chris_davies's review against another edition
dark
funny
lighthearted
mysterious
reflective
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.5
booksofjj's review against another edition
4.0
The first published review of one of the books I got from the Box of Stories subscription box. This is not a sponsored post, but I do genuinely recommend this subscription box. I get the box every 4 months with this one being my first and out of the 4 books provided, there was only one that didn't really match what I like from a book. Luckily it was a similar genre to my "sister-in-law"'s favourite genre so I gave it to her.
I knew nothing about this book or the author before getting it in the subscription box. The general premise of the book surrounds a writer for a failing magazine who is looking for his next big story after a few interview flops. It looks into his life and how things started to spiral out of control for him, and how he eventually realises that he needs to try to sort his life out.
The writing style is quite realistic and doesn't try to frame the city of London in a romantic way like so many other authors tend to do, especially when Americans try to write about the city. As a Londoner himself, Wiles knows that there is a different side to the city that isn't the romantic image that is portrayed in many forms of media. He isn't afraid to portray the grittier side of the city life in the UK which I love since a lot of the history that I love in London revolves around the more gritty and dark side of the past.
There are a few bits of the plot that I didn't quite like as I felt like it was forced, especially some of the connections between the characters, however, this being said I overall enjoyed the plot of the book as well. It had enough twists and turns throughout to keep you engaged, especially the big twist involving one of the main character's interviewees. It is definitely a mystery novel in disguise as I wouldn't necessarily class it as a mystery novel outright but it can defined be read that way.
If this is how much I like my first book from the Box of Stories subscription, I can't wait for what the other 2 books I kept are like. Again, not sponsored, just genuinely impressed by the service so far.
I knew nothing about this book or the author before getting it in the subscription box. The general premise of the book surrounds a writer for a failing magazine who is looking for his next big story after a few interview flops. It looks into his life and how things started to spiral out of control for him, and how he eventually realises that he needs to try to sort his life out.
The writing style is quite realistic and doesn't try to frame the city of London in a romantic way like so many other authors tend to do, especially when Americans try to write about the city. As a Londoner himself, Wiles knows that there is a different side to the city that isn't the romantic image that is portrayed in many forms of media. He isn't afraid to portray the grittier side of the city life in the UK which I love since a lot of the history that I love in London revolves around the more gritty and dark side of the past.
There are a few bits of the plot that I didn't quite like as I felt like it was forced, especially some of the connections between the characters, however, this being said I overall enjoyed the plot of the book as well. It had enough twists and turns throughout to keep you engaged, especially the big twist involving one of the main character's interviewees. It is definitely a mystery novel in disguise as I wouldn't necessarily class it as a mystery novel outright but it can defined be read that way.
If this is how much I like my first book from the Box of Stories subscription, I can't wait for what the other 2 books I kept are like. Again, not sponsored, just genuinely impressed by the service so far.
han_nah_p's review against another edition
2.0
This book describes itself as a comedy, yet I didn't find it particularly funny. Rather it seems like a tragedy for the main character who is an alcoholic with few friends and close to losing his job.
I wanted to like this book and it had moments where I connected with the main character but on the whole it spent too long describing areas of London. If you have never lived in London parts of this book are boring, I don't care about the geography and social makeup of a city I don't live in. Also the author seems to assume that the all the problems, particularly of money, gentrification and housing, are London-centric, when they are obviously problems of the world as a whole and capitalism.
I wanted to like this book and it had moments where I connected with the main character but on the whole it spent too long describing areas of London. If you have never lived in London parts of this book are boring, I don't care about the geography and social makeup of a city I don't live in. Also the author seems to assume that the all the problems, particularly of money, gentrification and housing, are London-centric, when they are obviously problems of the world as a whole and capitalism.
mwx1010's review
4.0
My first book by Wiles, Plume can be seen in many ways as a companion piece to Sam Byers’ Perfidious Albion.
This is a story of a personal collapse, mapped out against the broader landscape of the ongoing collapse of society in the face of rampant capital and technology. Wiles has a good eye - his writing about Shoreditch and the changing East End is on the money, and there’s a darkly satirical project at work here.
It took me a little while to get momentum on this, but once I did it was unputdownable. Extra credit for the skewering of urban psychogeography.
This is a story of a personal collapse, mapped out against the broader landscape of the ongoing collapse of society in the face of rampant capital and technology. Wiles has a good eye - his writing about Shoreditch and the changing East End is on the money, and there’s a darkly satirical project at work here.
It took me a little while to get momentum on this, but once I did it was unputdownable. Extra credit for the skewering of urban psychogeography.
kwebb's review against another edition
4.0
I don't really know why it was compelling but it was! A bit bizarre in places, yes repetitive but none the less an enjoyable read. The ending though did bring it down for me, but all in all an interesting window into alcoholism, London living and fracturing of reality.
fiendfull's review
4.0
Plume is a a novel about contemporary London, truth, and alcoholism, tinged with a darkly comic writing style and an ominous atmosphere. Jack Bick writes features for a magazine and pretends that his drinking isn't a problem. When a column of smoke appears on the London skyline outside his office, it feels like an omen, particularly along with Jack smelling smoke all the time. He tries to ignore this and goes to interview reclusive writer Oliver Pierce, who reveals a secret about his most popular book that could save Jack's job, if he can only get it written. Drawn into a partnership with Pierce against the city and tied to a new app that tracks people's location, Jack must work out what is real and what is only imagination.
This is a surprising novel in many ways. It was quite slow to start and felt like it could have sparks of brilliance without a compelling plot (particularly some laugh out loud imagery and cutting depictions of London), but then turned into something much better than it first seemed. Particularly the way in which Jack's alcoholism, which could've been a hackneyed trope that wasn't really dealt with properly, was crucial and faced full on. In fact, though the book could be marketed as one about modern London and about what is real, it could just as easily be seen as a book about addiction and about how it makes people view the world. The underlying message about tech companies and big data was perhaps more predictable, but it worked well with the other plot elements, turning psychogeography into the digital as a recommendations app looks for urban myth.
What could've been a dull story about trying to write turned into a gripping look at addiction and space, which satirises London media culture and gentrification whilst taking its topics seriously. The desperation of living in London and the pain of addiction seem to blur, showing the psychological effect of both whilst questioning the line between truth and lies. Plume felt more than its blurb, with an unnerving sense of smoke lingering after you put it down.
This is a surprising novel in many ways. It was quite slow to start and felt like it could have sparks of brilliance without a compelling plot (particularly some laugh out loud imagery and cutting depictions of London), but then turned into something much better than it first seemed. Particularly the way in which Jack's alcoholism, which could've been a hackneyed trope that wasn't really dealt with properly, was crucial and faced full on. In fact, though the book could be marketed as one about modern London and about what is real, it could just as easily be seen as a book about addiction and about how it makes people view the world. The underlying message about tech companies and big data was perhaps more predictable, but it worked well with the other plot elements, turning psychogeography into the digital as a recommendations app looks for urban myth.
What could've been a dull story about trying to write turned into a gripping look at addiction and space, which satirises London media culture and gentrification whilst taking its topics seriously. The desperation of living in London and the pain of addiction seem to blur, showing the psychological effect of both whilst questioning the line between truth and lies. Plume felt more than its blurb, with an unnerving sense of smoke lingering after you put it down.
swifteagle's review
challenging
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Loveable characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.25
amesmayj's review
challenging
dark
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
Content Warnings
Graphic: Addiction, Alcohol, and Alcoholism
Moderate: Violence