My first Scottish book. Sadly, not good. The setting and characters definitely worked. However, the entire story is dull and worthless. Another one of those "waiting" stories. The main character does a bunch of similar random tasks all day, but nothing happens. The last third of the book clarifies that the only thing that is really important is that the brother is coming. Is that sufficient for the story? Absolutely not. I would recommend someone abridging the book down to a very short, 20-page story. It still would not be very good, but short stories generally do not have that requirement.
Will still read an Iain Banks science-fiction book, because they are highly recommend. ( )

This isn't really my kinda book. I don't generally like books that are "snapshot of a period of time in someone's life" types of stories, which is what this one is. Also, not so enjoyable reading about torturing animals and killing children. No thanks. ( )

Boys own story with several gratuitous murders of infant siblings and relatives thrown in. The book ends with a plot reversal that defeats credulity. But I give it three stars for the real enjoyment I derived from sharing Frank's imaginative world and obsessive involvement in his craft and the attention to detail in descriptions of the things he makes and destroys before the plot derails itself in the final pages. ( )

who ever recommended this book to me is an asshole.

Well. I didn't know anything about this one going into it. I've previously read The Crow Road and one of the sci-fi Culture books. Suffice to say it's unlike those, or anything else, I've ever read.

The 5 star rating system of this website is insufficient as a measure here. ( )