charlottegouldbourne's review against another edition
2.0
Honestly, I was somewhat disappointed by this book. It started promisingly: Nicholson has a quick, witty turn of phrase, and I liked the way the characters - particularly Mick - were depicted. I was swiftly drawn into the strange, almost ethereal bond each of them appeared to have with the city; from Stuart's determination to walk down every street in London, to the way Judy meticulously mapped out her sexual experiences, to Mick's equal wonder and disgust as an outsider looking in. I found Mick's mission both disturbing and hilarious, and looked forward to his scenes most of all. The whole book felt like a love letter to London, with little-known facts, historical anecdotes, and realistic descriptions sprinkled throughout.
However, that was where it stopped, really. Having taken us on a journey through the city with his three wonderfully strange characters, it felt as though Nicholson just wasn't sure where he wanted to end up. After a strong beginning the story meandered, and finally petered out in a thoroughly unsatisfying manner. I was waiting for a proper resolution between Stuart and Anita, and I was disappointed by the dismissive way Stuart's storyline finished - with no clear indication about whether she was correct in accusing him of. And as for Mick and Gabby... I had the suspicion that she was lying the whole time, but I hoped she wasn't because there's something deeply uncomfortable for me about a man writing a story about a woman who makes false claims of rape. Sadly, Gabby did indeed walk this predictable path.
This book could have had so much potential, and until about the two-thirds mark I was avidly turning the pages and laughing out loud, certain I'd found a new recommendation. However, it just didn't live up to the promise. It's an older book, so maybe I can try and give it the benefit of the doubt with the elements that made me uncomfortable - in particular, the constant references to sex-obsessed Judy's race, as though we might forget about her Japanese heritage without her and every single person she meets dwelling on it at length. One has to ask - if an author makes their main character vaguely bigoted for no particular reason, is it Mick who is offensive or Nicholson himself? Nevertheless, uncomfortable moments aside, Bleeding London has plenty of quick, funny moments, clever descriptions and above all a deeply compelling love of the city that makes it an alright read... if you don't mind a story that doesn't really go anywhere.
However, that was where it stopped, really. Having taken us on a journey through the city with his three wonderfully strange characters, it felt as though Nicholson just wasn't sure where he wanted to end up. After a strong beginning the story meandered, and finally petered out in a thoroughly unsatisfying manner. I was waiting for a proper resolution between Stuart and Anita, and I was disappointed by the dismissive way Stuart's storyline finished - with no clear indication about whether she was correct in accusing him of
Spoiler
faking his A-Z walkThis book could have had so much potential, and until about the two-thirds mark I was avidly turning the pages and laughing out loud, certain I'd found a new recommendation. However, it just didn't live up to the promise. It's an older book, so maybe I can try and give it the benefit of the doubt with the elements that made me uncomfortable - in particular, the constant references to sex-obsessed Judy's race, as though we might forget about her Japanese heritage without her and every single person she meets dwelling on it at length. One has to ask - if an author makes their main character vaguely bigoted for no particular reason, is it Mick who is offensive or Nicholson himself? Nevertheless, uncomfortable moments aside, Bleeding London has plenty of quick, funny moments, clever descriptions and above all a deeply compelling love of the city that makes it an alright read... if you don't mind a story that doesn't really go anywhere.
booktwitcher23's review against another edition
4.0
A rollicking good read, but not one for your old mum!
rosseroo's review
4.0
This wonderful novel is ideally enjoyed while living in or visiting London, seeing as how the city is a central character in it. With his typical offbeat humor, Nicholson weaves together the lives and stories of three of its denizens. Stuart is the owner of a company that does walking tours of London; burned out, he has decided to walk every single street in London in a quest for fulfillment and meaning. Julie is a native Londoner, although half-Japanese and thus is constantly being forced to prove herself a native. She keeps detailed maps of the locations of all her sexual encounters, as well as those of her partners. Mick is a Sheffielder whose stripper girlfriend was gang-raped by six well-to-do Londoners. He's come down to the unfamiliar city he hates in order to mete out some revenge. Both these and the supporting cast are wonderfully drawn characters, their paths through London are a treat.
zefrog's review
3.0
I came to this book after taking part in a project by the Royal Photographic Society. The idea, inspired by the book and named after it, was for participants to help create a collection of pictures of all the streets in London (as per the AtoZ) over one year.
This is a quirky, very entertaining book, with seams of dark humour running through it, but it is possibly a flawed one. It's one of those where all the various, apparently disparate, storylines comes together in the end in a neatly tied bow. Except that in this case the bow is rather sloppily tied. It all feels a little messy and as if the story has lost its original momentum and the author perhaps ran out of ideas on how to bring everything to a satisfactory conclusion.
This means the experience of reading this tome is not altogether satisfying but remains enjoyable for the most part.
This is a quirky, very entertaining book, with seams of dark humour running through it, but it is possibly a flawed one. It's one of those where all the various, apparently disparate, storylines comes together in the end in a neatly tied bow. Except that in this case the bow is rather sloppily tied. It all feels a little messy and as if the story has lost its original momentum and the author perhaps ran out of ideas on how to bring everything to a satisfactory conclusion.
This means the experience of reading this tome is not altogether satisfying but remains enjoyable for the most part.
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