We received from a visiting relative who had read it on his flight.

The first few pages are, like with all books nowadays, filled with reviews (some of them in this case pretty negative), all saying things like "infinitely painful to read". This is patently not true. Certainly, there's some, er..., unpleasantness in the book (I'm trying not to give the plot away here; suffice it to say that there are deaths and injuries to man and beast alike), but it's not as bad as all that. I can only assume that twenty years ago, when the book first came out, people were a lot more sensitive than they are now. There's almost as much death and torment in a Harry Potter book as in this one.

Be that as it may, the book does have a point to make, made explicit on the last few pages, and that point is probably just as valid now as it ever was.

Very interesting, and very strange, particularly towards the end. This book just goes to show how someone could become if they are denied much contact with other people, and not given things to do such as work or study! It is well written, and keeps you guessing about a number of things that gradually get revealed through the story. I found all the rituals rather less interesting, but the fact that there is so much written about them (i.e. showing that he spends so much time performing them) says a lot about their importance.

picked up at the english meetup. sounds gory. i like that!

This book is disturbing, twisted and sick....which makes it my kind of book.

My first brush with Iain Banks, whom I previously only knew of as a sci-fi writer, which was the actual reason I never tried one of his books before. I'm just not that into science fiction.

Guess I could try some of his non-science-fiction-fiction since I have very much enjoyed this one.

Well, up until the last chapter. Not happy with the conclusion. Like, at all. I don't recall any indication in that ultimate direction. Maybe I missed something?

RELEASE NOTES:

English meetup

A very disturbing book, as recommended to me by concertina8.
The way the story was set up I expected a completely different ending. As it is, the ending disappointed me. After a big showdown the ending came out of nowhere. Then the story teller suddenly has insights that weren't even hinted at during the book. All grown up in one stormy night. I thought that didn't fit in with the rest of the book. I'd like to think that the ending was completely different and possibly even more gory than the book and it needed to be toned down for the sensitive public..

RELEASE NOTES:

The book will be released during the next english speaking meetup at the bluebox. If nobody takes it home, I'll take it to the Haydn Cinema's shelf.

no need to take it to haydn - it's with me, for the moment

Very interesting story, even though i am normally not so much into exploring-the-sick-mind plots. But that is the way with bookcrossing, you get to read all kinds of books.

WILD RELEASE NOTES:

Wird beim heutigen Meet-up freigelassen.

im OBCZ-Regal

The book has been waiting for a new reader for a while, so I took it from Café Heuschober and will release it at the Wissensturm this week.

It is in my bookshelf now. ;o)