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71st out of 276 books
—
177 voters
The Stornoway Way
Meet R Stornoway, drink-addled misfit, inhabitant of the Hebridean Isle of Lewis, and meandering man fighting to break free of an island he just can’t seem to let go of…
Paperback, 272 pages
Published
April 25th 2007
by Penguin Global
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very good until the last fifty pages when a teenager appears to takeover writing duties.
I wish I could give this a raving review but alas I cannot. It started off nice enough-- with a snappy, 'I'm gonna tell it like it is' feel and a lot of Scottish Gaelic footnotes. As I read I felt a lack of narrative momentum and instead felt distracted by the narrator (who seems more focused on displaying his prowess as a man, rather than telling a story.) I lost interest in everything but who could've written such arrogant jabber. I started speculating on his looks-- how he managed to get publ...more
Wow. This was brutal. It beats you about the head, as punishing and relentless as the 'Leodhasach' weather. Despite the abuse, you stick with it for the vulnerable moments and the downright hilarious ones. And, as with all fiction, for the moments where you see aspects of your own life or personality reflected right back at you, as though the page was a mirror.
So, the scene in the Pear Tree in Edinburgh brought back nice memories, R Stornoway's frank admissions of drinking to obliteration point,...more
So, the scene in the Pear Tree in Edinburgh brought back nice memories, R Stornoway's frank admissions of drinking to obliteration point,...more
Wow. This book is another one of my 'reference' books for a type, a standard, a measure. Like Paul Bowles, it is a 'significant work' of a genre I love, and am still looking to define. Musically, it would be Grunge a la Kurt Cobain or Mad Season's Wake Up (if you found this book, look up Wake Up!). It is in no way a book for everyone. Did you like the movie Trainspotting? If yes, read this. If not, go away and be happy. It is gritty, it is real, it is dark, it is life (as some experience it). It...more
My bookcrossing review:
I really enjoyed this book.
It was a very Scottish story, dealing with alcoholism and (sub)conscious self-destruction, although this book really only looked at the way his soul was destroyed by alcohol abuse, whereas another Scottish writer, AL Kennedy, will scare you with the full story (very depressing it is too). Music played a role too - him mentioning CDs he was listening to and groups he liked which reminded me a bit of Alan Warner (most famous for Morvern Callar, al...more
I really enjoyed this book.
It was a very Scottish story, dealing with alcoholism and (sub)conscious self-destruction, although this book really only looked at the way his soul was destroyed by alcohol abuse, whereas another Scottish writer, AL Kennedy, will scare you with the full story (very depressing it is too). Music played a role too - him mentioning CDs he was listening to and groups he liked which reminded me a bit of Alan Warner (most famous for Morvern Callar, al...more
At times the authors sense of humour came out at it's best and I laughed out loud, but for the most part I found him to be self indulgent and I would switch off. His self pity got a bit tedious.
I understand that in real life people swear a lot and goes unnoticed but in a piece of literature it stands out. In this book the swearing was too frequent, lost any impact and in the end got in the way of telling the story.
A rather disappointing book.
I understand that in real life people swear a lot and goes unnoticed but in a piece of literature it stands out. In this book the swearing was too frequent, lost any impact and in the end got in the way of telling the story.
A rather disappointing book.
Jan 15, 2010
Andrew Henderson
rated it
5 of 5 stars
Recommends it for:
Irvine Welsh fans.
Recommended to Andrew by:
Callum Sutherland
The quote on the front of this book really intruiged me, "the best Scottish book since Trainspotting" it read. I thought it was a mighty bold claim and one it more than lived up to, outside Welsh's own work of course. The book is incredibly well written and features a fantastic mixture humour and sorrow.
IT WAS OK! I THINK IF YOU DIDN'T KNOW THE ISLAND AND THE PEOPLE THEN YOU WOULD HAVE REALLY STRUGGLED WITH THIS BUT I AM GLAD I READ IT AS THERE ARE A FEW REALLY FUNNY BITS IN THERE
Any fan of trainspotting will love this tale of life on an island. The particular vices and forboils of Island people and what happens when they leave.
a book that gives you all you wanted to know about living in the highlands
funny dour and truthful all at the same time
funny dour and truthful all at the same time
this is a great follow-up to the finlay j. macdonald books. i feel like the macdonald books were plotting the coordinates to this destination.
anyway, i was told this was a 'quite dark' book. it's not. it's just bukowski in gaelic. ;)
a good, fun, light and easy read.
anyway, i was told this was a 'quite dark' book. it's not. it's just bukowski in gaelic. ;)
a good, fun, light and easy read.
A Hebridean Trainspotting. An absolute powerhouse of a story.
This is just a great read, well written and very memorable.
Absolutely hilerious!!!
This is a very interesting book. The narrator, a native of the Outer Hebridean island of Lewis, has a love/hate/self-destructive relationship to himself, to alcohol, and his hometown of Stornoway. The novel has interesting things to say about the state of Gaelic culture in Scotland and also the state of Scotland in the world (both as a nation and non-nation). Bits of it are quite dark, so it's not what I would call a summer read, but overall it was thought-provoking and interesting.
Feb 03, 2008
An IncandescentFirefly
rated it
5 of 5 stars
Recommends it for:
anyone who's traveled through the Outer Hebrides of Scotland...
Every time I read this in public, people stared at me for laughing out loud. I think I actually fell in love with R. Stornoway and could envision us having a very intensely rocky co-dependent relationship. The Outer Hebrides are some of the most beautiful places I've ever seen... the book was amazing for me because I've seen so much of it first hand. Go there and then read this book. Now!
Finding a story in amongst all the F-words and alcohol-blurred narrative is almost impossible. And if this is supposed to be the Stornoway Way, well, it's a damning indictment.
The Stornoway Way by Kevin MacNeil (2005)
An entertaining enough book, although there wasn't really a plot and a bit depressing at times
I LOVE this book with a fiery eternal passion! Ever since I first read it, and I've read it dozens of times since. The language is spot on, the characterisation wonderful, and the heavy dark humour running through the length of the book marvellous. I honestly can't recommend this book highly enough. One of my favourites of all time!
May 07, 2013
Brooke Lib WVReads150
added it
Apr 21, 2013
Iroulito91
marked it as to-read
Apr 15, 2013
Ðɑηηɑ
marked it as li_unfiltered
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Jun 27, 2009 04:22pm