Author: Iain Banks
Pages: 192
Genre: Gothic/Horror, Thriller, Mystery
Book Description:
Meet Frank Cauldhame. Just sixteen, and unconventional to say the least:
Two years after I killed Blyth I murdered my young brother Paul, for quite different and more fundamental reasons than I'd disposed of Blyth, and then a year after that I did for my young cousin Esmerelda, more or less on a whim.
That's my score to date. Three. I haven't killed anybody for years, and don't intend to ever again.
It was just a stage I was going through.
Two years after I killed Blyth I murdered my young brother Paul, for quite different and more fundamental reasons than I'd disposed of Blyth, and then a year after that I did for my young cousin Esmerelda, more or less on a whim.
That's my score to date. Three. I haven't killed anybody for years, and don't intend to ever again.
It was just a stage I was going through.
My Opinion:
Following the narrative of a 16 year old boy who lives on a remote island with his father, we discover the tragedies that occur and how the characters deal with these in their own separate ways. I had heard lots of good things about this novel so I decided to pick it up and, boy, am I glad I did!
The characters in this novel were so unique. I loved seeing how the protagonist changed from who he was at the beginning and who he was at the end, and uncovering the mystery about his older brother was something I thoroughly enjoyed. I also found Frank's father to be quite intriguing however my opinion of him did change as I reached the ending.
The plot line was amazingly written and full of constant intrigue. It's very twisted right from the first chapter all the way to the last paragraph and this is something not many authors succeed at, but Banks has done a phenomenal job and kept me hooked the entire way through.
There is a fantastic twist at the end. As I was reading it, (the last sentence in particular) my jaw literally fell open because it was so unexpected; you wouldn't even be able to guess it!
I'm not going to deny that this book is very messed up and could be quite disturbing for some readers. Sometimes I question how the author came up with something like this but I wouldn't change anything because it's one of the best novels I've read in a while! I'll definitely be checking out some of his other books!
This is such an awesome read that I recommend to everyone, especially those horror lovers who find twisted and gothic novels interesting. I've read many in the past and I have to admit, this is one of the best I've come across! Just some advice, don't be put off by how disturbing it can be and read to the end because I guarantee you will be shocked (in a good way!)
Favourite Quotes:
The characters in this novel were so unique. I loved seeing how the protagonist changed from who he was at the beginning and who he was at the end, and uncovering the mystery about his older brother was something I thoroughly enjoyed. I also found Frank's father to be quite intriguing however my opinion of him did change as I reached the ending.
The plot line was amazingly written and full of constant intrigue. It's very twisted right from the first chapter all the way to the last paragraph and this is something not many authors succeed at, but Banks has done a phenomenal job and kept me hooked the entire way through.
There is a fantastic twist at the end. As I was reading it, (the last sentence in particular) my jaw literally fell open because it was so unexpected; you wouldn't even be able to guess it!
I'm not going to deny that this book is very messed up and could be quite disturbing for some readers. Sometimes I question how the author came up with something like this but I wouldn't change anything because it's one of the best novels I've read in a while! I'll definitely be checking out some of his other books!
This is such an awesome read that I recommend to everyone, especially those horror lovers who find twisted and gothic novels interesting. I've read many in the past and I have to admit, this is one of the best I've come across! Just some advice, don't be put off by how disturbing it can be and read to the end because I guarantee you will be shocked (in a good way!)
Favourite Quotes:
Maybe he's up to something, maybe he's not really crazy after all. Perhaps he just got fed up acting normal and decided to act crazy instead, and they locked him up because he went too far
~~~~
I killed little Esmerelda because I felt I owed it to myself and to the world in general. I had, after all, accounted for two male children and thus done womankind something of a statistical favour
~~~~
It made me feel good to know that I could see him and he couldn't see me, and that I was aware and fully conscious and he wasn't
Rating ★
5 out of 5 stars
Next book I'm going to review:
Divergent by Veronica Roth
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