Reviews

The Second Cut by Louise Welsh

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littlemisselvis's review against another edition

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dark medium-paced

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

4.0

Not sure I enjoyed it as much as the first one. Felt a little too contrived in places.

sadiereadsagain's review against another edition

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4.0

This is the follow-up to Welsh's 2002 novel [b:The Cutting Room|46025|The Cutting Room|Louise Welsh|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1388947595l/46025._SY75_.jpg|1246358]. You could read it as a standalone...though I recommend reading the books in order to get the most out of them.

I read The Cutting Room when it first came out, and I reread it last year. I love that book. It was the first time I saw my city on the page in such a vivid and realistic way, but with a deliciously dark story. It's remained in my mind for twenty years, and stayed a favourite on reread. Did I think it needed a sequel, though? No. But The Second Cut shows how much I know, because revisiting auctioneer Rilke and the criminal underbelly he gets mixed up with was an absolute joy.

In this instalment, Rilke is given a hot tip for a house clearance which could be the boost Bowery Auctions needs. But when JoJo, the friend who gave him the tip, turns up dead, and things are not what they seem at the house clearance, Rilke finds himself pulled into the world of drug dealers and sex clubs. Seems not much has changed in 20 years!

I really enjoyed this return not only to Rilke, but also the return to the gay community in Glasgow and the way things have and haven't changed in the intervening years. It was wonderful to see old characters again, and also the new ones - Welsh is really good at crafting characters, and seeing them through Rilke's cynical yet magnanimous eyes is a point of view I really love.

Story-wise, I thought this was gripping and well paced. I don't think it's as strong as The Cutting Room, but that's not a criticism as that book has left such an impression on me. I was captivated by both plot lines, and thought it was really clever.

I listened to this as an audiobook, narrated by Alan Cumming. At first I wasn't sure how his dulcet tones would suit the gritty story, but he is an exceptional narrator and it was a really great listening experience.

I'm so happy that this wasn't a disappointment, given how much I love The Cutting Room. I will be interested to see how this book is received by gay men though, given that Welsh is a woman (albeit a gay woman). Much like with the first book, I think she handles this in a positive and sensitive way, but as a straight woman I'm not the judge of that. I've not heard negative takes on The Cutting Room for this, so I'm hoping that this book will be as positively received, both because I love the book/author, but also because I'd hate to love something that isn't a good representation.