Banks's first novel about Frank, a young boy who delights in, among other things, torturing animals. The wasp factory of the title is a very elaborate construction that Frank uses to tell the future. There isn't much of a plot, the story is mostly just a piece in the life of Frank, his brother, and his father.

This book seriously creeped me out when I read it, and that's something that happens rarely. The story is told by Frank who is clearly insane, and Banks writes his monologuing just magnificently. It all feels so normal, the reader gets deep into Frank's mind, and then he does something horrible and the reader gets shocked.

Like in many of Banks's books, there is a twist at the end, but also like in Banks's books, the twist doesn't turn everything upside down and knowing the twist doesn't diminish the book's value at all.

Thanks so much for your donation Jaakko196!

This book is now part of the 1001-library. If you want to take this book from the library but don't know how to proceed, please refer to the library bookshelf.

CONTROLLED RELEASE NOTES:

This book was checked out by perryfran

Received in today's mail - thanks Jaakko196 for sending! I have a few bookring books I need to read but will try to get to this soon.

This is No. 254 on the 1001 books you must read before you die list.

Took this book with me on a short family vacation to Philadelphia and Atlantic City. Finished it today. It was indeed a very strange read going into the mind of a seriously disturbed young person who spends his time carrying out boyish rituals including murder of young family members and killing animals. Some very shocking scenes are spread throughout the novel and a surprising twist at the end. I have to admit that Frank was very creative in how he did away with his young relations - very macabre. Some would-be mystery writers could take some lessons from Banks! The book definitely keeps your interest and is very well-written; however, it seemed a little over the top and I'm not sure that I would recommend this one to others.

This book is now available for another reader of the 1001-library.

This book is now back on the 1001 library bookshelf and can be borrowed by PMing perryfran:)

If you want to take this book from the library but don't know how to proceed, please refer to the library bookshelf.

CONTROLLED RELEASE NOTES:

This one's headed for Singapore as a VBB selection. Enjoy!

Sorry for journaling it so late! I got it 2 weeks ago, all the while I thought I'd journaled it! Thank you for reminding me and thank you for sending the book to me!

Before I read this, I read Exquisite Corpse - which is macabre and gory in its own way. Now, I must say that The Wasp Factory is just another league ahead of Exquisite Corpse. Banks really scared me off without the need of any grisly details or graphical violence. I was shocked by Frank's character, most of all, his indifference. He was maybe (or surely) a psychopath, but what was shocking is that unlike other psychopaths, he killed people but he felt nothing towards it. Nothing, not even satisfaction (like some serial killer). At the beginning I thought that he killed because he was a 'defective' male, but towards the end I then realized that this is not the case. What drove him to kill then? I also felt that Eric was also an important character in the book and in some ways, I was more afraid of Eric than Frank. Frank was like an invisible killer, an assassin and he deviced rather 'intelligent' ways to kill people. Yet, Eric was more the kind that will torture you before he killed you. If it wasn't for the fact that Frank narrated his murders, I would've never imagined him (or her perhaps) to be the killer.

Great book! Thank you so much for sending it to me perryfran! This book is now returned to the 1001-library bookshelf!

This book is now back on the 1001 library bookshelf and can be borrowed by PMing jneni:)

If you want to take this book from the library but don't know how to proceed, please refer to the library bookshelf.