Luke is allergic to everything. He spends his days in a sterile safe-haven designed to keep out all light and dirt, while everything he knows abou...
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Jan 29, 2012
Blair
rated it: 
As you might already know, I love Scarlett Thomas and have been trying to get my hands on a copy of this - one of her rarer books - for quite a while; it was the one book of hers, excepting a couple of the very early Lily Pascale mysteries, I hadn't read. First published in 2002, it's something of a bridge between the author's slightly amateurish earlier novels and her superior later work (which in my opinion begins with 2004's PopCo). Like Bright Young Things, it has an ensemble cast of charact
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Aug 06, 2011
Judith
rated it: 
Going Out by Scarlett Thomas follows the ultimate allergic child, Luke, on a quest for a cure. Luke has grown up indoors, basically lived his entire childhood in his bedroom, because he is deathly allergic to sunlight. His best friend, Julie draws their 20-something friends and neighbors into the effort to transport Luke from his suburban Essex home to Wales, to be cured by a Chinese healer Luke has met online. They construct an aluminum-foil-wrapped “spacesuit” to protect Luke from outdoor ligh
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Dec 29, 2008
Trin
rated it:
Another of Thomas’ hard-to-find early novels. This one is about twentysomething Luke, who has a rare disease that makes it impossible for him to go outside, and Julie, who goes out in the world but is afraid of everything she finds there. The two of them, along with an assortment of their friends—a girl who just won the lottery, a guy with testicular cancer, a girl who thinks she’s a witch, a girl whose boyfriend died tragically—all set out to find a cure for Luke.
I knew how this boo More...
I knew how this boo More...
Aug 30, 2010
Yen
rated it:
A different genre from Mr Y, Going Out is about life, normality and humanity. It starts out innocent enough, but it develops into a very interesting plot with very interesting characters. The writing style is simple and language never bombastic. It just simply tells the story, which grips you, making you think about your own life, your freedom and your humanity.
Scarlett Thomas always manages to make you think with her stories, whether of daily issues or heavier topics, she definitel More...
Scarlett Thomas always manages to make you think with her stories, whether of daily issues or heavier topics, she definitel More...
Jan 02, 2010
Debs
rated it:
I had the honor of choosing the first book for book club this year, and this is the one I picked. Chelle recommended it to me ages ago, and I’m really glad I got off my butt and read it. It’s basically a sort of coming of age story for a group of wandering, purposeless twenty-somethings, each with their own personal hang-ups, fears and limitations. I really like the characters and the way the style of the writing creates the same feelings of confusion and wistfulness in the reader as appear in t
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Apr 25, 2011
Kate
rated it:
It's unsurprising to me that I enjoyed this book, since I lap up anything Scarlett Thomas puts out. When I bought and read this one (a little while back now) it was incredibly difficult to find and I had to hunt it down second hand on Amazon. Hopefully with the success Thomas has enjoyed with her most recent novels it will soon be much easier to get a copy of Going Out, because it's definitely worth reading.
The characters in the novel are well written. They act consistently whilst also More...
The characters in the novel are well written. They act consistently whilst also More...
Jul 04, 2011
JackieB
rated it:
I enjoyed this book mainly because of the characters. The plot was slightly whimsical (but I think that about most, if not all, of the magical realism I've read). It was used to explore the ways we can limit ourselves. The ending was not a great surprise, but it was enjoyable to find out more about the characters as the plot progressed and also to see how Scarlett Thomas developed her characters through the situations into which she put them.
Jul 25, 2011
Matt
rated it:
Another novel by Scarlett Thomas full of characters sitting around discussing things. I enjoyed that quite a bit in "Our Tragic Universe," but not as much in this novel. Some of these ruminative scenes were a bit difficult for me to get through; perhaps the issue is that I enjoyed the subject of the discussions in OTU more than in "Going Out." Still, the characters were likable and multi-faceted, and Thomas managed to throw in quite a few "Wizard of Oz" allusions wi
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May 22, 2009
Celia
rated it:
Luke is allergic to sunlight. He lives with his mother in a sterile closed house, watching TV and wondering about the outside world. His friend, Julie, is scared of life itself. When Luke hears about a healer, they and a bunch of their friends get in a van and travel by night to see if they can find a cure.
It's a cute book, this screwed up bunch of teenagers heading off on a road trip, and I like Scarlett Thomas' writing. The story drizzled off a bit towards the end - I think thi More...
It's a cute book, this screwed up bunch of teenagers heading off on a road trip, and I like Scarlett Thomas' writing. The story drizzled off a bit towards the end - I think thi More...
Dec 21, 2008
Katelin
rated it: 
This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers.
To view it, click here
Jan 10, 2012
Marco Latini
rated it:
Molto ben costruito fino alle ultime pagine, dove si intuiva dove si sarebbe andati a finire, però si èsmarrita la cura con cui si erano costruite le relazioni e i personaggi. Qualche fretta di troppo che tolgono la menzione di capolavoro ma lasciano bellissimi spunti di riflessione personale.
Jul 23, 2011
Kiran
rated it:
Everything has a beginning and an end - the important part is the middle. This really applies to this book - it's all about the journey and the characters - how they got there and where they end up seems secondary.
Nov 12, 2010
Chris
rated it:
I've really got into Scarlett Thomas.
This is a bit of a transitional book, between her YA books (which I haven't read), and the more literary stuff she has on her website.
But it's still very much a Scarlett Thomas novel. The philosophical meanderings, off the wall plot, and the sort of characters I'd love to have around for dinner one night. Not quite as grand as The End of Mr Y, but for fans it's well worth checking out.
It is a 'book of ideas' - very clever but More...
This is a bit of a transitional book, between her YA books (which I haven't read), and the more literary stuff she has on her website.
But it's still very much a Scarlett Thomas novel. The philosophical meanderings, off the wall plot, and the sort of characters I'd love to have around for dinner one night. Not quite as grand as The End of Mr Y, but for fans it's well worth checking out.
It is a 'book of ideas' - very clever but More...
Dec 20, 2008
Hilary
rated it:
Interesting look at whether it is better to be "safe" and live in a cage or indoors, or better to take risks and experience life. A few holes in the story, but i enjoyed it anyway.
Apr 27, 2011
Michelle
rated it:
Everything she writes is gold. Math-infused gold. And that's saying a lot from someone who can barely add.
Oct 18, 2009
Lucy-my-control
rated it:
Three and a half stars really.
This book had all the things I would normally like about a book but.. um...yeah. Something huge was missing and I don't know what it is (I am not a novelist).
This book had all the things I would normally like about a book but.. um...yeah. Something huge was missing and I don't know what it is (I am not a novelist).
Aug 02, 2011
Malcolm
rated it:
Even at her most disappointing (this book) Scarlett Thomas is fabulous. Savvy, sharp, weaving together big ideas and the banality of the ordinary.
Aug 10, 2010
This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers.
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Sep 06, 2010
Lolly LKH
rated it:
I am on a Thomas kick, she is such fun to read. Sprinkling of math, science, philosophy- I am really glad I stumbled accidentally upon this author.
Aug 20, 2008
Ash
rated it:
Fun and full of what I have come to expect of Scarlett Thomas in terms of style and humour. A fabulous description of someone beset by allergies and his interactions with the people around him. Once again, this book contains many references to alternative medicine, something that seems to be a Scarlett Thomas trademark.
Dec 25, 2008
zan
rated it:
I don't know quite to do with this one. I wasn't enjoying it at all until the absolute end, when she finally released the now-familiar Scarlett Thomas Math Obsession (TM). This seems like she was still building up to her better works, The End of Mr. Y and PopCo. For completists only.
Mar 18, 2009
Nick
rated it:
Going Out is a fun quick read with plenty of nostalgic details for those of us who were teenagers in England in the 90s. Unfortunately is isn't up to the standard of The End of Mr Y or PopCo, I'd definitely recommend reading either one or both of those before this early effort.
Mar 20, 2007
Krissa
rated it:
I've read this AND PopCo, another great Thomas book, and I have to say, she's the master of quirkily original plotlines. PopCo is better than this one, although I really enjoyed it. You really can't accuse her of the traditional Stranger Comes To Town/Man Goes On Journey workshop plotlines.
Sep 21, 2011
Sara
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This was one of the most fun-to-read books I've ever read! Kind of a Hipster Wizzard of Oz, Brittish style.
Jan 20, 2008
Lara
rated it: 
By far, one of the worst books I've ever read. One star for effort, though.
Dec 16, 2007
Cassandra
rated it: 
it was ok, but again if i wasn't a scarlett fan i'm not sure if i'd have read it.
