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Stonemouth
Stewart Gilmour is back in Stonemouth. After five years in exile his presence is required at the funeral of patriarch Joe Murston, and even though the last time Stu saw the Murstons he was running for his life, staying away might be even more dangerous than turning up.
An estuary town north of Aberdeen, Stonemouth, with it's five mile beach, can be beautiful on a sunny day. On a bleak one it can seem to offer little more than seafog, gangsters, cheap drugs and a suspension bridge irresistible to suicides. And although there's supposed to be a temporary truce between Stewart and the town's biggest crime family, it's soon clear that only Stewart is taking this promise of peace seriously. Before long Stu steps back into the minefield of his past to confront his guilt and all that it has lost him, uncovering ever darker stories. Soon his homecoming takes a more lethal turn than even he had anticipated.
Tough, funny, fast-paced and touching, Stonemouth cracks open adolescence, love, brotherhood and vengeance in a rite of passage novel like no other.
An estuary town north of Aberdeen, Stonemouth, with it's five mile beach, can be beautiful on a sunny day. On a bleak one it can seem to offer little more than seafog, gangsters, cheap drugs and a suspension bridge irresistible to suicides. And although there's supposed to be a temporary truce between Stewart and the town's biggest crime family, it's soon clear that only Stewart is taking this promise of peace seriously. Before long Stu steps back into the minefield of his past to confront his guilt and all that it has lost him, uncovering ever darker stories. Soon his homecoming takes a more lethal turn than even he had anticipated.
Tough, funny, fast-paced and touching, Stonemouth cracks open adolescence, love, brotherhood and vengeance in a rite of passage novel like no other.
434 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 2012
221 people are currently reading
3665 people want to read
About the author
Iain Banks
39 books4,846 followersThis author also published science fiction under the pseudonym Iain M. Banks.
Banks's father was an officer in the Admiralty and his mother was once a professional ice skater. Iain Banks was educated at the University of Stirling where he studied English Literature, Philosophy and Psychology. He moved to London and lived in the south of England until 1988 when he returned to Scotland, living in Edinburgh and then Fife.
Banks met his wife Annie in London, before the release of his first book. They married in Hawaii in 1982. However, he announced in early 2007 that, after 25 years together, they had separated. He lived most recently in North Queensferry, a town on the north side of the Firth of Forth near the Forth Bridge and the Forth Road Bridge.
As with his friend Ken MacLeod (another Scottish writer of technical and social science fiction) a strong awareness of left-wing history shows in his writings. The argument that an economy of abundance renders anarchy and adhocracy viable (or even inevitable) attracts many as an interesting potential experiment, were it ever to become testable. He was a signatory to the Declaration of Calton Hill, which calls for Scottish independence.
In late 2004, Banks was a prominent member of a group of British politicians and media figures who campaigned to have Prime Minister Tony Blair impeached following the 2003 invasion of Iraq. In protest he cut up his passport and posted it to 10 Downing Street. In an interview in Socialist Review he claimed he did this after he "abandoned the idea of crashing my Land Rover through the gates of Fife dockyard, after spotting the guys armed with machine guns." He related his concerns about the invasion of Iraq in his book Raw Spirit, and the principal protagonist (Alban McGill) in the novel The Steep Approach to Garbadale confronts another character with arguments in a similar vein.
Interviewed on Mark Lawson's BBC Four series, first broadcast in the UK on 14 November 2006, Banks explained why his novels are published under two different names. His parents wished to name him Iain Menzies Banks but his father made a mistake when registering the birth and he was officially registered as Iain Banks. Despite this he continued to use his unofficial middle name and it was as Iain M. Banks that he submitted The Wasp Factory for publication. However, his editor asked if he would mind dropping the 'M' as it appeared "too fussy". The editor was also concerned about possible confusion with Rosie M. Banks, a minor character in some of P.G. Wodehouse's Jeeves novels who is a romantic novelist. After his first three mainstream novels his publishers agreed to publish his first SF novel, Consider Phlebas. To distinguish between the mainstream and SF novels, Banks suggested the return of the 'M', although at one stage he considered John B. Macallan as his SF pseudonym, the name deriving from his favourite whiskies: Johnnie Walker Black Label and The Macallan single malt.
His latest book was a science fiction (SF) novel in the Culture series, called The Hydrogen Sonata, published in 2012.
Author Iain M. Banks revealed in April 2013 that he had late-stage cancer. He died the following June.
The Scottish writer posted a message on his official website saying his next novel The Quarry, due to be published later this year*, would be his last.
* The Quarry was published in June 2013.
Banks's father was an officer in the Admiralty and his mother was once a professional ice skater. Iain Banks was educated at the University of Stirling where he studied English Literature, Philosophy and Psychology. He moved to London and lived in the south of England until 1988 when he returned to Scotland, living in Edinburgh and then Fife.
Banks met his wife Annie in London, before the release of his first book. They married in Hawaii in 1982. However, he announced in early 2007 that, after 25 years together, they had separated. He lived most recently in North Queensferry, a town on the north side of the Firth of Forth near the Forth Bridge and the Forth Road Bridge.
As with his friend Ken MacLeod (another Scottish writer of technical and social science fiction) a strong awareness of left-wing history shows in his writings. The argument that an economy of abundance renders anarchy and adhocracy viable (or even inevitable) attracts many as an interesting potential experiment, were it ever to become testable. He was a signatory to the Declaration of Calton Hill, which calls for Scottish independence.
In late 2004, Banks was a prominent member of a group of British politicians and media figures who campaigned to have Prime Minister Tony Blair impeached following the 2003 invasion of Iraq. In protest he cut up his passport and posted it to 10 Downing Street. In an interview in Socialist Review he claimed he did this after he "abandoned the idea of crashing my Land Rover through the gates of Fife dockyard, after spotting the guys armed with machine guns." He related his concerns about the invasion of Iraq in his book Raw Spirit, and the principal protagonist (Alban McGill) in the novel The Steep Approach to Garbadale confronts another character with arguments in a similar vein.
Interviewed on Mark Lawson's BBC Four series, first broadcast in the UK on 14 November 2006, Banks explained why his novels are published under two different names. His parents wished to name him Iain Menzies Banks but his father made a mistake when registering the birth and he was officially registered as Iain Banks. Despite this he continued to use his unofficial middle name and it was as Iain M. Banks that he submitted The Wasp Factory for publication. However, his editor asked if he would mind dropping the 'M' as it appeared "too fussy". The editor was also concerned about possible confusion with Rosie M. Banks, a minor character in some of P.G. Wodehouse's Jeeves novels who is a romantic novelist. After his first three mainstream novels his publishers agreed to publish his first SF novel, Consider Phlebas. To distinguish between the mainstream and SF novels, Banks suggested the return of the 'M', although at one stage he considered John B. Macallan as his SF pseudonym, the name deriving from his favourite whiskies: Johnnie Walker Black Label and The Macallan single malt.
His latest book was a science fiction (SF) novel in the Culture series, called The Hydrogen Sonata, published in 2012.
Author Iain M. Banks revealed in April 2013 that he had late-stage cancer. He died the following June.
The Scottish writer posted a message on his official website saying his next novel The Quarry, due to be published later this year*, would be his last.
* The Quarry was published in June 2013.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 658 reviews
September 2, 2018
iain (m.) banks writes supersmart sci-fi books that "you wouldn't understand, karen."
but he also wrote this, which i am proud to say i completely understand, and i really enjoyed.
it is a crime thriller, set in a small town in scotland, which is presided over by two competing, but not actively warring, gangster families who have made their fortunes and reputations getting their hands dirty. and not by doing any manual labor, yeah? although whacking people is, i suppose, technically "manual."
stewart gilmour has returned to his hometown for a funeral for one of the family's patriarchs, after having been run out of town five years earlier in a "romeo and juliet gone bad" situation. he and his juliet didn't plan a suicide pact so much as "he cheated on her", and then had to escape to london when her thug-brothers came looking for him. he became successful in exile, but never really got over his past.
so now he is back in town for the funeral of the man who also happens to be his ex-fiance's grandfather. will he see old friends? will people try to hurt him?? will he reconnect with his scorned love? will he reminisce and kick himself for his mistakes?? will the two families start to feel the tension when the prodigal returns home?? will there be supplementary mysteries to drive the plot? yes, all of these things.
and it is very good. he does the smalltown thing so well, and his supporting characters are well-drawn and sweet and funny (or terrifying, depending on the character), and he manages to create a believable microcosm, complete with backstory childhood flashbacks and a shared history of loves and grievances. so many scenes came to life with a vibrancy that made me feel as though i were an observer rather than a reader, and the bantering and anecdotes were just spot-on. (the pop-tart story was probably the funniest one, with the most perfect delivery)
the only problem i had was with the pop-culture references. they just seemed oddly misplaced in the world banks created, for some reason. it was the one instance where he didn't seem in control of his prose, and they jutted out at me. maybe it's because he has this reputation as being a brilliant, brilliant man, "you wouldn't understand them, karen," and when brilliant people talk down to us, it just feels off, but this might just be a personal gripe and others might not notice.*
but - yes - a great thriller with great characters. and i didn't feel confused or dumb even once! at least, not because of the book - life is a different story.
* i have since read other reviews of this book on the goodreads, and no - it is not just me!! phew.
come to my blog!
but he also wrote this, which i am proud to say i completely understand, and i really enjoyed.
it is a crime thriller, set in a small town in scotland, which is presided over by two competing, but not actively warring, gangster families who have made their fortunes and reputations getting their hands dirty. and not by doing any manual labor, yeah? although whacking people is, i suppose, technically "manual."
stewart gilmour has returned to his hometown for a funeral for one of the family's patriarchs, after having been run out of town five years earlier in a "romeo and juliet gone bad" situation. he and his juliet didn't plan a suicide pact so much as "he cheated on her", and then had to escape to london when her thug-brothers came looking for him. he became successful in exile, but never really got over his past.
so now he is back in town for the funeral of the man who also happens to be his ex-fiance's grandfather. will he see old friends? will people try to hurt him?? will he reconnect with his scorned love? will he reminisce and kick himself for his mistakes?? will the two families start to feel the tension when the prodigal returns home?? will there be supplementary mysteries to drive the plot? yes, all of these things.
and it is very good. he does the smalltown thing so well, and his supporting characters are well-drawn and sweet and funny (or terrifying, depending on the character), and he manages to create a believable microcosm, complete with backstory childhood flashbacks and a shared history of loves and grievances. so many scenes came to life with a vibrancy that made me feel as though i were an observer rather than a reader, and the bantering and anecdotes were just spot-on. (the pop-tart story was probably the funniest one, with the most perfect delivery)
the only problem i had was with the pop-culture references. they just seemed oddly misplaced in the world banks created, for some reason. it was the one instance where he didn't seem in control of his prose, and they jutted out at me. maybe it's because he has this reputation as being a brilliant, brilliant man, "you wouldn't understand them, karen," and when brilliant people talk down to us, it just feels off, but this might just be a personal gripe and others might not notice.*
but - yes - a great thriller with great characters. and i didn't feel confused or dumb even once! at least, not because of the book - life is a different story.
* i have since read other reviews of this book on the goodreads, and no - it is not just me!! phew.
come to my blog!
October 23, 2012
I loved this book. I've read everything Banks has written and think this is probably his best, certainly up there with them anyway and better than his recent novels. Why? Because its a simple story written very well. He doesn't confuse the reader with science or technology, this book is set in the real world and is utterly believable. Such is his way that I couldn't help but read it quickly but then I realised I'd finished it and was going to miss it. The relationship between Stewart and Ellie and characters such as Ferg, Jel and Grier are strong and couldn't easily make a return in a future book if Banks chose to revisit them in the future.
April 26, 2013
This is not a sympathy vote for a writer fighting against cancer. Stonemouth might be my top romance read of this year. I was already familiar with the daring, Big concept, galaxy spawning Culture books, but there is little to recognize in style and in plot when the writer turns towards contemporary fiction, towards the intimate, the understated character study. If I were to find a term of comparison, I would go for Graham Joyce, writing about growing up in a small town, learning about death and pain at an early age ( The Tooth Fairy , but without all the supernatural stuff) and for Ian McEwan for the doomed love story and the attempts to atone for past mistakes and misunderstandings ( On Chesil Beach ; Atonement ).
The present story is the enduring classic of Romeo and Juliet, with the little seaport of Stonemouth standing in for a chilly Verona of the North Sea, and with the drug dealing clans of Murston and MacAvett standing for the rivals Montague and Capulet. Stewart Gilmour is the godson of Mike Mac and falls in love with the daughter of the Murston capo Donald. There's a very good scene of the last night of school on a beach by a campfire, where the two meet replacing the ballroom masquerade from Shakespeare.
It was the last summer we'd all had together, between High School and the various gap years, universities, colleges and jobs we were all bound for. We were all eighteen, or close to it. People could drive, drink legally and even have sex with somebody younger than themselves without risking jail and a reputation as a paedo. Every class, every year, had a summer like that, I guess, but - doubtless again like them - we felt this was something both unique to us and yet somehow our natural right, our destiny.
In a departure from the model story, the families are not actually against the relationship, and the youngsters prepare for marriage. Something happens though, and Stewart is run out of town by the enraged brothers of Ellie Murston. I'm being vague, because the mystery of what went on during that faithful night forms the backbone of the plot, from the opening scene of Stewart on the 'suicide' bridge over the Stonemouth estuary as he returns to the scene of the crime five years later, to the denouement in the last pages. The still very much on the books threat to Stewart life gives a sense of urgency and tension to the narrative covering a long weekend, and is balanced very well with flashbacks that fill in the childhood years and the budding romance of the main actor.
What didn't work so well for me was Stewart personality, a rich yuppie (or 'wee wanker' in Scottish brogue) with a posh job in London that is much too enamored of his iPhone and expensive clothes . He's supossed to pine for his lost love, yet he spends most of the weekend catching up with old friends, getting drunk and high on drugs, playing poker and casting desirous eyes on a couple of new girls. Also, at 25 I consider him too green to have all these 'ou sont les neiges d'antan' nostalgies:
I look round the people on the decking, I recognize most of them. So many people doing the same thing they were when I left, hanging out in the same places, saying the same things, having the same arguments. It feels comfortable, reassuring, just being able to step back into our old shared life so easily, but at the same time a bit terrifying, and a touch sad.
In his defense, he has an endearing sense of humour, of the black variety, more often than not directed at his own stupidity at letting the girl of his dreams fall through his fingers. He is also a keen observer of the people around him, a considerate friend to old Joe Murston, to Ellie's little sister, and to all his school buddies. He's got some good rants about drugs and politics too, giving hope that he is capable of taking his life in hand and do something worthwhile with it:
Conservatives - right-wing people in general - tend to think everybody's as nasty - well, as selfish - deep down, as they are. Only they're wrong. And liberals, socialists and so on, think everybody else is as nice, basically, as they themselves are. They're wrong too. The truth is messier.
Ellie Murston comes very late onstage, hanging in the background for about two-thirds of the novel like a taboo idol, like an unattainable dream. I had a much easier time relating to her cause of the independent child who doesn't want to subscribe to her criminal family tradition, who is still searching for her place in the world, full of curiosity and sudden enthusiasms that fade to nothing, lonely and circumspect of new beginnings. I wanted to tell her she could do a lot better than Stewart the party animal, that she's too young to give up on happiness. Anyway, if you want to find out whether they get back together again or go their separate ways, you'll better pick up the book and read it.
I'll close with a cinematic camera movement, representative of the tonality of the novel and reminding me of the Claude Lelouch classic Un homme et une femme :
We held hands, walked through drifts of leaves while the dog investigated interesting smells. We found the deserted tea room looking out over the beach with massed trees at either end, watching through the salt-streaked windows as the dog ran up and down the beach outside, barking at seagulls.
December 11, 2020
Stonemouth -- история о том, как парень возвращается в городок своего детства, из которого пять лет назад он был вынужден скоропостижно бежать при каких-то невыясненных, но очень драматических обстоятельствах. Несмотря на то, что город маленький, в нем, помимо шахтеров и сумасшедших пейзажей, есть целых два мафиозных клана, один остроумный гей и одна очень классная девушка, и все они как-то связаны с нашим неразумным, но таким обаятельным главным героем.
Из-за пресловутых мафиозных кланов в рецензии на эту книгу вполне закономерно часто вползают Ромео и Джульетта, но уж если и сравнивать этого Бэнкса с каким-либо классическим текстом, так это с "Большими надеждами". Стюарт -- гораздо больше Пип, чем Ромео: он не завоевывает, а зачарованно наблюдает, не залезает на балкон, а три года ходит вокруг девчонки кругами, и не понятно, что вообще было бы, если бы не прекрасный друг-гей (который, в свою очередь, стоит признать, ужасно похож на Меркуцио). Элли -- тоже не очень Джульетта, потому что по отношению к нашему возлюбленному она, кажется, испытывает не любовь, а любопытство, что, однако, не отменяет того, что она классная, и читатель тоже готов в нее влюбиться.
Это, пожалуй, было основное и самое чудесное свойство Бэнкса -- заставлять читателя влюбляться в своих героев. Смеяться над их дебильными шутками и переживать, когда в темном переулке их ловят бандиты. Читать про суровые шотландские пляжи и слышать шум волн. Это был писатель, который всегда и очень явно получал радость от каждого своего текста, и в шестьдесят умудрялся чувствовать себя на очень бодрые двадцать пять -- ужасно крутое умение в те времена, когда нытье is the new black.
Из-за пресловутых мафиозных кланов в рецензии на эту книгу вполне закономерно часто вползают Ромео и Джульетта, но уж если и сравнивать этого Бэнкса с каким-либо классическим текстом, так это с "Большими надеждами". Стюарт -- гораздо больше Пип, чем Ромео: он не завоевывает, а зачарованно наблюдает, не залезает на балкон, а три года ходит вокруг девчонки кругами, и не понятно, что вообще было бы, если бы не прекрасный друг-гей (который, в свою очередь, стоит признать, ужасно похож на Меркуцио). Элли -- тоже не очень Джульетта, потому что по отношению к нашему возлюбленному она, кажется, испытывает не любовь, а любопытство, что, однако, не отменяет того, что она классная, и читатель тоже готов в нее влюбиться.
Это, пожалуй, было основное и самое чудесное свойство Бэнкса -- заставлять читателя влюбляться в своих героев. Смеяться над их дебильными шутками и переживать, когда в темном переулке их ловят бандиты. Читать про суровые шотландские пляжи и слышать шум волн. Это был писатель, который всегда и очень явно получал радость от каждого своего текста, и в шестьдесят умудрялся чувствовать себя на очень бодрые двадцать пять -- ужасно крутое умение в те времена, когда нытье is the new black.
October 7, 2012
I really like Iain M Banks (Iain Banks' sci-fi alter ego). I also love a lot of Iain Banks: The Wasp Factory, The Bridge and A Song of Stone especially.
But I really am quite tired of Banks’ wordy, trendy, pharmaceutically-enlightened, politically-spot-on, smart-arse characters. As for the the plot... the return to town, and reunion with the lost love unfolds with an irritating inevitability. Attempts to build intrigue seem half-hearted. Moral dilemmas around drugs, sex, work, celebrity all come across as glib, and the central female character – of course heart-stoppingly beautiful – is a cardboard cutout.
Escapist fun, possibly, but I think I might stick with Iain M Banks from now on.
But I really am quite tired of Banks’ wordy, trendy, pharmaceutically-enlightened, politically-spot-on, smart-arse characters. As for the the plot... the return to town, and reunion with the lost love unfolds with an irritating inevitability. Attempts to build intrigue seem half-hearted. Moral dilemmas around drugs, sex, work, celebrity all come across as glib, and the central female character – of course heart-stoppingly beautiful – is a cardboard cutout.
Escapist fun, possibly, but I think I might stick with Iain M Banks from now on.
December 6, 2012
This book's plot revolves heavily around the unbelievable selfishness of man child Stewart Gilmour; why is he back in town making everyone angry after being forced to flee years earlier? Because, basically, he wants to be, although also because a dead guy wanted him at his funeral. Why did he cheat on his fiancée, thus enraging her mafia-type family & leading to his forced exile? Because some other woman had a red dress on. When a pissed off & armed brother of former fiancée is on his way to Stewart's location to quite possibly murder him, why doesn't Stewart leave & basically save everyone who's at the beach with him? Because he doesn't want to, although also because Ellie is swimming. He should absolutely be held responsible for the death of Phelpie.
This is the second book I've read in almost as many weeks where the main character is unable to stop himself from having sex when he absolutely should not do so simply because a woman before him had boobs/was sexy/started unbuttoning her shirt. Are guys really like this? If you're getting married in a week & some hot chic starts coming on to you, would all guys cheat on their fiancées in this situation? I guess we're all supposed to be happy that he gets the girl back in the end, but I'm pretty unimpressed with that one. But let it not be said that I disliked this book, man children aside. This was a start it in the morning & finish it by evening compelling read, it has some pretty spectacular Scottish accents, and some well-written boy's own-coming of age stuff (poor Wee Malky). And one of the characters gets to be bisexual as a teen & nobody cares, so good on that. Although I have to wonder if Banks has just started using Facebook or just got an iPhone or something, because he makes a lot of awful, jarring references to both of these things, which pulled me out of the story every time they came up.
This is the second book I've read in almost as many weeks where the main character is unable to stop himself from having sex when he absolutely should not do so simply because a woman before him had boobs/was sexy/started unbuttoning her shirt. Are guys really like this? If you're getting married in a week & some hot chic starts coming on to you, would all guys cheat on their fiancées in this situation? I guess we're all supposed to be happy that he gets the girl back in the end, but I'm pretty unimpressed with that one. But let it not be said that I disliked this book, man children aside. This was a start it in the morning & finish it by evening compelling read, it has some pretty spectacular Scottish accents, and some well-written boy's own-coming of age stuff (poor Wee Malky). And one of the characters gets to be bisexual as a teen & nobody cares, so good on that. Although I have to wonder if Banks has just started using Facebook or just got an iPhone or something, because he makes a lot of awful, jarring references to both of these things, which pulled me out of the story every time they came up.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
May 29, 2012
The dialogue in this book is superb, I could see how it would translate into great TV or film. This is a thoroughly good yarn too; centred around a found man who skips town after upsetting a local crime family, the plot held my attention throughout, as did the love story which is the real meat of the book. In summary, it's an excellent read and in my eyes only fell short of 5 stars because it's not quite as good as Dead Air (not many books are!)
July 15, 2012
Its only when you read a master storyteller that you realise that most of what you have been recently reading has been very poor in comparison.
Banks is back on familar ground. We have remote scottish towns, young love, a past drama, funerals - all the usual subjects are ticked. Told from Stewart Gilmours perspective. He is returning to Stonemouth after being driven out of town 5 years previously. His mistake was taking up with a crime families daughter and getting cauaght cheating on her in the most spectacular fashion one week before their wedding. His is allowed back to attend the funeral of his former girlfriends grandfather.
What Banks does so well is make you want to hang out with his characters in the locations that he describes. Both Stonemouth and the extended group of friends sound like a great place for a night out.
The story bounces backwards and forwards through time, revealing the back story and reaching an exciting closing. A few loose strands are left and I would be happy to meet this characters again. Although Banks writes on common themes, he never does Irvine Welsh style sequels.
It's also quite amusing that the older that Banks gets, the more contemporary his cultural references become. Latest Indie bands are referenced so that we know he is still down with the kids. With all the drugs and drink in this book, it might make a change to have him write about something more akin to his age..... maybe the next book will be sherries at a bridge club.
Superb story... not quite at the heights of the Crow Road but damn close.
Banks is back on familar ground. We have remote scottish towns, young love, a past drama, funerals - all the usual subjects are ticked. Told from Stewart Gilmours perspective. He is returning to Stonemouth after being driven out of town 5 years previously. His mistake was taking up with a crime families daughter and getting cauaght cheating on her in the most spectacular fashion one week before their wedding. His is allowed back to attend the funeral of his former girlfriends grandfather.
What Banks does so well is make you want to hang out with his characters in the locations that he describes. Both Stonemouth and the extended group of friends sound like a great place for a night out.
The story bounces backwards and forwards through time, revealing the back story and reaching an exciting closing. A few loose strands are left and I would be happy to meet this characters again. Although Banks writes on common themes, he never does Irvine Welsh style sequels.
It's also quite amusing that the older that Banks gets, the more contemporary his cultural references become. Latest Indie bands are referenced so that we know he is still down with the kids. With all the drugs and drink in this book, it might make a change to have him write about something more akin to his age..... maybe the next book will be sherries at a bridge club.
Superb story... not quite at the heights of the Crow Road but damn close.
July 10, 2012
It's always a fairly comfy kind of feeling when Iain Banks returns to writing about a parochial small town in Scotland, even more so when he's got strained personal relationships and matters of family hierarchy to deal with. You can tell he's deep within his comfort zone by the beauty of his prose, so few writers manage to maintain the pace of an airport read while maintaining a real earthy dark lyricism. So far so good.
Iain seems to have written this book by creating a huge cast of characters, each with a back-story and some intimation of a plot-strand that might just turn the book on its head. Perhaps there was originally a 20,000 page epic, and he's jettisoned the rest, and picked out the two least interesting characters to focus on, and let the various other plot strands just fall. It really is kind of strange: Powell, the enigmatic heavy/guardian angel, just disappears; The twisted, jealous sister, err probably isn't; The rival gang-boss, with the seductress daughter, hello, goodbye. Odd.
I get the feeling he tried to cover these dropped strands by giving the main character a change of heart and a new drive, but it feels a bit like Richard Gere's Jekyll & Jekyll evil-capitalist to slightly-less-evil-capitalist character growth in Pretty Woman. Thanks for trying, but try a bit harder.
It's a pleasure to read, genuinely. Just a bit underweight, and seems to back out of aiming high.
Iain seems to have written this book by creating a huge cast of characters, each with a back-story and some intimation of a plot-strand that might just turn the book on its head. Perhaps there was originally a 20,000 page epic, and he's jettisoned the rest, and picked out the two least interesting characters to focus on, and let the various other plot strands just fall. It really is kind of strange: Powell, the enigmatic heavy/guardian angel, just disappears; The twisted, jealous sister, err probably isn't; The rival gang-boss, with the seductress daughter, hello, goodbye. Odd.
I get the feeling he tried to cover these dropped strands by giving the main character a change of heart and a new drive, but it feels a bit like Richard Gere's Jekyll & Jekyll evil-capitalist to slightly-less-evil-capitalist character growth in Pretty Woman. Thanks for trying, but try a bit harder.
It's a pleasure to read, genuinely. Just a bit underweight, and seems to back out of aiming high.
February 9, 2014
This is one of those odd books that I found enjoyable to read at the time, but when I put it down, I lapsed into so-what? apathy. The premise is a fairly trite one. A mid-twenties man returns to his childhood home for a funeral, and spends the time reminiscing about growing up, being astonished at the changes that have taken place and equally astonished at the things that remain unchanged, and resolving a few loose ends from his departure five years before. So far, so ho-hum. The twist here is that the setting is a small town set in the northeast of Scotland, ruled in relative calm by two gangster families, and our hero was run out of town after almost marrying the daughter of one family.
The setting was one of the attractions for me. I live less than two hours' drive from the supposed location of the town of Stonemouth, and many of the descriptions of the beaches, forests and streets rang very true. Banks' descriptive prose is wonderfully lyrical, and captured the atmosphere beautifully. It was a little disconcerting that a major road bridge played a prominent role in the story; there are so few of those up here, that I kept visualising it as one of the known bridges - the Kessock bridge was my personal mental image - which pulled the book's geography out of alignment, as if the map was stretched out of true.
The childhood reminiscences worked less well. Some were funny and some were tragic but none of them really tore at my heart as perhaps they should have done. Some of main character Stewart's friends were, frankly, too stupid for words. The book interleaves the present-day events with vignettes from the past in order to keep hidden a couple of mysteries: what Stewart did to get him run out of town, and what really happened to the brother of his almost-wife? These were enough to keep me turning the pages, so they worked as intended, but frankly the revelations weren't particularly mind-blowing.
Stewart himself is rather a nothing character. He seems fairly blank, rarely expressing any emotion other than fear, although his continuing affection for almost-wife Ellie is rather touching. Of the others, Ferg the sardonic bisexual is far and away the most interesting. I'd have been happy reading an entire book about him, actually. The rest were either caricatures (Ellie's thuggish brothers, the stupid friends) or nonentities (like Ellie herself, drifting aimlessly through life), although Ellie's younger sister Grier probably rates a mention as having slightly more personality.
The final chapters are melodramatic, which seems to be obligatory these days, and the story then tailspins off into an implausible resolution for the main characters. The plot also fails one of my favourite tests: could most of the plot be resolved if the principals simply sat down and talked everything through? In this case, it was a puzzle to me why Ellie, in particular, didn't say to her family: I'll decide my own future, thank you very much. As she does, in fact, later on. The plot hinges on her being the sort of person who allows herself to be pushed around, but only until the plot requires her to push back. So that was a big fail, as far as I'm concerned. Three stars.
The setting was one of the attractions for me. I live less than two hours' drive from the supposed location of the town of Stonemouth, and many of the descriptions of the beaches, forests and streets rang very true. Banks' descriptive prose is wonderfully lyrical, and captured the atmosphere beautifully. It was a little disconcerting that a major road bridge played a prominent role in the story; there are so few of those up here, that I kept visualising it as one of the known bridges - the Kessock bridge was my personal mental image - which pulled the book's geography out of alignment, as if the map was stretched out of true.
The childhood reminiscences worked less well. Some were funny and some were tragic but none of them really tore at my heart as perhaps they should have done. Some of main character Stewart's friends were, frankly, too stupid for words. The book interleaves the present-day events with vignettes from the past in order to keep hidden a couple of mysteries: what Stewart did to get him run out of town, and what really happened to the brother of his almost-wife? These were enough to keep me turning the pages, so they worked as intended, but frankly the revelations weren't particularly mind-blowing.
Stewart himself is rather a nothing character. He seems fairly blank, rarely expressing any emotion other than fear, although his continuing affection for almost-wife Ellie is rather touching. Of the others, Ferg the sardonic bisexual is far and away the most interesting. I'd have been happy reading an entire book about him, actually. The rest were either caricatures (Ellie's thuggish brothers, the stupid friends) or nonentities (like Ellie herself, drifting aimlessly through life), although Ellie's younger sister Grier probably rates a mention as having slightly more personality.
The final chapters are melodramatic, which seems to be obligatory these days, and the story then tailspins off into an implausible resolution for the main characters. The plot also fails one of my favourite tests: could most of the plot be resolved if the principals simply sat down and talked everything through? In this case, it was a puzzle to me why Ellie, in particular, didn't say to her family: I'll decide my own future, thank you very much. As she does, in fact, later on. The plot hinges on her being the sort of person who allows herself to be pushed around, but only until the plot requires her to push back. So that was a big fail, as far as I'm concerned. Three stars.
June 1, 2012
I was holding off this review until I re-read the book, just to make sure that I wasn't going to damn it with faint praise. The fact that I couldn't be bothered to get more than a few chapters into it a second time should really be all I need to say.
However, as a massive Iain (M) Banks fan, Stonemouth just comes across as Banks-lite, something I think that any good writer - and IMB is a great writer - could knock off without raising too much sweat. The plot burbles along nicely, no great twists and turns, despite the promise in the publicity. The best Banks, SF or 'Mainstream' has that certain 'oh, nice' bit where you suddenly get wrong footed about where you thought the story was going. This, along with some recent Banks books, doesn't have any sense of that at all, sadly.
There's a big problem for me with this book in that it tries way too hard to be hip and trendy, dropping references that just poke you in the eye. There's a bit where the protagonist finds himself "whistling something from 'The Defamation of Strickland Banks'" - really?
Pick up "The Bridge" and "The Crow Road" to see where the similar ideas are much better used rather than this.
However, as a massive Iain (M) Banks fan, Stonemouth just comes across as Banks-lite, something I think that any good writer - and IMB is a great writer - could knock off without raising too much sweat. The plot burbles along nicely, no great twists and turns, despite the promise in the publicity. The best Banks, SF or 'Mainstream' has that certain 'oh, nice' bit where you suddenly get wrong footed about where you thought the story was going. This, along with some recent Banks books, doesn't have any sense of that at all, sadly.
There's a big problem for me with this book in that it tries way too hard to be hip and trendy, dropping references that just poke you in the eye. There's a bit where the protagonist finds himself "whistling something from 'The Defamation of Strickland Banks'" - really?
Pick up "The Bridge" and "The Crow Road" to see where the similar ideas are much better used rather than this.
May 7, 2012
I am a big fan of Iain Banks' work; he is just about the only author whose books I get when they are released in hardback, rather than wait on the paperback publication. I've also started reading his Science Fiction works, published as Iain M Banks, but for the sake of clarity references to his oeuvre in this review are specifically to the "non-M" books.
After a number of books which failed to reach the heights of his previous works, his last book, Transition, was something of a return to form. It was with some anticipation and trepidation that I embarked upon Stonemouth. Would I be disappointed? Was Transition's improved quality partly because it was border-line science fiction? (I'm told that the Iain M Banks novels have remained more consistent than the non-M works)
The answers to those questions? "Yes and No" and "I think so".
Stonemouth is a (fictional) town in the North-East of Scotland, somewhere between Aberdeen and Peterhead. Our protagonist, Stewart, is returning to the town for the first time in five years for the funeral of Joe Murston - the patriarch of the local "mafia" family. Joe also happens to be the grandfather of Stewart's former fiancée, his wedding to whom was cancelled when he was run out of the town just a week before the nuptuals were due.
The subject matter is vintage Banks - a story told in flashbacks, telling of friendships and secrets, family ties and betrayals, all sprinkled with helpings of violence, sex, drugs and politics - although there is less violence than one may expect. The book shares a lot with its predecessors - The Crow Road in particular - but lacks their ambition. Where The Crow Road is an epic, multi-later, inter-generational tail, Stonemouth is more linear with less depth and less dramatic secrets. So yes, Stonemouth is in this respect disappointing, as if Banks' was only firing on two cylinders, recycling ideas, re-treading plots and updating previous novels.
This idea of him seeling to update previous works struck me in the first chapter where there are copious references to pop-culture in a way which will very quickly date the book. On page 10, for example, Family Guy, Cee Lo Green and "Tinchy featuring Tinie" get a mention. It seems as if Banks' is trying too hard to get into the mind of a 25 year old and the result is that it both jars and fails to be authentic: Stewart doesn't sound like any 25 year old I know - at least not initially.
(This lack of authenticity is compounded by unfortunate mention of the dominance and money of Celtic and Rangers and the perennial debate on them playing in England - although Banks' was never to know what was about to befall Rangers around the time of publication of the novel!)
It is a novel of promise but of poor execution. Elements of plot get picked up, played with and put aside. The attempt at creating an atmosphere of menace rarely does. Stewart seems content to spend longer than strictly speaking necessary in the company of those we are told are so keen to hurt him. And whilst the impending sense of doom does reach a climax, it also lacks a certain authenticity.
For all these criticisms - and a number more beside - Stonemouth is an enjoyable romp. After a few chapters I put my early reservations and aside and settled into the book as it settled into its stride. And in the end, I did kinda like it.
That said, I can't escape the conclusion that it is sub-standard compared to Banks' previous work and, if it weren't a Banks' novel, I wouldn't be rushing to read anything else by the author. Whilst Transition may have been Banks' back at (or close to) his best, it seems that his best is now reserved for works with a Science Fiction bent. He's still someway off his best when it comes to non-genre fiction.
After a number of books which failed to reach the heights of his previous works, his last book, Transition, was something of a return to form. It was with some anticipation and trepidation that I embarked upon Stonemouth. Would I be disappointed? Was Transition's improved quality partly because it was border-line science fiction? (I'm told that the Iain M Banks novels have remained more consistent than the non-M works)
The answers to those questions? "Yes and No" and "I think so".
Stonemouth is a (fictional) town in the North-East of Scotland, somewhere between Aberdeen and Peterhead. Our protagonist, Stewart, is returning to the town for the first time in five years for the funeral of Joe Murston - the patriarch of the local "mafia" family. Joe also happens to be the grandfather of Stewart's former fiancée, his wedding to whom was cancelled when he was run out of the town just a week before the nuptuals were due.
The subject matter is vintage Banks - a story told in flashbacks, telling of friendships and secrets, family ties and betrayals, all sprinkled with helpings of violence, sex, drugs and politics - although there is less violence than one may expect. The book shares a lot with its predecessors - The Crow Road in particular - but lacks their ambition. Where The Crow Road is an epic, multi-later, inter-generational tail, Stonemouth is more linear with less depth and less dramatic secrets. So yes, Stonemouth is in this respect disappointing, as if Banks' was only firing on two cylinders, recycling ideas, re-treading plots and updating previous novels.
This idea of him seeling to update previous works struck me in the first chapter where there are copious references to pop-culture in a way which will very quickly date the book. On page 10, for example, Family Guy, Cee Lo Green and "Tinchy featuring Tinie" get a mention. It seems as if Banks' is trying too hard to get into the mind of a 25 year old and the result is that it both jars and fails to be authentic: Stewart doesn't sound like any 25 year old I know - at least not initially.
(This lack of authenticity is compounded by unfortunate mention of the dominance and money of Celtic and Rangers and the perennial debate on them playing in England - although Banks' was never to know what was about to befall Rangers around the time of publication of the novel!)
It is a novel of promise but of poor execution. Elements of plot get picked up, played with and put aside. The attempt at creating an atmosphere of menace rarely does. Stewart seems content to spend longer than strictly speaking necessary in the company of those we are told are so keen to hurt him. And whilst the impending sense of doom does reach a climax, it also lacks a certain authenticity.
For all these criticisms - and a number more beside - Stonemouth is an enjoyable romp. After a few chapters I put my early reservations and aside and settled into the book as it settled into its stride. And in the end, I did kinda like it.
That said, I can't escape the conclusion that it is sub-standard compared to Banks' previous work and, if it weren't a Banks' novel, I wouldn't be rushing to read anything else by the author. Whilst Transition may have been Banks' back at (or close to) his best, it seems that his best is now reserved for works with a Science Fiction bent. He's still someway off his best when it comes to non-genre fiction.
November 15, 2012
Nostalgia and Privilege are linked and perhaps inverted in this strange tale which avoids the grisly but doesn't provoke constant laughter. Banks may simply be referring to small town Scotland. He may also be speaking of the EU. There was considerable space where history is to forgiven for mutual advantage. That may be my dizzy head .
The hero of the narrative is caught with his pants down and must return home five years after the fact. There is a Crow Road analysis under way. It isn't concluded.
Karen's comment about cultural references was also sage. I'm sure I'm able to read anything into that. Alas this was a 3.25 experience.
The hero of the narrative is caught with his pants down and must return home five years after the fact. There is a Crow Road analysis under way. It isn't concluded.
Karen's comment about cultural references was also sage. I'm sure I'm able to read anything into that. Alas this was a 3.25 experience.
October 5, 2015
a good book, funny and touching, with a vein of danger and darkness
it has all the banks staples - humour, irony, secrets, history and episodes of sickening violence. my kind of book. some fantastic characters, particularly ferg - an alcoholic omnisexual with a penchant for withering one liners
perhaps a little sentimental for banks, makes it a 4.5 in lieu of a 5
it has all the banks staples - humour, irony, secrets, history and episodes of sickening violence. my kind of book. some fantastic characters, particularly ferg - an alcoholic omnisexual with a penchant for withering one liners
perhaps a little sentimental for banks, makes it a 4.5 in lieu of a 5
October 31, 2014
I suppose this marks a return to form of sorts for Iain Banks. With the thesis-undermining caveats that I haven't read Steep Approach To Garbadale and I bloody loved Transition, Banks' non-M books have been pretty lacking since Whit. Generally readable and fun - if you ignore Song Of Stone - but lacking in depth, perhaps, with his customary skill, narrative flair, formidable imagination and exquisite writing all more or less present and correct, but not quite gelling to produce more than the sum of their parts.
Stonemouth hearkens back to The Crow Road, Whit, and presumably Garbadale. It features family and friends in a small rain-battered Scottish location, ancient and not-so-ancient incidents rediscovered through the present, old secrets and tragedies and past mistakes, all subtly and profoundly shaping the here and now.
Stewart Gilmour returns to the town of Stonemouth which he left five years before under dramatic and unpleasant circumstances. Granted leave to attend the funeral of the patriarch of one of two crime families who run Stonemouth, Stewart visits old haunts, meets old friends, remembers episodes from his old life and pines guiltily for his lost love.
Despite the dramatic denouement, this isn't a thriller, nor is it full of terrible twists and appalling revelations - there's a bit of business involving cameras and such, but it's slight compared to, say, the central mystery of Crow Road. No, most of the things that we learn about in the past are flagged well ahead, and though that generates its own type of tension - the fate of Wee Malky and the incident in the hotel toilet are typically brilliant Banksian episodes of horror and hilarity - this is very much the story of a man who has everything going back to the town that threw him out in the forlorn hope of coming to terms with the frankly shitty thing he did.
And it's grand. A rattling story with real heft and weight. Perhaps it needed a Crow Road mystery or a Complicity-style revelation to boost it into the upper league, but it's a perfectly satisfying read with some lovely writing, and that brilliant thing Banks does over and over again in any genre, which is to create an utterly believable group of friends and show us their lives together and apart as they grow up, go their separate ways, and revisit the things that shaped their lives.
Stonemouth hearkens back to The Crow Road, Whit, and presumably Garbadale. It features family and friends in a small rain-battered Scottish location, ancient and not-so-ancient incidents rediscovered through the present, old secrets and tragedies and past mistakes, all subtly and profoundly shaping the here and now.
Stewart Gilmour returns to the town of Stonemouth which he left five years before under dramatic and unpleasant circumstances. Granted leave to attend the funeral of the patriarch of one of two crime families who run Stonemouth, Stewart visits old haunts, meets old friends, remembers episodes from his old life and pines guiltily for his lost love.
Despite the dramatic denouement, this isn't a thriller, nor is it full of terrible twists and appalling revelations - there's a bit of business involving cameras and such, but it's slight compared to, say, the central mystery of Crow Road. No, most of the things that we learn about in the past are flagged well ahead, and though that generates its own type of tension - the fate of Wee Malky and the incident in the hotel toilet are typically brilliant Banksian episodes of horror and hilarity - this is very much the story of a man who has everything going back to the town that threw him out in the forlorn hope of coming to terms with the frankly shitty thing he did.
And it's grand. A rattling story with real heft and weight. Perhaps it needed a Crow Road mystery or a Complicity-style revelation to boost it into the upper league, but it's a perfectly satisfying read with some lovely writing, and that brilliant thing Banks does over and over again in any genre, which is to create an utterly believable group of friends and show us their lives together and apart as they grow up, go their separate ways, and revisit the things that shaped their lives.
April 6, 2013
The author's name "Iain Banks" usually means science fiction to me. I was quite surprised by this remarkable novel. Stewart Gilmour returns to the gritty town of Stonemouth in Scotland, after five years of exile. We don't really know why he was exiled, but it had something to do with one (or both) of the crime families in the town. Banks maintains a tension as the story bounces between the present time and events that occurred five years ago. There is always an undercurrent of dark hatred and potential violence.
My favorite character is Stewart's friend Ferg--an addicted druggie and drunkard, who has a unique conversational style. In fact, many of the characters, including Stewart, have interesting ways of talking. Part of this is the Scottish slang among young (and old) people, and sometimes I really had to think about the numerous interesting turns of phrase.
This book kept me "at the edge of my seat", trying to guess what would happen next. Some loose ends remain at the conclusion of the novel. Despite what seems like a happy ending, the future of the main characters is not entirely certain. The resulting ambiguity is delicious.
My favorite character is Stewart's friend Ferg--an addicted druggie and drunkard, who has a unique conversational style. In fact, many of the characters, including Stewart, have interesting ways of talking. Part of this is the Scottish slang among young (and old) people, and sometimes I really had to think about the numerous interesting turns of phrase.
This book kept me "at the edge of my seat", trying to guess what would happen next. Some loose ends remain at the conclusion of the novel. Despite what seems like a happy ending, the future of the main characters is not entirely certain. The resulting ambiguity is delicious.
January 25, 2013
I'd heard this was a return to form, but it feels more like Banks-by-numbers. Many of his annoying quirks are still intact: the adolescent worldview where every girl is a stunner and every guy is a witty Wilde-wannabe, the occasional rant on political issues, the scant plotting. I know they're what make Banks who he is, but I wish he'd tone some of them down from time to time. The biggest disappointment of all is the slow, obvious plotting - somewhere along the way he's lost the ability to surprise and shock us. Fortunately his authorial voice is still intact too. Banks has always been someone whose company I've enjoyed, and Stonemouth is no exception, despite the flaws. It's like running into a rather annoying, self-aggrandizing friend - you're still happy to spend time with them regardless. Not the return to form I'd hoped for, though.
August 1, 2016
Romance Noir
Scottish writer Iain Banks died earlier this year [2013]. I had not heard of him until seeing his name in the best-of-the-year lists of several writers for the Guardian and the Observer, so I thought I would try one. At random, though; I have no idea if this novel is among his best or even typical of his style. But it is pretty darned impressive.
Open the book, and you immediately wonder whether this should not have been shelved in the mystery and thriller section. It begins in typically noir style: a man alone on a suspension bridge over a Scottish river mouth, traffic rumbling behind him, the river below obscured by a cold, clinging mist, its surface roughened by lines of choppy breakers from the gray sea beyond. He is contemplating suicide—not his own, but that of one of his classmates—and other deaths that have happened to people he grew up with in this small town in NE Scotland (fictional, but think Peterhead or perhaps Inverness). A car drives up; it is a man he knew as a bully at school; they drive further and talk. It is a warning: stay in town only long enough to attend the funeral he has come up for and pay the necessary respects, and then get out if he knows what's good for him. The atmosphere of veiled threat and not-so-veiled violence will hang over the novel to the very end.
All of this takes place in the first half-dozen pages, which are masterly. Almost everything in the novel is an expansion of hints that are given right up front. The book indeed is a mystery in its way, although the mystery is a not an actual crime but some event that made our protagonist, Stewart Gilmour, have to flee town in a hurry five years before. Only gradually do we find out what it is, but in the meantime we learn a lot more about Stewart and his efforts to go to art school and make a career for himself in London (working in a small firm lighting expensive international buildings), leaving behind the town, its thuggery and barely-concealed criminality. For the drug trade in Stonemouth is sewn up between two families, the Murstons and the MacAvetts. Stewart's own father is allied with Mike MacAvett, and Stewart himself has made the mistake of falling in love with Ellie Murston. Once. Long ago. Until something happened that ruined both their lives and turned Ellie's already-hostile brothers into implacable enemies.
Yes, it's Romeo and Juliet. But Romeo and Juliet handled like a closed case file, set in a Scottish environment that alas I recognize only too well, and with the threat of death still hanging over it, as if the original had not been tragic enough. But like Romeo and Juliet, it is also a love story, even if that love is lost love and the book is more about the mistakes we all make in our young lives than the few things we get right. It makes for a gripping read.
Scottish writer Iain Banks died earlier this year [2013]. I had not heard of him until seeing his name in the best-of-the-year lists of several writers for the Guardian and the Observer, so I thought I would try one. At random, though; I have no idea if this novel is among his best or even typical of his style. But it is pretty darned impressive.
Open the book, and you immediately wonder whether this should not have been shelved in the mystery and thriller section. It begins in typically noir style: a man alone on a suspension bridge over a Scottish river mouth, traffic rumbling behind him, the river below obscured by a cold, clinging mist, its surface roughened by lines of choppy breakers from the gray sea beyond. He is contemplating suicide—not his own, but that of one of his classmates—and other deaths that have happened to people he grew up with in this small town in NE Scotland (fictional, but think Peterhead or perhaps Inverness). A car drives up; it is a man he knew as a bully at school; they drive further and talk. It is a warning: stay in town only long enough to attend the funeral he has come up for and pay the necessary respects, and then get out if he knows what's good for him. The atmosphere of veiled threat and not-so-veiled violence will hang over the novel to the very end.
All of this takes place in the first half-dozen pages, which are masterly. Almost everything in the novel is an expansion of hints that are given right up front. The book indeed is a mystery in its way, although the mystery is a not an actual crime but some event that made our protagonist, Stewart Gilmour, have to flee town in a hurry five years before. Only gradually do we find out what it is, but in the meantime we learn a lot more about Stewart and his efforts to go to art school and make a career for himself in London (working in a small firm lighting expensive international buildings), leaving behind the town, its thuggery and barely-concealed criminality. For the drug trade in Stonemouth is sewn up between two families, the Murstons and the MacAvetts. Stewart's own father is allied with Mike MacAvett, and Stewart himself has made the mistake of falling in love with Ellie Murston. Once. Long ago. Until something happened that ruined both their lives and turned Ellie's already-hostile brothers into implacable enemies.
Yes, it's Romeo and Juliet. But Romeo and Juliet handled like a closed case file, set in a Scottish environment that alas I recognize only too well, and with the threat of death still hanging over it, as if the original had not been tragic enough. But like Romeo and Juliet, it is also a love story, even if that love is lost love and the book is more about the mistakes we all make in our young lives than the few things we get right. It makes for a gripping read.
December 29, 2017
There were stretches of this novel where I wasn't sure where it was headed, or what its purpose was.
But along the way, I became completely captivated by this crew of northern Scottish millennials and their struggles to come to terms with their lives.
The protagonist is Stewart, a talented young man who now makes his living as an exterior lighting consultant based in London. But his rootless life is largely due to the fact that his plans had exploded a few years before, when he was set to marry the most beautiful girl in Stonemouth, Ellie Murton. At a party following a friend's wedding, though, Stew made a crushingly stupid mistake, and the wedding not only was called off, but Ellie had to spirit him out of town to prevent severe injury or death from her father and brothers, who happen to be one of the two criminal families running the drug trade in this seaside city north of Aberdeen (Stew's dad worked for the other crime family chief).
As the book opens, Stewart has been granted permission by the Murtons to return for the funeral of the Murton grandfather, who was especially fond of Stew -- but he not only doesn't know if Ellie will even speak to him, he is not entirely sure that he is safe from further harm.
As Stew reunites with old friends, including his uproariously illegal substance-imbibing buddy Ferg, and steels himself for the funeral and its aftermath, the book reveals the history of his disastrous breakup in a series of flashbacks.
Eventually, he does see Ellie, and while he's entirely uncertain what their future might be, their past pain starts to mend -- right up until the point when the Murton clan implodes, for a tense, bone-chilling ending.
I see from Google searches that someone in the UK turned this into a TV series, but the book is well worth the read. Even though you can curse Stew for his stupidity and his pitch-perfect young man's shallow philosophizing, you root for him, and for Ellie, and for many of the other people who inhabit this rocky, sea washed landscape.
But along the way, I became completely captivated by this crew of northern Scottish millennials and their struggles to come to terms with their lives.
The protagonist is Stewart, a talented young man who now makes his living as an exterior lighting consultant based in London. But his rootless life is largely due to the fact that his plans had exploded a few years before, when he was set to marry the most beautiful girl in Stonemouth, Ellie Murton. At a party following a friend's wedding, though, Stew made a crushingly stupid mistake, and the wedding not only was called off, but Ellie had to spirit him out of town to prevent severe injury or death from her father and brothers, who happen to be one of the two criminal families running the drug trade in this seaside city north of Aberdeen (Stew's dad worked for the other crime family chief).
As the book opens, Stewart has been granted permission by the Murtons to return for the funeral of the Murton grandfather, who was especially fond of Stew -- but he not only doesn't know if Ellie will even speak to him, he is not entirely sure that he is safe from further harm.
As Stew reunites with old friends, including his uproariously illegal substance-imbibing buddy Ferg, and steels himself for the funeral and its aftermath, the book reveals the history of his disastrous breakup in a series of flashbacks.
Eventually, he does see Ellie, and while he's entirely uncertain what their future might be, their past pain starts to mend -- right up until the point when the Murton clan implodes, for a tense, bone-chilling ending.
I see from Google searches that someone in the UK turned this into a TV series, but the book is well worth the read. Even though you can curse Stew for his stupidity and his pitch-perfect young man's shallow philosophizing, you root for him, and for Ellie, and for many of the other people who inhabit this rocky, sea washed landscape.
June 16, 2013
Another enjoyable book from Ian Banks. Knowing that Ian was at deaths door did fill me with sadness as I turned the pages. His clever story telling (you never knew what you were going to get), sense of humour and hugely likeable characters will soon be coming to an end but will not be forgotten.
The book was well written evoking memories of the Crow Road at times. I'm not sure I'd want to live in Stonemouth or befriend the Murstons but I couldn't wait to find out how Stewart Gilmour's return would turn out. Banks keeps us guessing laying the foundations for many potential outcomes and returns to familiar themes of big families, full of interesting characters with conflicting agendas plus a good old skeleton or too from the past. Definitely worth a read.
The book was well written evoking memories of the Crow Road at times. I'm not sure I'd want to live in Stonemouth or befriend the Murstons but I couldn't wait to find out how Stewart Gilmour's return would turn out. Banks keeps us guessing laying the foundations for many potential outcomes and returns to familiar themes of big families, full of interesting characters with conflicting agendas plus a good old skeleton or too from the past. Definitely worth a read.
July 17, 2013
I really really really enjoyed Stonemouth. It's a very typical Iain Banks with definite comparisons to The Crow Road. It's set in a remote Scottish village with a cast of violent mafia styled characters (Are the Murstons really the Sopranos?) There's drugs, sex, gambling, murder....Stonemouth has it all. Sadly, there won't be any more books from Iain Banks. I've still got The Quarry to read and I think I'll go back through some of the older novels over time. But if you've never read any of his stuff, Stonemouth is definitely a good one to pick up.
November 2, 2023
My first Iain Banks! I saw the author being discussed on social media and decided I'd browse the library for something by him, and ended up checking the library app, Hoopla first---and finding something! I'm glad it ended up being one of the lesser-known ones, but it was definitely primarily relationship- and character-driven rather than much, if any of a plot development, for those that it would matter for. It reminded me of a play, maybe even a story from the 'Angry Young British Men' literary movement of the 50s and 60s, or like a gang/crime story like Trainspotting, A Clockwork Orange, Fight Club, The Outsiders, Requiem For a Dream or something, focusing on youth culture, relationships, sex, substance use, specifically Irish youth culture. Whiskey was especially prominent everywhere here. It definitely felt narrative, observational, too, like The Great Gatsby, though it was also in-the-moment, and I think this blending measured out well. I wish I could relate if it felt like an Iain Banks novel with his literary elements or not. And I'm not sure how this will affect how soon I follow up with another novel by the author or not.
I miss a lot listening to books via audio, as I can't always hear well enough or can't focus enough attention as I usually listen to audiobooks while driving. But this worked well as an audiobook, maybe more than it would reading, as the narrator had an Irish accent/brogue and we got the cultural expressions right as well as the pronunciation of Irish/Celtic names, which can be distracting in reading trying to figure out if one has it right or not. I think my favorite parts were Stuart's times with Ellie, her younger sister, Greer, and maybe Angelica, as well as his discussions with his best friend and the random EMP politician over whiskey. I do wish we had gotten more flashbacks of Stuart's time away in London, and it was interesting that half the book was a contextual flashback of earlier days as a youth before having to run off to avoid those who hunted to hurt him for reasons I'm still not entirely clear about even at the end. At first it was confusing but then I figured it out and noticed the transition in time.
Not sure I can recommend it or not, but the Irish brogue is always pleasing for the audio, if that helps.
I miss a lot listening to books via audio, as I can't always hear well enough or can't focus enough attention as I usually listen to audiobooks while driving. But this worked well as an audiobook, maybe more than it would reading, as the narrator had an Irish accent/brogue and we got the cultural expressions right as well as the pronunciation of Irish/Celtic names, which can be distracting in reading trying to figure out if one has it right or not. I think my favorite parts were Stuart's times with Ellie, her younger sister, Greer, and maybe Angelica, as well as his discussions with his best friend and the random EMP politician over whiskey. I do wish we had gotten more flashbacks of Stuart's time away in London, and it was interesting that half the book was a contextual flashback of earlier days as a youth before having to run off to avoid those who hunted to hurt him for reasons I'm still not entirely clear about even at the end. At first it was confusing but then I figured it out and noticed the transition in time.
Not sure I can recommend it or not, but the Irish brogue is always pleasing for the audio, if that helps.
January 8, 2025
this was a secret santa gift from my dad (he's read both Banks's sci-fi and fiction work).
I found the description of this small Scottish town very interesting! the mood there seems strangely antiquated for the 21st century - there's the whole 'defending a woman's honour' thing, and an element of clans within the town: everyone has loyalties and alliances, and these can often lead to serious violence that the police overlook.
the narrator himself, Stewart, was strangely likeable given his background. I enjoyed his internal monologue at all the times when he wasn't describing women's breasts 👍
I read a piece by Maggie Stiefvater talking about her transition from YA to adult literature, and I realised that a lot of that applies here - specifically the part about adult fiction allowing for telling not showing, despite the idea that showing is better. I really enjoy world-building that makes sense and is developed properly, and that often isn't possible with just 'showing', so I appreciated the lengthy descriptions of the world of Stonemouth.
I even began to enjoy the romance! it felt pretty believable and the ending was decently satisfying.
my dad told me going into this book that what Banks writes really well is platonic relationships, and I can see that here. Stu, Ferg, Phelpie and co have a lovely dynamic despite the uncomfortable way they talk about women.
of course, there are elements of sexism and objectification. I would hope that things have moved on since 2012 but frankly I'm not sure :|
I found the description of this small Scottish town very interesting! the mood there seems strangely antiquated for the 21st century - there's the whole 'defending a woman's honour' thing, and an element of clans within the town: everyone has loyalties and alliances, and these can often lead to serious violence that the police overlook.
the narrator himself, Stewart, was strangely likeable given his background. I enjoyed his internal monologue at all the times when he wasn't describing women's breasts 👍
I read a piece by Maggie Stiefvater talking about her transition from YA to adult literature, and I realised that a lot of that applies here - specifically the part about adult fiction allowing for telling not showing, despite the idea that showing is better. I really enjoy world-building that makes sense and is developed properly, and that often isn't possible with just 'showing', so I appreciated the lengthy descriptions of the world of Stonemouth.
I even began to enjoy the romance! it felt pretty believable and the ending was decently satisfying.
my dad told me going into this book that what Banks writes really well is platonic relationships, and I can see that here. Stu, Ferg, Phelpie and co have a lovely dynamic despite the uncomfortable way they talk about women.
of course, there are elements of sexism and objectification. I would hope that things have moved on since 2012 but frankly I'm not sure :|
April 24, 2013
A young man, Stewart, returns to the small town that he grew up in to attend the funeral of an elder of an influential and shady family and revisits old wounds and the act of indiscretion that causes him to leave his childhood home in the first place. The premise is interesting enough, but the patchy writing and stilted dialogue are letdowns to an otherwise promising story.
Perhaps Banks tries too hard to make the setting and the youth of the protagonist credible - e.g. isn't it always the young ones who lament that they are old? and therefore incessant instances of characters who hurl themselves over bridges or are misfits, and a little off-the-hinge. However, Banks is no Brett Easton Ellis or Chuck Palahniuk, and he fails to convince us that the characters are as conflicted as they claim to be, perhaps because they lack strong, plausible motivation to be the way they are. There is also overly enthusiastic (and unnecessary) references to modern tech gadgetry, which shows up the writer's anxiety to remind the reader that the characters are truly of the 21st century.
The spurts of caustic humour that dot the exchanges between Stewart and his gay/bisexual friend Ferg (his sexuality a character trait that the writer throws up presumably to titillate rather than illuminate) doesn't sound authentic when they seem to head nowhere. Most of the action of the novel takes place over a weekend, and there are numerous chance meetings with old school friends and meetings at pubs and someone's house, where above-mentioned stilted dialogue takes place.
To Banks's credit, there are some spots of brilliance when he tries to draw out an action sequence - eg at the pool room when Stewart is accosted by some ruffians, but unfortunately it becomes tedious, rather than engaging in the way perhaps another Brit author, Ian McEwan, styles his prolonged moments of suspense.
In brief, Stewart is embroiled with a druglord in a small town through his entanglement with the druglord's daughters, but Banks fails to keep the reader's interest when there is a whole host of other characters who make little impression, and who appear to assemble and disperse for no observable reason but for them to be there just in order for the protagonist to relate to in order for some action to take place. This is most apparent in what is supposed to be an explosive, violent climax near the end of the book.
I must say I am disappointed by this novel, when I had high hopes from such a prolific author.
Perhaps Banks tries too hard to make the setting and the youth of the protagonist credible - e.g. isn't it always the young ones who lament that they are old? and therefore incessant instances of characters who hurl themselves over bridges or are misfits, and a little off-the-hinge. However, Banks is no Brett Easton Ellis or Chuck Palahniuk, and he fails to convince us that the characters are as conflicted as they claim to be, perhaps because they lack strong, plausible motivation to be the way they are. There is also overly enthusiastic (and unnecessary) references to modern tech gadgetry, which shows up the writer's anxiety to remind the reader that the characters are truly of the 21st century.
The spurts of caustic humour that dot the exchanges between Stewart and his gay/bisexual friend Ferg (his sexuality a character trait that the writer throws up presumably to titillate rather than illuminate) doesn't sound authentic when they seem to head nowhere. Most of the action of the novel takes place over a weekend, and there are numerous chance meetings with old school friends and meetings at pubs and someone's house, where above-mentioned stilted dialogue takes place.
To Banks's credit, there are some spots of brilliance when he tries to draw out an action sequence - eg at the pool room when Stewart is accosted by some ruffians, but unfortunately it becomes tedious, rather than engaging in the way perhaps another Brit author, Ian McEwan, styles his prolonged moments of suspense.
In brief, Stewart is embroiled with a druglord in a small town through his entanglement with the druglord's daughters, but Banks fails to keep the reader's interest when there is a whole host of other characters who make little impression, and who appear to assemble and disperse for no observable reason but for them to be there just in order for the protagonist to relate to in order for some action to take place. This is most apparent in what is supposed to be an explosive, violent climax near the end of the book.
I must say I am disappointed by this novel, when I had high hopes from such a prolific author.
January 19, 2013
This is my personal opinion and you can disagree with it, but...
I was slightly more excited about this book as from some of his other recent fiction books (excl Sci-Fi) as for the first time it didn't feel to me like a recycle of one of his previous stories.
However the things that got to me from this book are the main things why I was put off and was disappointed.
So the main character is in his 20s, with a good, arty job and loads of travel, FINE. But the problem is that for the first time in an Ian Banks book it felt to me like an old man trying to write like a young person. I also hated the fact that, though this book has got some of the most poetic prose I have read by him in ages, it seems all wasted in pretentious drivel. Yes, we are pretentious when we are young! But that tends to be when we are much younger (early teens, pre legal drinking age).
There were so many contemporary references, that only helped the book to feel outdated by the time it must have come off the press. It still refers to an iPhone as if it was something otherworldly, unique or unmatched.
As you can tell, it has irritated me as much as it has disappointed me. Annoyingly, there are still classic Banks' moments in the book that will stay with you, like the chapter about Wee Malcky. With Dead Air, the similar passage was the whole thing with the Holocaust denier...
Overall, I still read his fiction books, but in hope that something good will come back. For me, it all stopped with The Crow Road and though it set the bar quite high, by reading the quality of his Sci-Fi, you know that he still has it in him.
Here's hoping that the next one might be the one to get things back on track.
I was slightly more excited about this book as from some of his other recent fiction books (excl Sci-Fi) as for the first time it didn't feel to me like a recycle of one of his previous stories.
However the things that got to me from this book are the main things why I was put off and was disappointed.
So the main character is in his 20s, with a good, arty job and loads of travel, FINE. But the problem is that for the first time in an Ian Banks book it felt to me like an old man trying to write like a young person. I also hated the fact that, though this book has got some of the most poetic prose I have read by him in ages, it seems all wasted in pretentious drivel. Yes, we are pretentious when we are young! But that tends to be when we are much younger (early teens, pre legal drinking age).
There were so many contemporary references, that only helped the book to feel outdated by the time it must have come off the press. It still refers to an iPhone as if it was something otherworldly, unique or unmatched.
As you can tell, it has irritated me as much as it has disappointed me. Annoyingly, there are still classic Banks' moments in the book that will stay with you, like the chapter about Wee Malcky. With Dead Air, the similar passage was the whole thing with the Holocaust denier...
Overall, I still read his fiction books, but in hope that something good will come back. For me, it all stopped with The Crow Road and though it set the bar quite high, by reading the quality of his Sci-Fi, you know that he still has it in him.
Here's hoping that the next one might be the one to get things back on track.
May 29, 2025
Entertaining in a hands-over-the-eyes-way, but curiously schizophrenic - convincing on a micro level but less so overall.
Like other readers I was incredulous at Stewart Gilmour’s gormlessness and I wondered why he simply didn’t leave. Well, you would have a much shorter story if he did. He seemed not to have learned much; he is intelligent without being smart. He also seemed determined to put himself in peril, or was at the very least oblivious to doing so, as in ‘let’s go and play pool at a place where we are almost guaranteed to run into trouble’. This does lead to one of the best set pieces in the book, the encounter with the menacing pool-cue thug, whom I found genuinely scary.
But overall? I think the day by day structure militates against thriller suspense. Banks needs to fill every hour, and he does, but a lot of the action is anti-climactic or simply mundane. And ultimately I can’t reconcile someone getting involved with a member of a family of thugs who mete out violence in response to any perceived slight upon the honour of their female property.
Like other readers I was incredulous at Stewart Gilmour’s gormlessness and I wondered why he simply didn’t leave. Well, you would have a much shorter story if he did. He seemed not to have learned much; he is intelligent without being smart. He also seemed determined to put himself in peril, or was at the very least oblivious to doing so, as in ‘let’s go and play pool at a place where we are almost guaranteed to run into trouble’. This does lead to one of the best set pieces in the book, the encounter with the menacing pool-cue thug, whom I found genuinely scary.
But overall? I think the day by day structure militates against thriller suspense. Banks needs to fill every hour, and he does, but a lot of the action is anti-climactic or simply mundane. And ultimately I can’t reconcile someone getting involved with a member of a family of thugs who mete out violence in response to any perceived slight upon the honour of their female property.
March 23, 2021
Banks is a master story-teller and in Stonemouth he has mixed all the traditional elements: place, character and plot to produce a satisfying read.
The town of Stonemouth is so well created that I looked it up on Google maps thinking that it must be real and that its residents would be railing against this depiction of their town which is at the same time seductive (in terms of its topography) and repugnant because of the residents' corrupt acceptance of rule by the local crime families.
The characters are well delineated with a strong supporting cast to the fully-rounded 'hero' Stewart Gilmour. Ferg, particularly, is a delight whenever he joins the fun.
The story is a straightforward present tense description of Gilmour's return to the town of his childhood with a parallel unravelling of events that led to him being banished for the past five years. Banks keeps a tight rein over the pacing of the new story and the rate of revelation of the past so that the two timestreams meet in a satisfying climax that teeters on the edge of sentimentality.
If there is a criticism it is that the book is a little too straightforward and one-level. Easily digestible fodder slips swiftly through the system. Perhaps the injection of meatier material would have made it reverberate for a while longer.
The town of Stonemouth is so well created that I looked it up on Google maps thinking that it must be real and that its residents would be railing against this depiction of their town which is at the same time seductive (in terms of its topography) and repugnant because of the residents' corrupt acceptance of rule by the local crime families.
The characters are well delineated with a strong supporting cast to the fully-rounded 'hero' Stewart Gilmour. Ferg, particularly, is a delight whenever he joins the fun.
The story is a straightforward present tense description of Gilmour's return to the town of his childhood with a parallel unravelling of events that led to him being banished for the past five years. Banks keeps a tight rein over the pacing of the new story and the rate of revelation of the past so that the two timestreams meet in a satisfying climax that teeters on the edge of sentimentality.
If there is a criticism it is that the book is a little too straightforward and one-level. Easily digestible fodder slips swiftly through the system. Perhaps the injection of meatier material would have made it reverberate for a while longer.
July 27, 2016
Stewart Gilmour returns to his old hometown near Aberdeen to attend a funeral. He fled 5 years previously and was chased out of town by the local mob family. There is no secret or drama about his leaving - a sexual encounter a week before his wedding to Ellie, the beautiful granddaughter to the now dead mobster, saw him being chased out of town by the family seeking blood for bringing shame to the family.
The book covers contemporary Scotland, iPhones, homosexuality, agnostics, drugs, as well as the usual Banks fare of alcohol, drug taking, womanising and humour. It also covers maturity and forgiveness.
Not one of Banks' best books but it is a beguiling read.
The book covers contemporary Scotland, iPhones, homosexuality, agnostics, drugs, as well as the usual Banks fare of alcohol, drug taking, womanising and humour. It also covers maturity and forgiveness.
Not one of Banks' best books but it is a beguiling read.
January 17, 2018
The first Iain Banks book I read ended up with a 16 year old finding out that they were actually a girl and her dad had been secretly doping her with testosterone pretended she'd lost her bollocks in a dog attack. I can't even remember the second book of his I read, but apparently I liked it.
So when I accidentally left my Kindle at home and I saw this book hanging around my office, left by a former co-worker, I haven't a clue what I expected. But it had that triumvirate of romance, violence and intrigue that hits that sweet spot. Add in a lot of laughs and you get a book that I really, really enjoyed reading.
It sure beat reading Rabbit, Run anyway.
So when I accidentally left my Kindle at home and I saw this book hanging around my office, left by a former co-worker, I haven't a clue what I expected. But it had that triumvirate of romance, violence and intrigue that hits that sweet spot. Add in a lot of laughs and you get a book that I really, really enjoyed reading.
It sure beat reading Rabbit, Run anyway.
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