older than at 25, especially given the ending of the book.
My other issue really is that nothing really happens. I don’t really care about the protagonist or his old girl friend and her sister and their thuggish family. The events in the town are just not that interesting, even ones that should be, like the pool room scene. I have no doubt that Iain Banks is a talented writer, but this didn’t work for me.
In Stonemouth, a young man is returning home to a town that is rife with corruption ruled by two crime family clans. He left home 5 years ago, escaped really, and now must return for the funeral of one of the heads of the clans. He has made a huge success of his life after leaving this close knit community. The crime families still seem to have their fingers in all the goings on everywhere. He has since graduated art school and has been made partner in some type of architectural firm lighting buildings.
His visit home is causing him to reflect back upon his life. The woman he left behind. The life, family, and friends he left behind. His art, which he is not really pursuing except in a very corporate manner, etc. It is as though he is having this huge mid-life crisis, except he is 25, so I guess it is a quarter-life crisis. I just didn’t feel that a young man who left home at 20 and has only been gone 5 years, five years that have been spent going to school and traveling the world, beginning his career; he just this minute made partner, would be all full of wistful reminiscing and regretful longing. He seems pretty attached to the “toys” his success has brought him, his phone, his nice clothes, access to pretty young women, etc. He also seems very anxious to avoid the real thugs that prowl the roadways and pubs of his hometown. I think this would have worked better, if he came back 20 years later or more. Some of this would have been more believable at 40 or even older than at 25, especially given the ending of the book.
My other issue really is that nothing really happens. I don’t really care about the protagonist or his old girl friend and her sister and their thuggish family. The events in the town are just not that interesting, even ones that should be, like the pool room scene. I have no doubt that Iain Banks is a talented writer, but this didn’t work for me.
mibramowitz's review against another edition
3.0
DNF 1/3 through
Nothing wrong with the book, it's just not gripping me enough to finish.
Nothing wrong with the book, it's just not gripping me enough to finish.
davidr's review against another edition
5.0
The author's name "Iain Banks" usually means science fiction to me. I was quite surprised by this remarkable novel. Stewart Gilmour returns to the gritty town of Stonemouth in Scotland, after five years of exile. We don't really know why he was exiled, but it had something to do with one (or both) of the crime families in the town. Banks maintains a tension as the story bounces between the present time and events that occurred five years ago. There is always an undercurrent of dark hatred and potential violence.
My favorite character is Stewart's friend Ferg--an addicted druggie and drunkard, who has a unique conversational style. In fact, many of the characters, including Stewart, have interesting ways of talking. Part of this is the Scottish slang among young (and old) people, and sometimes I really had to think about the numerous interesting turns of phrase.
This book kept me "at the edge of my seat", trying to guess what would happen next. Some loose ends remain at the conclusion of the novel. Despite what seems like a happy ending, the future of the main characters is not entirely certain. The resulting ambiguity is delicious.
My favorite character is Stewart's friend Ferg--an addicted druggie and drunkard, who has a unique conversational style. In fact, many of the characters, including Stewart, have interesting ways of talking. Part of this is the Scottish slang among young (and old) people, and sometimes I really had to think about the numerous interesting turns of phrase.
This book kept me "at the edge of my seat", trying to guess what would happen next. Some loose ends remain at the conclusion of the novel. Despite what seems like a happy ending, the future of the main characters is not entirely certain. The resulting ambiguity is delicious.
kg2111's review
dark
emotional
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Suicide and Physical abuse
litdoes's review against another edition
2.0
A young man, Stewart, returns to the small town that he grew up in to attend the funeral of an elder of an influential and shady family and revisits old wounds and the act of indiscretion that causes him to leave his childhood home in the first place. The premise is interesting enough, but the patchy writing and stilted dialogue are letdowns to an otherwise promising story.
Perhaps Banks tries too hard to make the setting and the youth of the protagonist credible - e.g. isn't it always the young ones who lament that they are old? and therefore incessant instances of characters who hurl themselves over bridges or are misfits, and a little off-the-hinge. However, Banks is no Brett Easton Ellis or Chuck Palahniuk, and he fails to convince us that the characters are as conflicted as they claim to be, perhaps because they lack strong, plausible motivation to be the way they are. There is also overly enthusiastic (and unnecessary) references to modern tech gadgetry, which shows up the writer's anxiety to remind the reader that the characters are truly of the 21st century.
The spurts of caustic humour that dot the exchanges between Stewart and his gay/bisexual friend Ferg (his sexuality a character trait that the writer throws up presumably to titillate rather than illuminate) doesn't sound authentic when they seem to head nowhere. Most of the action of the novel takes place over a weekend, and there are numerous chance meetings with old school friends and meetings at pubs and someone's house, where above-mentioned stilted dialogue takes place.
To Banks's credit, there are some spots of brilliance when he tries to draw out an action sequence - eg at the pool room when Stewart is accosted by some ruffians, but unfortunately it becomes tedious, rather than engaging in the way perhaps another Brit author, Ian McEwan, styles his prolonged moments of suspense.
In brief, Stewart is embroiled with a druglord in a small town through his entanglement with the druglord's daughters, but Banks fails to keep the reader's interest when there is a whole host of other characters who make little impression, and who appear to assemble and disperse for no observable reason but for them to be there just in order for the protagonist to relate to in order for some action to take place. This is most apparent in what is supposed to be an explosive, violent climax near the end of the book.
I must say I am disappointed by this novel, when I had high hopes from such a prolific author.
Perhaps Banks tries too hard to make the setting and the youth of the protagonist credible - e.g. isn't it always the young ones who lament that they are old? and therefore incessant instances of characters who hurl themselves over bridges or are misfits, and a little off-the-hinge. However, Banks is no Brett Easton Ellis or Chuck Palahniuk, and he fails to convince us that the characters are as conflicted as they claim to be, perhaps because they lack strong, plausible motivation to be the way they are. There is also overly enthusiastic (and unnecessary) references to modern tech gadgetry, which shows up the writer's anxiety to remind the reader that the characters are truly of the 21st century.
The spurts of caustic humour that dot the exchanges between Stewart and his gay/bisexual friend Ferg (his sexuality a character trait that the writer throws up presumably to titillate rather than illuminate) doesn't sound authentic when they seem to head nowhere. Most of the action of the novel takes place over a weekend, and there are numerous chance meetings with old school friends and meetings at pubs and someone's house, where above-mentioned stilted dialogue takes place.
To Banks's credit, there are some spots of brilliance when he tries to draw out an action sequence - eg at the pool room when Stewart is accosted by some ruffians, but unfortunately it becomes tedious, rather than engaging in the way perhaps another Brit author, Ian McEwan, styles his prolonged moments of suspense.
In brief, Stewart is embroiled with a druglord in a small town through his entanglement with the druglord's daughters, but Banks fails to keep the reader's interest when there is a whole host of other characters who make little impression, and who appear to assemble and disperse for no observable reason but for them to be there just in order for the protagonist to relate to in order for some action to take place. This is most apparent in what is supposed to be an explosive, violent climax near the end of the book.
I must say I am disappointed by this novel, when I had high hopes from such a prolific author.
mgriffiths's review against another edition
3.0
Familiar elements from other Banks novels but typically well put together. I'm not sure I can face The Quarry :(
areaxbiologist's review against another edition
4.0
The spooky setting, engaging repartee between old friends and the idea of Scottish gangsters sealed the deal for me. This is great, even though you may want to bash Stewie over the head for his stupidity. Writing style is John Irving meets Kevin Canty.
_emmiem's review against another edition
4.0
This was really very good. Absorbing, compelling and wonderfully executed. There's something in here for everyone: romance, friendship, crime, humour. My only complaint is that the events that take place at the end of the novel ended up feeling slightly melodramatic, but it was nevertheless a satisfying end to the novel. I'll definitely be reading some more of Iain Banks' work as soon as I can.
moreadsbooks's review against another edition
3.0
This book's plot revolves heavily around the unbelievable selfishness of man child Stewart Gilmour; why is he back in town making everyone angry after being forced to flee years earlier? Because, basically, he wants to be, although also because a dead guy wanted him at his funeral. Why did he cheat on his fiancée, thus enraging her mafia-type family & leading to his forced exile? Because some other woman had a red dress on. When a pissed off & armed brother of former fiancée is on his way to Stewart's location to quite possibly murder him, why doesn't Stewart leave & basically save everyone who's at the beach with him? Because he doesn't want to, although also because Ellie is swimming. He should absolutely be held responsible for the death of Phelpie.
This is the second book I've read in almost as many weeks where the main character is unable to stop himself from having sex when he absolutely should not do so simply because a woman before him had boobs/was sexy/started unbuttoning her shirt. Are guys really like this? If you're getting married in a week & some hot chic starts coming on to you, would all guys cheat on their fiancées in this situation? I guess we're all supposed to be happy that he gets the girl back in the end, but I'm pretty unimpressed with that one. But let it not be said that I disliked this book, man children aside. This was a start it in the morning & finish it by evening compelling read, it has some pretty spectacular Scottish accents, and some well-written boy's own-coming of age stuff (poor Wee Malky). And one of the characters gets to be bisexual as a teen & nobody cares, so good on that. Although I have to wonder if Banks has just started using Facebook or just got an iPhone or something, because he makes a lot of awful, jarring references to both of these things, which pulled me out of the story every time they came up.
This is the second book I've read in almost as many weeks where the main character is unable to stop himself from having sex when he absolutely should not do so simply because a woman before him had boobs/was sexy/started unbuttoning her shirt. Are guys really like this? If you're getting married in a week & some hot chic starts coming on to you, would all guys cheat on their fiancées in this situation? I guess we're all supposed to be happy that he gets the girl back in the end, but I'm pretty unimpressed with that one. But let it not be said that I disliked this book, man children aside. This was a start it in the morning & finish it by evening compelling read, it has some pretty spectacular Scottish accents, and some well-written boy's own-coming of age stuff (poor Wee Malky). And one of the characters gets to be bisexual as a teen & nobody cares, so good on that. Although I have to wonder if Banks has just started using Facebook or just got an iPhone or something, because he makes a lot of awful, jarring references to both of these things, which pulled me out of the story every time they came up.