Has anyone read the Wasp Factory here?

[Anfeidrol]

It.s not a horror but the stuff Frank does as well as his brother is disgusting and yet funny (in a psychotic way)

 

[bendoran]

read it and really enjoyed it. Its a very short and disturbed novel but it does make you think

 

[Brian G Turner]

Read it years ago, and although I generally enjoyed it, it did feel more like a padded out short-story.

An interesting novel, rather than a great novel.

 

[ommigosh]

Read it a long time ago and found it a bit disturbing, a bit amusing (in parts) and generally a good and fascinating read although it did tend to ramble a bit at times.

I later read a lot more of Iain Banks' books and enjoyed them all much much more than this one.

 

[fungi from Yuggoth]

A pretty good story, but as Brain said, it felt like a padded short story. Still, Banks writes some truly disturbing scenes, esp. the boy in the hospital, and he managed to capture the madness of Frank well without ever explicitely stating it.

 

[weaveworld]

I read 'The Wasp Factory' a long time ago now, what a surreal book! Frank was complicated and funny, and as the story progressed, you found out why! If anyone gets the chance, read 'The Crow Road' By Iain Banks, its a good read, plus the author is scottish and you can't go wrong with us scots!

 

[Jason_Taverner]

really enjoyed it funny and very sick

 

[sanityassassin]

I really enjoyed the wasp factory. I actually was looking for the crow road and a friend suggested I should try it so I did and really liked it

 

[Tallpoppy]

i read this book as part of my a-level course and because of that had to analyse it in great depth. part of me hated that and part of me loved it. the book grossed me out but it was also so abosorbing that i finished it before i actually had to. now that i have finished it, i havent picked up the book since and that was a year ago. usually i re-read books but even though i had never read anything like this before i don't plan to again

 

[Lacedaemonian]

I read it and found it amusing if not a little heavy on the psychosis. I am not entirely sure I finished reading it however.

 

[Brys]

It's one of the best books I've ever read - a masterpiece of insight into the criminally insane mind - yet somehow very humourous. It might be sick and disturbing, but I think it really takes courage for someone to write something like that - it made me think it was "brutally honest" in that he didn't try and comfort the reader or leave out important scenes because they were disturbing. The characterisation was spot on - entirely (scarily) believable. I didn't think I'd enjoy it, but it was only a couple of hundred pages so it wouldn't take long, I started reading it and was utterly intrigued by it.

 

[the_faery_queen]

yes my friend gave it to me for my birthday a few years ago (well more like 8) its a great book.

 

[Nesacat]

Wasp Factory was actually the first Iain Banks book I ever read. It was a few years ago and it has managed to stick. I'd agree that it could have been shorter and tighter but was all in all a good read and pretty disturbing. Very Gothic.

Went on to read other books by Banks and really liked Crow Road, Whit, Feersum Endjin (the latest I've read) thus far.

 

[jackokent]

I can't find my copy of the book but I remmember being very amused by the inside cover where they'd printed all the critic's comments, totally slating the book and saying how depraved an awful it was.

I enjoyed it for the sick value but didn't rate it compared to his other stuff.

 

[Brys]

Those comments really attracted me to the book - it was a refreshing change from the boring, meaningless sycophancy that usually coats novels.

 

[jackokent]

Completely agree, it was a stroke of genius to print them. Maybe more authors should print there really worst reviews on thier books?

 

[j d worthington]

Completely agree, it was a stroke of genius to print them. Maybe more authors should print there really worst reviews on thier books?

Wasn't it Arthur Machen who put together a book of all the negative criticism of his work? I think it was titled Precious Balms....

 

[Roboripper]

I borrowed it from a friend a few years ago and only just this afternoon bought a second hand copy from Oxfam! I really enjoyed it the first time round and I know I will again. I've not read any of Banks' other books though, so where should I start?

 

[isacked]

I like the first-person perspective best. I'm fond of such writing, it seems more honest that way. It also allows author to sneak in scenes that most authorswould leave out.

It's one of the best books I've ever read - a masterpiece of insight into the criminally insane mind - yet somehow very humourous. It might be sick and disturbing, but I think it really takes courage for someone to write something like that - it made me think it was "brutally honest" in that he didn't try and comfort the reader or leave out important scenes because they were disturbing. The characterisation was spot on - entirely (scarily) believable. I didn't think I'd enjoy it, but it was only a couple of hundred pages so it wouldn't take long, I started reading it and was utterly intrigued by it.

 

[-putawaythosepliers-]

im reading it at the moment, and oh my gosh it freaked me out a bit. ive only just started it, but im at the bit where his brother is coming back, and something about killing the neighbours dogs....
i wouldn't have read it after reading the blurb *im not a horror fan, bit of a wuss really* but my english teacher seriously recommended it.