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A review by elderlyemo
Marabou Stork Nightmares: A Novel by Irvine Welsh
challenging
dark
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? Yes
4.5
So close to being a five star read!
I have always loved IW and his phonetically written books, but MSN is up there with the best of them. Written from the perspective of a man in a coma, it flits through a fantastical dream like world where the main character is looking for the titular Marabou Stork, and flashbacks where he comes out of the coma and the real story progresses.
I can see why people would find this book hard to read - not just because of the subject matter but the interesting format of the book - but I have read it three times now and I never get tired of the chaos.
This book is often touted as one of the most disturbing books ever written and don't get me wrong - it's messed up - but it's also a damning indictment of working class Britain and a painfully genuine representation of repression and addiction. I think depending on who you are and how you grew up, will depend on what you get out of this book but for me, its brutality is never vulgar.
It's astonishingly human, and that I think is what I've always loved about IW's books. So why isn't it five star? The last fifty pages of this book are easily five stars, but the beginning is slow and I think a lot of people would DNF it before it gets gorgeous.
Which is a shame because I definitely think this is an important, if not horrific, story that does need to be told.
I have always loved IW and his phonetically written books, but MSN is up there with the best of them. Written from the perspective of a man in a coma, it flits through a fantastical dream like world where the main character is looking for the titular Marabou Stork, and flashbacks where he comes out of the coma and the real story progresses.
I can see why people would find this book hard to read - not just because of the subject matter but the interesting format of the book - but I have read it three times now and I never get tired of the chaos.
This book is often touted as one of the most disturbing books ever written and don't get me wrong - it's messed up - but it's also a damning indictment of working class Britain and a painfully genuine representation of repression and addiction. I think depending on who you are and how you grew up, will depend on what you get out of this book but for me, its brutality is never vulgar.
It's astonishingly human, and that I think is what I've always loved about IW's books. So why isn't it five star? The last fifty pages of this book are easily five stars, but the beginning is slow and I think a lot of people would DNF it before it gets gorgeous.
Which is a shame because I definitely think this is an important, if not horrific, story that does need to be told.