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bent's review against another edition
1.0
One star always seems a bit harsh, but I really didn't like this book. I didn't like the protagonists, I didn't find the story that interesting, and when the big event happens, I didn't buy it. Freda is too much, Brenda is too wishy-washy and the other characters are just kind of there. I found myself counting down the last 40 pages or so until the end. Really disappointing.
readerstephen86's review against another edition
dark
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
2.5
dynamo170's review against another edition
3.0
Bit weird but a nice short read and it's worth sticking with to the end just about.
sophronisba's review against another edition
3.0
A very creepy black comedy. Bainbridge effectively builds up suspense in the first half; the second half is a bit of a letdown.
nadyne's review against another edition
3.0
I don't know what it is exactly that keeps me from loving the books by Bainbridge, but the fact is, I don't.
avitalgadcykman's review against another edition
5.0
A remarkable book, a great study of character, and, as it evolves into a thriller, a sharp social view of classes, immigrants, hypocrisy and exploration.
melissadeemcdaniel's review against another edition
3.0
After reading a review of “The Bottle Factory Outing” by Beryl Bainbridge, I returned to this neglected ARC which I received from NetGalley to see what the fuss was about. I’m still not sure! The book is very evocative of time and place. Brenda and Freda are two English women working in an Italian bottle factory in London. They are wildly out of place in the factory, and even in their own lives. Strange and disturbing things happen. In soap-opera-esque fashion, melodramas occur. The book was ok, but certainly not great.
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