Trailers

by Kate le Vann

"Le Vann is a great new talent, her prose taut and addictive, and full of truth. Readers expecting a William Sutcliffe-style look at university life are sure to be surprised, but not disappointed" - The Times "A modern British flatshare story ... saved from the usual role call of arguments, armours and angst by Le Vann's caustic observations and the vulnerability that shines through her "get a grip" attitude" - Elle "A sharp satire on university life, reminding every ex-student how quickly the idealistic sheen wears off" - Heat

288 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1999

Reviews

[Chris Morton · Rating 5 out of 5]

You can't judge a book by its cover, and for this one, don't. It's a semi-literary account of student life in the early nineties and very intelligently written.

First read this when it came out (1999) and it was fun reading about other people the same age as me. Now re-reading it 20 years later (2019) it's been great reminiscing. It works both ways.

[Matzen Sen · Rating 3 out of 5]

A snapshot of a year in a student house. At times it reminded me of the TV series 'Fresh Meat', although shorn of much of the programme's humour and charm. The book's framing is a little odd as it's interspersed with scenes from the present day in which the narrator - who we learn is quite severely disabled - prepares for a reunion with her former housemates. The problem I had is that only the main character is properly drawn and fleshed out to any major extent; the people she interacts with are little more than ciphers, devoid of nearly all substance, and as the main character is a rather unsympathetic figure it was hard to get drawn into the book. Nor does her disability have any real bearing on the book's events, so it seemed a bit of a bizarre choice on the author's part to make her narrator and main character disabled to no real purpose. Likewise for the present-day framing device. Overall quite an odd book that felt as though it may have simply been an exercise in catharsis for the author, casting an analytical eye back over her university days.

2.5 stars.

[Sharon · Rating 4 out of 5]

Trailers is about Grace who suffers from a walking disability. It follows her time at Uni while flicking back to life after. It shows her feelings of doubt and insecurity (some because of her disability but many that we all would encounter) as well as the relationships – an almost love hate relationship with Findlay who is besotted with her, but she doesn't want him but doesn't want him to go off her either.

There are funny little quirks that we can all relate to: * Looking in the mirror before a night out and feeling really good about yourself and then it all disappearing as soon as you get out.
* When people say call me – not having the confidence to know if they actually mean it.
* Being over confident in a small group of people but when you suddenly get left with just one person in a room feeling panic setting in.

Another couple of great quotes: “Do you think we actually ever stop wanting to get on with our lives and actually start getting on with them?”

…”When I did go into the faculty building I lurked in corners or sat at the back with a crossword, trying to look like I didn’t mind being alone. The trouble was I was very shy but felt I deserved the life of an extrovert........The only time I minded being alone was when other people were there to see it.”

I think most people will find things they can relate to in Kate Le Vann's writing.

[Michelle Thompson · Rating 3 out of 5]

A book about the interactions of a group of students living together while at University in Manchester in the 1990s. Interspersed with the life of one of the group afterwards, and in the run up to a reunion.
An OK read from a nostalgic point of view thinking about my own life while at University, but didn't fully grab me.