The first sentence is truly an arresting attention-grabber. "It was the day my grandmother exploded." This superb novel, which is weighty yet not overly burdensome, delves into the themes of family and story-telling. Prentice McHoan, in an attempt to make sense of life, death, and unrequited love with the help of alcohol, friends, drugs, and the back seat of a Renault, accidentally stumbles upon a family mystery.

What exactly happened to Uncle Rory, a published hippy travel writer whose literary fame was eventually overshadowed by his younger brother, Keith, an atheistic, story-telling kids' author and Prentice's own father? As one reads this novel, it is highly enjoyable. Banks masterfully keeps the deeper aspects of his work subtly concealed, much like sipping champagne from a lager can.

The story unfolds in a captivating manner, drawing the reader in and making them eager to uncover the secrets and mysteries that lie within the McHoan family. It is a tale that explores the complex relationships within a family and the power of stories to both heal and divide.

This has long been a much loved book of mine which I have read several times.

I find its quirkiness truly captivating. The unique characters and their eccentric behaviors add a layer of charm that keeps me coming back for more.

The story unfolds in a way that is both unexpected and engaging, taking me on a journey through a world that is full of surprises.

Each time I read it, I discover something new and gain a deeper appreciation for its creativity and originality.

It's a book that has the power to transport me to another place and time, and I can't wait to pick it up again and lose myself in its pages.

I highly recommend it to anyone who enjoys a good read with a touch of the unusual.

Ok, The Crow Road.

Undoubtedly, it is an Iain Banks novel, and the opening sentences offer you a rather rough sense of what lies ahead. Since the book description and half of the reviews here quote the beginning of the book, I might as well do the same:

'It was the day my grandmother exploded. I sat in the crematorium, listening to my Uncle Hamish quietly snoring in harmony to Bach's Mass in B Minor, and I reflected that it always seemed to be death that drew me back to Gallanach.'

At first sight, it appears absurd, yet simultaneously it is somberly serious. You truly have no clue where the story will lead, and yet in some way, you can sense that you're in for a delight. However, that feeling persists beyond the first page, past the initial few chapters, and throughout much of the novel. You still really don't know what will tie it all together, or if it will be tied together at all, but you don't mind because the entire thing somehow manages to remain completely engrossing.

The main character is Prentice McHoan, a young man grappling with numerous issues that young men typically face - love, religion, drugs, sex, school, and a family that is perhaps more dysfunctional than usual. He's not the kind of guy I'd probably get along with in real life, but as he narrates and we are inside his head, there's something about him that is strangely relatable. The book mainly follows his life as a series of funerals and weddings draw him back to his home and family, and as he attempts to determine the whereabouts of his uncle Rory, who vanished many years ago. Interwoven throughout this main narrative, though, are flashbacks to earlier moments in Prentice's life and to events in the family's history, dating back several decades. The shifting perspective can take some time to get used to and is definitely not for everyone, but after a while, I stopped finding it so jarring. All in all, it is a beautifully written coming-of-age story, blended with just enough humor to prevent things from becoming too gloomy and just enough philosophizing to make you think without being overbearing. The plot, such as it is (you'll notice this is categorized as a mystery), is a bit weak, and the resolution is perhaps a little too neat, but if you're reading this for a strong, coherent plot, you're kind of missing the point. It's all about the characters.

Ian Banks, how on earth do you manage to articulate everything so exquisitely?

In just the space of a single sentence, the story undergoes a remarkable transformation. It seamlessly transitions from the realm of deep romance, where hearts flutter and emotions soar, to the somber landscapes of death and sorrow, which tug at the heartstrings.

And then, just as you're reeling from the emotional impact, it deftly veers into the territory of quirky humour, bringing a smile to your face and lightening the mood.

Finally, it rounds it all off with saucy sexy scenes that add a touch of heat and excitement.

All the while, as the story unfolds, we are invited to follow the characters through the years of their lives. We become so invested in their joys, sorrows, and misadventures that we truly feel like an integral part of this beautiful yet dysfunctional family.

Ian Banks has an uncanny ability to paint a vivid and multi-faceted picture with his words, leaving us captivated and longing for more.

On the first page of The Crow Road, Banks presents one of the most remarkable opening lines I have ever come across: 'It was the day my grandmother exploded. I sat in the crematorium, listening to my Uncle Hamish quietly snoring in harmony to Bach's Mass in B Minor, and I reflected that it always seemed to be death that drew me back to Gallanach.'

Banks' writing style is truly captivating. He doesn't just stop at this somber yet oddly humorous prose. Instead, he delves deep into the McHoan family, allowing us to explore their rich histories, unique personalities, and the complex web of their reprehensible yet relatable behaviors.

This is a story that beautifully weaves together the themes of family, love, and loss. Banks introduces us to Prentice, a narrator who is like an educated loose cannon. With ease, he tells the stories of Lochgair, slipping through time and space, painting a vivid yet disorienting picture of family secrets and unrest. The non-linear plot is where the magic truly lies. It allows Banks to hint, tease, and foreshadow his way through the McHoan family values. He skillfully switches from Prentice's first-person narrative to an all-seeing third-person perspective and back again, creating a foreshadowing device that keeps the reader engaged.

Although the book is filled with philosophical ponderings and commentary on life and death, Banks also includes little vignettes of memory that are often hilariously delivered. He shows us that life can be filled with sorrow, but it also has those precious moments of complete joy.

The characters in the book are so well-depicted that they seem to come alive on the page. Banks nails the family relationships, capturing the essence of love that coexists with bitter jealousy and frustration. He makes these characters so real that we can't help but love them.

The descriptions of Gallanach and other areas of beautiful Scotland are written lyrically and beautifully. The contrast between these settings and those in Glasgow is quite striking. As someone who mainly stays within the confines of Strathclyde, it made me realize how little I have seen of my own beautiful country.

Sadly, the author himself has passed away. However, he has left behind a wealth of stories and talent that will always be remembered.

“These were the days of fond promise, when the world was very small and there was still magic in it. He told them stories of the Secret Mountain and the Sound that could be Seen, of the Forest drowned by Sand and the trees that were time-stilled waters. Then, every day was a week, each month a year. A season was a decade, and every year a life.”

An interesting evocation of the lives of three interconnected Scottish families over three generations unfolds in this engaging narrative.

Part of the story is told in the first person by Prentice, a young man of the third generation. After falling in love with an unsuitable woman, he loses his way, goes off the rails, and seems on the verge of failing at university. He also has a serious rift with his father Kenneth, a socialist, a storyteller, and an atheist.

The other parts of the story are third person narrations from the viewpoints of various characters in the earlier generation, including Kenneth. Kenneth's storytelling and anti-religion elements often conflict. He scorns his son's Christianity yet enjoys making up tales of mythological creatures for his children and their friends when they were younger, which eventually leads him to become a children's novelist.

Besides Kenneth, there are his brothers Hamish and Rory. Rory, in particular, is a popular uncle among Prentice and the other children. However, he disappears one day after borrowing a friend's motorbike, and the mystery of his whereabouts persists in the parts of the story set in the present day (the 1990s when the story was published).

In addition to the family of Kenneth, Prentice, and others, there is a rich family who live in a rebuilt castle. At different points in the narrative, the castle is a ruin, being rebuilt, and finally lived in. The main character in this family is Fergus, who marries Fiona, the sister of Kenneth and his brothers. A third family is very poor, and one of them comes into conflict with Fergus when they are both boys. One member of this last family, Ashley, is a vividly realized strong female character. Part of the suspense in the story is whether Prentice will finally realize that she is a much better partner than the relation of Fergus' whom he spends a lot of the book obsessing over.

The various narrative strands are not only interwoven but also wander around the timeline. This can be a bit confusing in places, especially when a subsequent chapter describes key events that should have been background influences in earlier chapters. Additionally, the last third of the book, where it turns into a detective/mystery novel, is not entirely convincing. For example, a phone call to Fergus from Australia leads to a major revelation about Rory's whereabouts, but it's not clear how the person in Australia knew how to put pressure on Fergus. It can also be a little difficult to relate to characters who drink a lot of whisky and, in some cases, take drugs. However, despite these problems, the book is well written, so it earns a 4-star rating.

Today, I bought a total of 25 books for just $10. That's an amazing deal!

Among them, there is one book that I'm really looking forward to starting. However, I have to be honest and admit that I have a few other books that I need to finish first. And by "a few," I really mean quite a number. It's quite an understatement to say that.

I'm excited about all the reading material I now have, but I also know that it's going to take me some time to get through them all. Still, I'm looking forward to the journey of exploring these different books and expanding my knowledge and imagination.

I think it's going to be a great experience, and I can't wait to see what each book has in store for me.

A first foray into the world of Iain Banks for me.

The story had a certain grip, and the language truly sparkled. However, by the end, I found myself just a little disappointed. It seemed to me that the novel couldn't quite decide what it wanted to be. Was it a family saga, a murder mystery, or a tartan clad bildungsroman? While all these elements were enjoyable and well written, they never quite came together to form a completely satisfying novel.

I think I would have preferred to hear less from Prentice and more from Kenneth, as well as from exploding Granny McHoan, Fergus, and Uncle Rory. And for a novel that interestingly toys with the line between fiction and reality, I was anticipating more ambiguity by the end, rather than the rather conventional conclusion that Banks presents. I would also complain that the female characters remained somewhat vague and a touch lifeless, and that the plot hinges on an overly massive coincidence.

But perhaps I'm moaning too much about a book that managed to keep me entertained and made me think throughout its 400 odd pages. It had its flaws, but it also had its charms.

As someone who almost never abandons books, I truly never imagined that I would be abandoning a book by Iain Banks. I have read nearly everything he has ever written, and his culture books are among my absolute favorites.

However, I really cannot endure another page of this particular work. It must be the most excruciatingly boring coming of age story in the history of literature. I am already 20% through this thing, and yet nothing remotely interesting has occurred. There is no discernible plot to speak of.

I have now made a firm decision that I will ensure to never read a book that takes place in Scotland ever again. This experience has left such a sour taste in my mouth that I simply cannot bring myself to risk it. It's a shame, really, as I had such high hopes for this book, but sometimes, even the most trusted authors can disappoint.

Stayed up late to complete 100 pages yesterday, and read the last 50 pages this morning. :o)

This was truly fabulous, a great human story. It takes us through the college years of Prentice McHoan, focusing intently on how he experiences and relates to his family (both immediate and extended), friends, romantic interests, and also the world at large and the profound question of the existence of God. Clearly a bildungsroman, yet it doesn't have the typical feel I often associate with that type of work. Told anecdotally, and through multiple characters' points of view (although primarily Prentice's), this offers a very personal glimpse into the emotions and thoughts of its cast. Even when tragedies strike, the overall feel for me was one of happiness and comfort, and the main theme seemed to be that of connection.

Some readers might be deterred by the changes in timeframe (as well as POV), as it is only somewhat chronological. However, I did not find it disconcerting. The choices in stories concerning the different characters are wonderful - they are entertaining, quickly grab your attention, make you eager to know more, vividly illustrate the characters' personalities, and as you discover later, also work together to advance the plot. I really believe this was masterfully written. Even though it contains a lot of Banks' characteristic dark humor, I felt it was truly - oh, such a cliched word - charming.

Damn, this book was truly terrific!

I don't know why I didn't stumble across it earlier. Given that it was published in 1992 and was adapted by the BBC as a miniseries in 1996. Oh wait.... the 90's were the years that got eaten by my "professional career", the mindless TV years. Anyway, no matter.

"It was the day my grandmother exploded." Any author with the courage to have that as an opening sentence deserves to be given a chance, at least. Banks maintains the brilliance for another 500 pages, drawing you into the story of three Scottish families with a complicated, interlocked history. Young Prentice McHoan is an extremely irresistible first-person narrator. So, it's a pleasure to accompany him as he navigates his last year at college, trying to come to terms with his various preoccupations: death, drink, sex, God, illegal substances, and whatever happened to Uncle Rory (who disappeared a decade earlier).

It takes four funerals, a wedding, and immeasurable amounts of whisky. But in between hangovers, Prentice is quite smart and pieces it all together for an ending that is perhaps a little too neat but is definitely satisfying.

Two minor aspects of Banks's style could be a bit off-putting to some readers. However, it's well worth the effort to keep reading. There's a fair amount of Scottish dialect, mainly in the dialog, though it's reasonably easy to figure out. Also, Banks alternates between Prentice's first-person narrative and an 'omniscient third-person' narrator, with frequent switches of timeframe across the generations. This is confusing for about the first 100 pages until you get all the main characters straight in your head. After that, it ceases to be an issue.

Great story with complex, believable characters, brilliantly written. What's not to love?

I was truly relishing this book to the fullest extent. It was a captivating read that held my attention firmly.

However, as I neared the end, it took an unexpected turn and became a murder mystery. This sudden shift felt completely out of sync with the rest of the book, which was a meandering and detailed exploration of death and the process of growing up.

The transition was so abrupt that it disrupted the flow and coherence of the narrative. It was as if the author had decided to introduce a new genre without any prior indication or preparation.

Note: The rest of this review has been withdrawn due to the recent changes in Goodreads policy and enforcement. You can read why I came to this decision here.

In the meantime, you can read the entire review at Smorgasbook.