carlin
the cover is a little bit misleading, but got really into this after about a hundred pages <3
really enjoyed the character work here and there's some really great scenes. I think my favourite character was Poor Wee Chickie who really elevates this as a whole
This is totally a me thing but I had a bit of a love-hate relationship with the use of dialectal Scots. On the one hand it's so important to me and found it really comforting, but on the other some of it was a bit obvious (she looked as wispy as the haar but was as strong as aberdonian granite) and some was a bit over used (everyone and everything is gallus). I think I just need to read more books in Scots
The writing style as well was a bit underwhelming from what I had imagined of a Booker prize winning author, but perhaps that prize isn't just for high-brow books
Alcoholism is one of the few things I find too difficult to engage with, and was actually totally fine with the level of it here. Felt realistic but didn't have me triggered, for lack of a better word
Edit: from researching, a shame to see him talk about how he had to elevate himself to middle class to be able to write working class books :(
Edit: also wow the cover is by the same guy that did the frank ocean blond album cover! I kind of get why you'd want this cover even if it's not really giving what the book is like
PS douglas stuart seems so obsessed with downy hair at the bottom of your spine ahahah
the cover is a little bit misleading, but got really into this after about a hundred pages <3
really enjoyed the character work here and there's some really great scenes. I think my favourite character was Poor Wee Chickie who really elevates this as a whole
This is totally a me thing but I had a bit of a love-hate relationship with the use of dialectal Scots. On the one hand it's so important to me and found it really comforting, but on the other some of it was a bit obvious (she looked as wispy as the haar but was as strong as aberdonian granite) and some was a bit over used (everyone and everything is gallus). I think I just need to read more books in Scots
The writing style as well was a bit underwhelming from what I had imagined of a Booker prize winning author, but perhaps that prize isn't just for high-brow books
Alcoholism is one of the few things I find too difficult to engage with, and was actually totally fine with the level of it here. Felt realistic but didn't have me triggered, for lack of a better word
Edit: from researching, a shame to see him talk about how he had to elevate himself to middle class to be able to write working class books :(
Edit: also wow the cover is by the same guy that did the frank ocean blond album cover! I kind of get why you'd want this cover even if it's not really giving what the book is like
PS douglas stuart seems so obsessed with downy hair at the bottom of your spine ahahah
