Journal Entry 1 by lucycat from Hull, East Yorkshire United Kingdom on Monday, January 27, 2003

From the back cover:

'It is off-season in a remote Highland sea-port: 21-year-old Morvern Callar, a low-paid employee in the local supermarket, wakes one morning to find her strange boyfriend has committed suicide and is dead on their kitchen floor. Morvern's laconic reaction is both intriguing and immoral. What she does next is even more appalling...'

Headed off on Thursday to lovely BC'er Rampallion in Evanston, Illinois. Happy reading Kirsti!

Ooh, bit of an update on this one!

As I suspect this must have belonged to my boy's ex-girl, I hadn't bothered to read this when it turned up unexpectedly on a BC trawl through my shelves, and just thought I'd pass it straight on to the first person to ask me for it, BUT THEN...

On the same day Rampallion suggested a trade for it, new Brit BC'er Yokospungeon got in touch with me, and in passing, mentioned that she had seen on my bookshelf that I had 'Morvern Callar', and said how much she'd enjoyed it. I figured I still had time for a speedy read before sending it off on Thursday, so I did.

And it was great, too.

Deliciously dark (and that's putting it mildly!), occasionally in the kind of broad Scottish dialect favoured by Irvine Welsh and which sometimes breaks the flow a little for me as I stumble to translate it (to a much lesser degree in this case), but well-written, intriguing, shocking, and wonderfully lyrical.

Here's an excerpt that I loved which doesn't give anything away:

'When I stubbed out the butt you saw the loveliness of colours: my nails, the glittery gold Sobranie filter in the ashtray with the bright, tousled strips of orange peel among. I used the new lighter on another Sobranie cause of the alternative taste of smoke then oranges."

A great book that I nearly missed out on through sheer stubbornness...as I said to Kirsti, I am currently consoling myself with the knowledge that the book looked unread, and therefore it's unlikely that the ex- and I share literary tastes, too... ;O) 

Journal Entry 2 by rampallion from Evanston, Illinois USA on Tuesday, March 25, 2003

At last, Morvern Callar has arrived! Thanks so much, Lucy!
I've only read two pages of this, but I'm already (1) totally intrigued and (2) unsurprised that this book has not done well outside the UK. It needs annotations or a glossary! So far I've had to think about my time in Scotland and my Scottish relatives to translate Silk Cut (cigarette), scullery (kitchen), greeting (crying), and bar fire (a sort of permanent-fixture space heater). I agree that it's not as confusing as Irvine Welsh, but still. . . .
Looking forward to reading this and seeing the film! 

Journal Entry 3 by rampallion from Evanston, Illinois USA on Wednesday, April 30, 2003

I'm about a quarter of the way through. Dark but compelling. A little glossary of Scottish terms for any future readers of this book:
keek = peek or peek-a-boo
basque = corset or merry widow
knickies = underpants
mortal = I think this means drunk
oxter = armpit
mawkit or mochit = filthy 

Journal Entry 4 by rampallion from Evanston, Illinois USA on Tuesday, May 13, 2003

Dark and weird and very wonderful. I'll be thinking about this one for a long time.

I finished this at a table in a bookstore cafe, waiting for a Bookcrossing Meetup that never took place. Four people RSVP'd, but I was the only one to show up! I felt silly sitting there with my little sign, watching the entryway for Meetuppers, but at least I had a terrific book with me. :-) Thanks, Lucycat!

Promised to Mozzfan--assuming she still wants it after all these weeks. 

Journal Entry 5 by rampallion at McDougal Littell Company Lending Library in Evanston, Illinois USA on Wednesday, May 14, 2003

Released on Wednesday, May 14, 2003 at McDougal Littell Company Lending Library in Evanston, Illinois USA. 

Journal Entry 6 by mozzfan from Chicago, Illinois USA on Wednesday, May 14, 2003

Rampallion just dropped this off - it's a busy day at work so I don't have time to look at it right now. It's already promised to lightwavz after I'm done. 

Journal Entry 7 by mozzfan from Chicago, Illinois USA on Monday, May 19, 2003

I finished this pretty quickly - I'm reading under pressure lately. Nevertheless, I did enjoy seeing life through Morvern's eyes. I think there are a *lot* of people who don't understand that a LOT of people are as disaffected as Morvern and her mates - it's not just in Scotland either. What they don't know is that the 'disaffected' youth focused on in the US are usually priveledged upper-class or middle-class kids (see Igby Goes Down) instead of the people who just get up and go to work to keep going, usually from the age of 13 or 14 on up.

When Morvern is heading home from her journey and asks about if the Mantrap is still open, the reaction she gets really spoke to me.

It's off to Detroit today - as a side note, I've purchased a copy of the book for an Invernessian friend of mine, so there will be another copy of this bookcrossed soon! 

Journal Entry 8 by mozzfan at on Monday, May 19, 2003

Released on Monday, May 19, 2003 at to fellow bookcrosser in postal release, postal release USA.

Sent to bookcrosser lightwavz in Detroit! 

Journal Entry 9 by lightwavz from Detroit, Michigan USA on Thursday, May 22, 2003

Wow, thanks for the quick shipping on this one, mozzfan! Talk about granting BookCrossing wishes! I'm putting this one next up on the TBR list so that I can keep it going and get it onto the most traveled list! I'm glad that lucycat sends books from her side of the pond that would be hard to get here! I'll journal when done. 

Journal Entry 10 by lightwavz from Detroit, Michigan USA on Thursday, May 22, 2003

Just requested by alrescate next from the "recently caught list". I think that eireannaigh would be interested as well... Nothing like watching a book run!! 

Journal Entry 11 by lightwavz from Detroit, Michigan USA on Wednesday, May 28, 2003

This was a dark and strange book... I had a lot less trouble with the language than I thought I might... must be all those foreign books and films I've immersed myself in! The seedy underbelly of this society was sort of like the AntiBridgetJones. The disconnection reminded me of Camus' Stranger. I wondered if any of it really sank in at the end... after all, Morvern did come home. Did she come home to remember or to continue forgetting? I'll have to think on this one for a while...

Now it is off to alrescate... 

Journal Entry 12 by alrescate from Strafford, Missouri USA on Wednesday, June 04, 2003

I was very happy to find this in my mailbox yesterday. I will put it at the top of my TBR pile. Thanks to Lightwavz for passing it on to me! 

Journal Entry 13 by alrescate from Strafford, Missouri USA on Thursday, June 19, 2003

This opens with a shocker and proceeds through Morvern's dead-end job; her binges on booze, dope, music and sex; and moves on to her prowls through the rave clubs of the Mediterranean.

The problem is that Morvern's too full of feeling for the callousness with which she treats her boyfriend's suicide to be believable. She shows that she is engaged by her reactions to her girlfriend's grandmother's death as well as her girlfriend's confession. This doesn't show how the youth of today is devoid of feeling but that they seem to be pushing all those feelings aside with drugs and sex. (At least those in this novel.)

While this had some beautifully written passages I was disappointed in the resolution. I also thought this was about 50 pages too long...there were several passages that I didn't think contributed to the portrait of Morvern.

Just a side note...I didn't think the language was too difficult. If you are canny you can keen the meaning. 

Journal Entry 14 by alrescate at -- By Hand or Post, Ray/ring, Rabck in Springfield, Missouri USA on Thursday, June 19, 2003

Released on Thursday, June 19, 2003 at To another BookCrosser in Springfield, Missouri USA.

This is on the way to Kansas. I hope you enjoy it eireannaigh! 

Journal Entry 15 by eireannaigh from Valley Center, Kansas USA on Wednesday, June 25, 2003

Received this book in the am, finished it in the pm.
AAAAHHHHHH! sorry, one of the biggest pet-peeves I have is an author not tying up loose ends. If he plans on writing another, than so be it, I give you permission to leave a cliff hanger. I loved they way Morvern handles her boyfriends death. I wonderful little show of devotion, not to love but to ones self delusions. Her lack of sympathy towards anyone truly does reflect the empathy of many today, at least I deal with many that only want to know if they will still be getting insurance money. Which reminds me, how did she get the money? She never reported it, or did I skip a whole page? The book yields great potential, it reads wonderfully for a first draft, but not as a finished novel. I would like to see Mr. Warner revise this. Thank you lightwavz for thinking of me, and thank you alrescate for sending it. I will make it available for trade. 

Journal Entry 16 by eireannaigh from Valley Center, Kansas USA on Friday, July 25, 2003

bOOKRAY!!

Betsy-STL

jmg49

Pchemphd

Weeblet

Spygrl1
 

Journal Entry 17 by Betsy-STL from St. Louis, Missouri USA on Monday, August 11, 2003

Rec'd via mail today. I'm currently reading another bookring book, but I should be finish within the next few days. "Morvern Callar" is next in line. 

Journal Entry 18 by Betsy-STL from St. Louis, Missouri USA on Monday, August 18, 2003

I can sum this one up in two words, WIERD and ORIGINAL. The language was not really a problem, because you could pretty much figure out what they were talking about.

Eireannaigh you asked how did she get the money. At first she was getting money from the deceased boyfriends bank account by daily ATM withdrawals of the maximum amount. Then when she got back from holiday she received a letter from his attorney saying that he gave her his inheritance from his father and that the money would be transferred into her bank account.

I'd read another book by this author. Thanks for introducing me to him.
``````````````````````````````````````
Sending to jmg49 on 8-20-03. 

Journal Entry 19 by Betsy-STL at on Monday, August 18, 2003

Release planned for Wednesday, August 20, 2003 at Postal release in USPS, Missouri USA.

Sending to jmg49. Enjoy! 

Journal Entry 20 by jmg49 from Woodstock, Ontario Canada on Thursday, August 28, 2003

Thanks Betsy. I'll try to read this quickly and send it on. 

Journal Entry 21 by jmg49 from Woodstock, Ontario Canada on Monday, September 01, 2003

I had a really hard time empathizing with Morvern Callar. The book was well written, but it's just not my cup of tea. 

Journal Entry 22 by jmg49 from Woodstock, Ontario Canada on Saturday, September 06, 2003

Mailing today to Pchemphd in Florida.
Enjoy:-)
 

Journal Entry 23 by pchemphd from Deland, Florida USA on Monday, September 22, 2003

Thank you jmg49! 

Journal Entry 24 by pchemphd from Deland, Florida USA on Saturday, September 27, 2003

I can't read this book! I'm trying really hard not to feel bad about myself for that. After all, the subject matter is unpleasant and the slang is really hard to get through, but somehow not being able to get into this book makes me feel really middle-aged and closed-minded! I'm planning on removing it from my house as soon as possible because I just can't read it! Anyway, trying to read this made me feel very 40ish (which in all fairness, I am), middleclass (which I am), conservative (I teach high school, how hip can I be!), and boring (I teach chemistry, how exciting can I be when I'm not blowing things up?). I hope the next reader enjoys the book. 

Journal Entry 25 by weeblet from Jacksonville, Florida USA on Tuesday, October 07, 2003

just go this in the mail today. thank you! as for the language barrier, i believe i can crack it, savvy?<:
i'll start it tonight . 

Journal Entry 26 by weeblet from Jacksonville, Florida USA on Thursday, October 09, 2003

Journal Entry 27 by weeblet at on Thursday, October 09, 2003

Release planned for Friday, October 10, 2003 at Bookcrosser's home in postal release, postal release USA. 

Journal Entry 28 by spygrl1 from Champaign, Illinois USA on Wednesday, October 15, 2003

I'm still thinking about this book, trying to solve it like a puzzle. Morvern never explains herself, she just exists. She seems to be a creature entirely of the present: That's why she moves on so prosaically after her boyfriend's death. To Morvern, He and his corpse are two distinctly separate things. His corpse is accorded the same consideration as his record collection or his cash -- He's got no use for any of them any longer, so Morvern makes use of what she can and discards the rest. In her world, she cannot afford the luxury of grief. There's just another day at work and another night at the Mantrap. She seems to have no concept of a future; the only relief from her bleak existence that she understands is through fleeting sensation -- drugs, sex, music. Even when she has enough money that she could possibly buy her way into a better life, through education or investment, she only seeks warmth, music, and peace.

This book was passed along to my boyfriend. He was reading it at work, and one of his employees became engrossed in it, so it's been passed along to her.