marthedbsr's review against another edition
5.0
Wat een knaller van een debuutroman! Zelfde niveau als hun poëzie en muziek zou ik zeggen
bhocken8's review
4.0
I am surrounded by criticism for this creation. I understand where they are coming from, but am I glad I am not from where they are. It is a narrow view, which only serves to highlight prejudice to things new.
Kate has told the story of a generation, with utter truth and poetry. She speaks to an age which is usually ignored in art, as nothing remarkable happens in your 20's except the slow shift in to the dilapidated politics of adulthood. She speaks to society, at large, and to the heart of readers, not to their intellect.
The same characters which populate her music and her poetry now sink from their sparkling roles on stage and in myth, respectively, on to the crowded streets of London. Like rule-breakers Joyce and Warhol, she builds bridges between the different art forms.
I won't accept a word against her without. So, BRING IT, high-nosed book snobs.
Kate has told the story of a generation, with utter truth and poetry. She speaks to an age which is usually ignored in art, as nothing remarkable happens in your 20's except the slow shift in to the dilapidated politics of adulthood. She speaks to society, at large, and to the heart of readers, not to their intellect.
The same characters which populate her music and her poetry now sink from their sparkling roles on stage and in myth, respectively, on to the crowded streets of London. Like rule-breakers Joyce and Warhol, she builds bridges between the different art forms.
I won't accept a word against her without. So, BRING IT, high-nosed book snobs.
megantee's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
reflective
sad
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.0
elisabethbeck's review against another edition
dark
emotional
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
I read this instead of working oop
lizzie_r's review
adventurous
funny
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
ev4ngelia's review
emotional
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.25
foggy_rosamund's review against another edition
3.0
While not outstanding, this is a solid debut novel. Four young Londoners' lives become interconnected through drug dealing and chance meetings in bars. Kate Tempest is a performance poet, and this is evident in her prose, which can propel the reader through a barrage of images and sounds, much like listening to a poem performed. As well as this, due to performing, she is aware of the desperation of creative people to get on stage and to have their voices heard, as well as the language of pubs, clubs and touring. Her dialogue, especially, is very genuine, and she has the knack, that many writers lack, of making her dialogue sound natural without it becoming trivial or vapid. She is also very interested in character, and creates a portrait of a myriad of different people from very different backgrounds throughout the story. This can, however, be a problem: the text becomes bogged down in character portraits, and the plot is lost. She would have done better to spend more time on her four main characters, rather than spending so much time on less central people. That being said, some of her portraits -- of lonely opticians, frustrated photographers, or lost young women -- are the most moving moments in the book.
This novel also captures something of the millennial zeitgeist: the relentless pressure to do well in a world where there are no opportunities; the loss of dignity and self-respect in the face of bureaucracy; the need to express ourselves creatively. While I think the plot of this novel is weak, there are a lot of compelling things about it, and I would be interested in reading more work by Tempest.
This novel also captures something of the millennial zeitgeist: the relentless pressure to do well in a world where there are no opportunities; the loss of dignity and self-respect in the face of bureaucracy; the need to express ourselves creatively. While I think the plot of this novel is weak, there are a lot of compelling things about it, and I would be interested in reading more work by Tempest.
joshsimp's review
adventurous
dark
reflective
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
misterfix's review
3.0
3 1/2 stars
While I love Kate Tempest's music and poetry I found this novel a mix bag. There were times here descriptions overwhelmed the narrative and the juxtaposition of character stories was hard to follow at times. Ending left me a bit cold as well.
While I love Kate Tempest's music and poetry I found this novel a mix bag. There were times here descriptions overwhelmed the narrative and the juxtaposition of character stories was hard to follow at times. Ending left me a bit cold as well.
ellayahmay's review
emotional
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5