A review by yer_real_da
Marabou Stork Nightmares by Irvine Welsh

adventurous challenging dark emotional informative mysterious reflective sad tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

The experimental approach Welsh took for his sophomore novel was a large gamble that paid off hugely. It’s a nice change from the rest of Welsh’s biography that I’ve read so far and shows his ability as a writer. Our main character Roy is a character we grow to care about, sympathise with, understand, dislike, detest and finally, after a major rug pull, loathe. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Ableism, Adult/minor relationship, Alcoholism, Animal cruelty, Animal death, Body shaming, Bullying, Child abuse, Chronic illness, Cursing, Death, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Gore, Hate crime, Homophobia, Incest, Infidelity, Mental illness, Misogyny, Panic attacks/disorders, Pedophilia, Physical abuse, Racial slurs, Racism, Rape, Self harm, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Slavery, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Terminal illness, Torture, Violence, Xenophobia, Blood, Vomit, Medical content, Kidnapping, Religious bigotry, Medical trauma, Suicide attempt, Murder, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Fire/Fire injury, Alcohol, Sexual harassment, Colonisation, Injury/Injury detail, Classism