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A review by shawna_reads
The Wasp Factory by Iain Banks
dark
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
"All our lives are symbols. Everything we do is part of a pattern we have at least some say in. The strong make their own patterns and influence other people's, the weak have their courses mapped out for them."
16 year old Frank lives in a remote Scottish village with his father. His mother abandoned them years ago, his brother Eric is in a psychiatric hospital, and his father measures everything in their lives. Frank finds comfort in his daily rituals of strange acts of violence until news gets out that his brother escaped from the hospital.
The Wasp Factory is a slow burn character study told in first person narration. We follow Frank's day to day rituals, his interactions with his father and brother, and essentially, his psychopathic tendencies. His experiences are disturbing and shocking, and for someone who's behaviours aren't necessarily rational, he is very sure of himself. Frank definitely makes for a very interesting, remorseless character.
I wasn't expecting the shocking reveal at the end, although I had a *slight* suspicion a few pages right before it. It really put things into perspective, but I wish it was explored more as I felt the story ended abruptly after that.
Overall, this was a dark, disturbing story.
16 year old Frank lives in a remote Scottish village with his father. His mother abandoned them years ago, his brother Eric is in a psychiatric hospital, and his father measures everything in their lives. Frank finds comfort in his daily rituals of strange acts of violence until news gets out that his brother escaped from the hospital.
The Wasp Factory is a slow burn character study told in first person narration. We follow Frank's day to day rituals, his interactions with his father and brother, and essentially, his psychopathic tendencies. His experiences are disturbing and shocking, and for someone who's behaviours aren't necessarily rational, he is very sure of himself. Frank definitely makes for a very interesting, remorseless character.
I wasn't expecting the shocking reveal at the end, although I had a *slight* suspicion a few pages right before it. It really put things into perspective, but I wish it was explored more as I felt the story ended abruptly after that.
Overall, this was a dark, disturbing story.