The Wasp Factory: A Novel

Rating:
Summary: So you wanna read about a child murderer, do ya?
Review: You know a book is good when makes you queasy enough that you think you're going to vomit. I felt that way a little more than half-way through The Wasp Factory when I read the deliciously grotesque, elaborate description of a baby whose brain was slowly being eaten by maggots after flies had laid and hatched eggs underneath the baby's delicate cranium. And yes, the baby was still alive, cooing and gurgling. But to be honest, I started liking this book long before that scene. Seriously, what's not to love about Frank Cauldhame, sixteen years old, who has murdered three other children ostensibly just for the pure, sadistic joy of it. Sure, he's obviously a bit sick, but it's hard to judge him when you have to admit that you're on his side, rooting for him, (dare I say?) identifying with him. He's smart, creative, and possesses a self-awareness well beyond his years - well, at least he thinks he does. And it's this self-awareness that almost makes his crimes forgivable. He doesn't pretend to be anything he's not, and he doesn't ask for pity for any of his flaws. And he offers us a rare glimpse into a perverse mind. But it's his logical, methodical approach to his insane pursuits that makes it so easy to try to justify his actions in your own mind. Is it possible to laugh at the idea of a young girl being knowingly led to an agonizing death, drowning in the middle of the North Sea? You bet it is, especially when an author like Iain Banks is in control, allowing the reader to sit in anguish as he draws out a painfully lingering death. This is a great book for anyone fascinated by the morbid. Young Frank is mildly obsessed with the notion of death, the one thing that he's good at and the skill that he believes most neatly divides men from women, the killers from the life-givers. So in an overt reinforcement of his manhood, he pursues this talent with zeal and imagination, not just on his playmates but also on rabbits, sheep, and of course, wasps. Pity those wasps as they turn and contemplate their route through the factory, where a dozen roads lead to a dozen inevitable deaths. Cue the insane Vincent Price laughter and get ready to enjoy a great book.

Rating:
Summary: Delinquency with a twist
Review: "My dad's an eccentric.....I suppose I am, too....But it doesn't bother me. There are a lot madder people about the place" (Banks, 111).

Frank Cauldhame is a sixteen year old juvenile delinquent with a quirky, to say the least, personality. He's got a penchant for death, destruction, mayhem and mischief. He's also highly superstitious. Combine these aforementioned traits with intelligence, methodicism, and zeal, and you have a potentially dangerous character on your hands. Rather than shy away from this odd hodge-podge of personality traits, Iain banks chooses to dissect them, exploring various nooks and crannies within his book The Wasp Factory.

Among the ranks of American Psycho's Patrick Bateman, and Exquisite Corpse's Andrew Compton and Jay Byrne, Frank Cauldhame calmly and casually admits within the early pages of this book that he has killed three of his family members. From there, the reader follows a day in the life of Frank, in which animal slaughter, war games, and thoughtful introspection are the norm.

However, the eccentricities of Frank and his world would not be complete without and accompanying eccentric family. Frank's father, Angus, is quite and contemplative, exchanging only a few words with his son daily regarding the measurements of household items. Frank's older brother, Eric, however, chooses the more in-your-face approach with which to display his unconventional nature. Eric, placed in an asylum some time ago for setting fire to dogs and forcing children to eat worms, has escaped and spends a good chunk of the book finding his way back home to the family with whom he fits so well.

Ultimately, this book is about the secluded, egocentric, alternate world in which Frank creates his own uniquely personal reality shaped by his past experiences, relations, philosophy, ideals and intuition. As far from "normal" as these people may seem, you can't help but find the slightest connection with the characters (as repellent as that notion may seem). "All our lives are symbols. Everything we do is part of a pattern we have at least some say in. The strong make their own patterns and influence other people's, the weak have their courses mapped out for them. The weak and the unlucky, and the stupid" (Banks, 117). Clearly, Frank is none of those (at least from his own perspective).

I must admit, however, that I felt the plot was slightly less developed than it could have been. Some of the characters, including Jamie the Dwarf, and Frank's father, felt extremely one-dimensional. A quote on the back cover from The Independent claims that this is "One of the top 100 novels of the century." Though I found this to be an intriguing read, I wouldn't quite go that far. I simply didn't find the plot to be quite as "gripping" as other people have stated. Controversial, unsettling, and fascinating...yes. A definite must-read...not really.

I look forward to reading what else Iain Banks has to offer, as this was a decent debut from an author with a freshly intriguing voice. Hopefully he has expanded upon the solid foundation laid herein.

Rating:
Summary: This is an odd one. . .
Review: It has been a little while since I have read the book, but I just came across these reviews and had to say something. I do not really get why this book is so lauded. I did not find it particularly offensive, although much of the material did seem to be written for "shock value," I'm not too squeamish about the useless cruelty to animals found in the book. What I do not like about this book is that it has no point. At the end of the book, I do not understand any of the characters; I do not feel any compassion towards the characters. There does not seem to be any "message" in the book (which may be a good thing, ham-handed "messages" in books are almost as annoying as no message whatsoever). I just have no idea why the author even wrote the book, there seems to be nothing to it, other than a pointless "shocking" twist ending. I apologize for the overuse of quotation marks in this review (I try to limit myself to two).

Rating:
Summary: Disturbing, yet a stimulating read
Review: Wasp Factory is told from a perspective of a intelligent teenager who goes through life trying to map his territory through differrent thoughts and experiments. A family that is so drenched into absurdness one can relate how imprints at a young age can have such a drastic effect on a human being. Overall, a good book and a stunning ending. Fits right in for fans of the band Tool