Ascension Day

by Chris Dolan

Four people, close neighbours, living cheek-by-jowl, but in entirely different worlds, are thrown together in an alleged bizarre incident.Stories of a single day in Glasgow, colliding and tripping over one another, suggest that the city is more than just a sum of its parts. The storytelling powers first seen in Dolan's widely-acclaimed debut collection of short stories, Poor Angels, emerge confidently in this deft and atmospheric prose.

Paperback

First published January 1, 2000

Reviews

[Coralee · Rating 5 out of 5]

Evidently an unpopular opinion, but I loved this book. I didn’t entirely follow it all, but I don’t think I was supposed to. Dolan’s writing is spectacular, really beautiful in an understated way. Just very compelling character studies if nothing else.
I don’t think the overview on the back did this book any favors, and I kind of think that’s probably why the reviews aren’t great. I try to avoid reading the back of a book right before starting it, but I read it after finishing the book, and it feels a little misleading — it makes it sound faster paced and more like almost an urban sci-fi thriller. But it reads more like slice of life chunks with intertwining characters. I think the key clue to what this book is doing is “the collective imagination of its citizens”. Keep that in mind, and the book is fascinating!

[Mark O'neil · Rating 1 out of 5]

A few good ideas but a mess - sorry

[Robin Cunninghame Graham · Rating 2 out of 5]

I'm afraid I didn't understand it, didn't get the plot, and thus didn't enjoy it unlike his other books I've read.

[Ipswichblade · Rating 3 out of 5]

Interesting book, good start and good finish but a bit strange in the middle