Lanark: A Life in Four Books by Alasdair Gray

Lanark: A Life in Four Books

Alasdair Gray with William Boyd

592 pages • first pub 1981 (editions)

fiction classics fantasy adventurous reflective slow-paced

Description

This work, originally published in 1981, has been hailed as the most influential Scottish novel of the second half of the 20th century. Its playful narrative techniques convey a profound message, personal and political, about humankind's inability...

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Community Reviews Summary of 519 reviews

Moods

challenging 89%
dark 69%
reflective 60%
mysterious 52%
adventurous 28%
emotional 23%
sad 23%
funny 21%
tense 19%
informative 8%
inspiring 6%
hopeful 2%

Pace

slow 62%
medium 37%

Plot- or character-driven?

A mix: 64% | Character: 23% | Plot: 7% | N/A: 5%

Strong character development?

Yes: 41% | It's complicated: 37% | No: 18% | N/A: 2%

Loveable characters?

No: 58% | It's complicated: 36% | Yes: 4%

Diverse cast of characters?

No: 60% | It's complicated: 19% | Yes: 19%

Flaws of characters a main focus?

Yes: 83% | It's complicated: 14% | No: 2%

Average rating

4.02

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Content Warnings

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