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4.43 AVERAGE
4.43 AVERAGE
I bought this because the publisher (Cranachan Books) and the author are such lovely people on Twitter so I was delighted to find that I absolutely loved this book from start to finish and I'm going to start picketing both publisher and author for a sequel I can cry happy tears over.
I'll have to "make do" with anything else he writes in the meantime :-)
Recommended to just about everybody I know. And those I don't.
I'll have to "make do" with anything else he writes in the meantime :-)
Recommended to just about everybody I know. And those I don't.
emotional
funny
lighthearted
mysterious
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
emotional
funny
sad
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
Lovely book, brilliantly written. Takes quite some skill to write from the POV of a wee girl without either being boring or inauthentic, but Sayers manages it.
“when me and Granpa watched james bond films, he told me not to be scared because people didn’t have guns like that in Scotland. That must’ve been why the robbers used hammers.”
To say that I loved this book would be an understatement. Mary stole my heart from the very first and as the story progressed, so my fondness for her grew and grew.
Ross Sayers has somehow managed to capture the essence of an eight year old little girl perfectly! Mary is smart, feisty, kind, loving, weird ( in only the best ways ), innocent, vulnerable and yet so incredibly strong.
The whole story is told from Mary's perspective, so we see everything through the eyes and thoughts of an eight year old girl. The genius lies in how we, as adults get to see more than Mary does, how we understand more than her innocent self, and see, before she does, the storm clouds in the horizon.
Mary and her granpa's relationship is beautiful, touching and so real. I loved Mary's logic, her thought process and the reasons she makes the decisions that she does are so clear and based on the self preservation of a young child not wanting to get into trouble and yet her awareness of consequences is that of a much older child. Her friendship with Grace is again perfectly done... from the "best friends" declaration to the small injustices that seem to a child unforgivable offenses, Ross Sayers captures the vulnerability of a new friendship delightfully.
The local dialogue helps to transport the reader to the Isle of Skye and brings the island and it's inhabitants to life. I could see the row of colourful houses, feel the spray of the cold sea water on my skin, hear the seagulls cries and smell the sea air and the fish and chips from the chip shop.
Mary's the Name made me laugh out loud, hold my breath in anticipation of what the next page would bring, and cry ugly tears. If you are looking for a powerful emotional story, then grab yourself a copy and prepare yourself to meet Mary, who will stay with you long after you put the book down.
I received a copy of Mary's the Name in exchange for an honest review.
Ross Sayers has somehow managed to capture the essence of an eight year old little girl perfectly! Mary is smart, feisty, kind, loving, weird ( in only the best ways ), innocent, vulnerable and yet so incredibly strong.
The whole story is told from Mary's perspective, so we see everything through the eyes and thoughts of an eight year old girl. The genius lies in how we, as adults get to see more than Mary does, how we understand more than her innocent self, and see, before she does, the storm clouds in the horizon.
Mary and her granpa's relationship is beautiful, touching and so real. I loved Mary's logic, her thought process and the reasons she makes the decisions that she does are so clear and based on the self preservation of a young child not wanting to get into trouble and yet her awareness of consequences is that of a much older child. Her friendship with Grace is again perfectly done... from the "best friends" declaration to the small injustices that seem to a child unforgivable offenses, Ross Sayers captures the vulnerability of a new friendship delightfully.
The local dialogue helps to transport the reader to the Isle of Skye and brings the island and it's inhabitants to life. I could see the row of colourful houses, feel the spray of the cold sea water on my skin, hear the seagulls cries and smell the sea air and the fish and chips from the chip shop.
Mary's the Name made me laugh out loud, hold my breath in anticipation of what the next page would bring, and cry ugly tears. If you are looking for a powerful emotional story, then grab yourself a copy and prepare yourself to meet Mary, who will stay with you long after you put the book down.
I received a copy of Mary's the Name in exchange for an honest review.
My Review & Thoughts By Kelly L
I had heard such great things about the book. The buzz on Social Media and all the chit chat at book events. So I was looking forward to it. The whole book is from wee Mary's prospective and as she's only eight it's interesting to see her world through young eyes. As her parents died in a car crash, it's up to Granpa to look after and care for Mary. However this is a huge responsibility and Granpa falls short at times. Making me very cross I have to add. Shouting at Granpa in my head to take more time to watch the bairn instead of being in the bloody pub. The book will have you laughing out loud with it's humour but it's not all jolly. There is a thread throughout of a criminal behavior and the fear of the ugly misfit brutes that may or may not find Mary & Granpa. The people that Mary meets colour her life's path in all different ways. The much needed friendships that she craves are tested. It's a very valid point that whether you are 8 or 80 we all want is to be accepted for who we are and loved unconditionally.
Being Scottish myself, I love how Ross Sayers kept the books tone true to the dialect. It was a refreshing read. I loved the details about the Isle Of Skye and I would love to visit Portee and go to on a boat tour, walk up to the lump and of course see Mary's Pink House. I know Mary will be one of the book characters that haunts my head in a lovely way. With her beautiful innocence and quite wit.
The core of the store is honesty and trust. I encourage you to read the book. It's a roller coaster of emotions.
You can WIN a copy of the book by entering HERE ~ http://bit.ly/2kk71K6
I had heard such great things about the book. The buzz on Social Media and all the chit chat at book events. So I was looking forward to it. The whole book is from wee Mary's prospective and as she's only eight it's interesting to see her world through young eyes. As her parents died in a car crash, it's up to Granpa to look after and care for Mary. However this is a huge responsibility and Granpa falls short at times. Making me very cross I have to add. Shouting at Granpa in my head to take more time to watch the bairn instead of being in the bloody pub. The book will have you laughing out loud with it's humour but it's not all jolly. There is a thread throughout of a criminal behavior and the fear of the ugly misfit brutes that may or may not find Mary & Granpa. The people that Mary meets colour her life's path in all different ways. The much needed friendships that she craves are tested. It's a very valid point that whether you are 8 or 80 we all want is to be accepted for who we are and loved unconditionally.
Being Scottish myself, I love how Ross Sayers kept the books tone true to the dialect. It was a refreshing read. I loved the details about the Isle Of Skye and I would love to visit Portee and go to on a boat tour, walk up to the lump and of course see Mary's Pink House. I know Mary will be one of the book characters that haunts my head in a lovely way. With her beautiful innocence and quite wit.
The core of the store is honesty and trust. I encourage you to read the book. It's a roller coaster of emotions.
You can WIN a copy of the book by entering HERE ~ http://bit.ly/2kk71K6
Well what is there to say about wee Mary? I just loved her and I loved this book. The story is told entirely from her eight-year old point of view which gives it a conversational, confiding feel. Mary lives with her beloved Granpa Arthur who works in a betting office. She has lived with him since her parents were killed in a car crash when she was very small and they are everything to each other. There is a robbery at the betting office and shortly afterwards, Mary and her Granpa go to stay in the the beautiful island of Skye. Through overheard conversations, Mary begins to realise that perhaps her Granpa was involved in some way and that perhaps they are in danger.
I think that Ross Sayers has done a brilliant job of capturing his young protagonist's voice and you can read more about that in his guest post below. A lot of the humour in the book comes from Mary's very literal understanding - or misunderstanding - of what the adults around her are saying. I liked the way the author used italics when Mary was using words she'd obviously heard adults using but didn't quite understand herself. Her youthful naivety is very sweet, such as when she hears the automated train station announcer: "A posh lady over the speakers told us the next train was on its way....There was a little gap before she said 7.34 and Aberdeen like she was checking her jotter to make sure she said the right thing." The use of dialect for Mary's speech and also for the other characters added a real authenticity to the dialogue.
Mary's the Name will have you wanting to give Mary a cuddle as she goes through the confusion of being dropped by the girl she thought was her friend. I was so pleased when she found a new friend, Grace, in Skye and enjoyed the escapades they got up to. The strong bond between Mary and her Granpa was clear to see though I was beginning to wonder just what he had got them into!
Oh and that bet at the end? (read it to find out) - I'm willing to bet she collects on it! Mary's the Name had me smiling a lot but also left me with a lump in my throat. A wonderfully witty and warm debut by a fresh new voice in Scottish fiction, a real pleasure to read. Ross Sayers is certainly an author to watch in future.
I think that Ross Sayers has done a brilliant job of capturing his young protagonist's voice and you can read more about that in his guest post below. A lot of the humour in the book comes from Mary's very literal understanding - or misunderstanding - of what the adults around her are saying. I liked the way the author used italics when Mary was using words she'd obviously heard adults using but didn't quite understand herself. Her youthful naivety is very sweet, such as when she hears the automated train station announcer: "A posh lady over the speakers told us the next train was on its way....There was a little gap before she said 7.34 and Aberdeen like she was checking her jotter to make sure she said the right thing." The use of dialect for Mary's speech and also for the other characters added a real authenticity to the dialogue.
Mary's the Name will have you wanting to give Mary a cuddle as she goes through the confusion of being dropped by the girl she thought was her friend. I was so pleased when she found a new friend, Grace, in Skye and enjoyed the escapades they got up to. The strong bond between Mary and her Granpa was clear to see though I was beginning to wonder just what he had got them into!
Oh and that bet at the end? (read it to find out) - I'm willing to bet she collects on it! Mary's the Name had me smiling a lot but also left me with a lump in my throat. A wonderfully witty and warm debut by a fresh new voice in Scottish fiction, a real pleasure to read. Ross Sayers is certainly an author to watch in future.
I fell in love with wee Mary and her granpa!
A brilliantly written book (a debut?) with excellent characterisation - I completely believed in these two and their relationship. Mary’s granpa absolutely doated on her and their time in Portree was hilarious, with the end being just a wee bit heartbreaking! Full of witty banter, I did laugh out loud a few times and enjoyed every page of this book.
Absolute belter of a novel, will definitely read more from the author.
A brilliantly written book (a debut?) with excellent characterisation - I completely believed in these two and their relationship. Mary’s granpa absolutely doated on her and their time in Portree was hilarious, with the end being just a wee bit heartbreaking! Full of witty banter, I did laugh out loud a few times and enjoyed every page of this book.
Absolute belter of a novel, will definitely read more from the author.
I read Mary's the Name for a book club I have recently joined in the place I work and I thoroughly enjoyed the book.
Being from Scotland myself, I really appreciated and related to the language, minor plot details and character behaviours and mannerisms. Usually, Scotland is exaggerated in film and literature but Mary's the Name was perfectly balanced and fun to read. The writing style made the book very easy to read. The fairly simple, yet detailed story line full of themes of family, kinship, friendship and sacrifice makes the book more compelling to read and difficult to put down.
The location/setting development of Portree was vivid and detailed which made the small village of Portree come to life for the reader. Even over a week later I can picture the quaint village and community come to life in my imagination. The characters were well developed as if Sayers knows them personally in his day to day life. Each character is unique and personal, from their accents and language, to their mannerisms, behaviours, likes and dislikes. I feel like I know these people because they were portrayed and created so vividly within the story. The characterisation of Mary was executed excellently. Sayers captured the mentality and essence of an eight year old girl perfectly, allowing the reader to become immersed in the mind of Mary and explore her world from her point of view. Mary is a lovable character with an innocent view of the world and a personality weaved through the roots of the book, she brings the book to life.
Being from Scotland myself, I really appreciated and related to the language, minor plot details and character behaviours and mannerisms. Usually, Scotland is exaggerated in film and literature but Mary's the Name was perfectly balanced and fun to read. The writing style made the book very easy to read. The fairly simple, yet detailed story line full of themes of family, kinship, friendship and sacrifice makes the book more compelling to read and difficult to put down.
The location/setting development of Portree was vivid and detailed which made the small village of Portree come to life for the reader. Even over a week later I can picture the quaint village and community come to life in my imagination. The characters were well developed as if Sayers knows them personally in his day to day life. Each character is unique and personal, from their accents and language, to their mannerisms, behaviours, likes and dislikes. I feel like I know these people because they were portrayed and created so vividly within the story. The characterisation of Mary was executed excellently. Sayers captured the mentality and essence of an eight year old girl perfectly, allowing the reader to become immersed in the mind of Mary and explore her world from her point of view. Mary is a lovable character with an innocent view of the world and a personality weaved through the roots of the book, she brings the book to life.