Iain Banks, in his writerly guise or in his sci-fi Iain M Banks hat, is a marvelous writer. Here, writing marvelously, he has fastened onto a good story. He tells of the extended family Wopuld, bound by relationship and by the family business, seen through the eyes of one son who rejected family and business, but finds he needs to reconcile himself in order to live in a good manner. Banks is unsentimental, and the language and images are powerful and clear-eyed. A surprising narrative device satisfies and pays off on the last page. There is relish in the telling and in the reading of this tale, and there is authenticity. Banks considers questions we may also have - on our place in the family, their influence in our shaping, and the line between loyalty and suffocation. Oh, and a couple of good non-squirmy sex scenes.
Monday, April 9, 2007
The Steep Approach To Garbadale
Iain Banks, in his writerly guise or in his sci-fi Iain M Banks hat, is a marvelous writer. Here, writing marvelously, he has fastened onto a good story. He tells of the extended family Wopuld, bound by relationship and by the family business, seen through the eyes of one son who rejected family and business, but finds he needs to reconcile himself in order to live in a good manner. Banks is unsentimental, and the language and images are powerful and clear-eyed. A surprising narrative device satisfies and pays off on the last page. There is relish in the telling and in the reading of this tale, and there is authenticity. Banks considers questions we may also have - on our place in the family, their influence in our shaping, and the line between loyalty and suffocation. Oh, and a couple of good non-squirmy sex scenes.
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9 comments:
Nothins quite as bad as a squirmy sex scene.
But you have to admire his startling self-confidence and unswerving trajectory toward his goal.
I've never understood how Pepe Le Pew was made into a cartoon. He's basically a stalker & rapist.
But why is that that chicks squirm & swerve so dangd much when us guys is just tryin t have sex wit em?
We squirm because the white paint that splashed down our backs is itchy. And we swerve because it's so much fun to swerve.
c.rag - great link, thanks. Except that chocolate chips do do that to people.
Joey why don't you & Pepe Le Pew just use ruffies.
Cissy: Yeah. I think I once datd a chick who was a membr o Swervrs Anonymous.
C. Rag: Funny how EITHR o them defnitions o "ruffies" woud fit in th context -- since Pepe Le Pews scent coud only be IMPROVD by th "drizzlin shits."
I first read the word as "ruffles" and was wondering what c.rag was suggesting joey do with the delicious potato crisps.
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