The Cutting Room

Rating:
Summary: Warning
Review: A fresh and interesting writing style. Two major problems, one this is not a Scottish novel, it is a Glaswegian novel: References to geography are not a major block to someone, but if the reader is unfamiliar with Glaswgow and it's language, there will be tiny dead spots within the story as the words with unfamiliar meanings are used. Also a potential problem, there are a couple of instances where the writer is extremely specific about homosexual encounters. The homosexual hero/main character did not bother me, but to be reading along a mystery and then be bogged down in a page or two of true pornography in order to keep going with the story was not to my taste. The story itself is interesting, the surprise twist appears some 20 pages short of the end of the book, which finishes a little flat. The book reminded me of a Glaswegian version of Arturo Perez-Reverte, but not at his very best. Some of the reviewers mention awaiting her next book with anticipation. It will be interesting to see whether it is in the mystery vain or the almost pornography category. The small photo of her on the inside flap is one of the worst I have ever seen of an author for their book. It is as if the photo purposely was meant to hide more than it reveals.

Rating:
Summary: Crime and Punishment Glasgow Style
Review: Not my usual read, but thoroughly gripping... It's about a Glaswegian auctioneer who gets involved in trying to work out the provenance of some old necrophilic photos he finds in an old mansion. These photos unite unsavoury deeds from the past with present day ills and our protagonist deftly manages his investigation despite (and sometimes thanks to) his own set of vices and dubious acquaintances.

Welsh's style is reminiscent of fellow Scot, Iain Banks, but her prose is more poetic with more frequent allusions to literature, beginning chapters with dark little quotes from figures such as Poe and Rimbaud.

Once you get into this one, you'll burn through the pages. An intelligent, original novel.

Rating:
Summary: It's absolutely great, but...
Review: This book is absolutely great. If you want a book with a wonderful writing style, a BRILLIANT central character, and underlying gothic-ism which pervades the whole thing, and a walk on the dark side of Glasgow, then The Cutting Room is definitely or you.

It's all quite easy to sum up. Indeed, it is done admirably by one of its own characters: "Rilke here is an auctioneer. He came across some horrible pictures snuff photographs they look like, in some dead guy's attic. Thing is, he also across your card and he wondered if you might be able to tell him something about the man"...

That is a very fair summary, actually. It's about Rilke's quest to uncover more information about some suspect photographs and the man who owned them. As a plot, it's quite good, but nothing special. What IS special is Welsh's writing style. However, the plot starts out incredibly promisingly, but evaporates about 100 pages in. the first 100 pages are cracking stuff, but then everything about the photos seems to be forgotten, as our protagonist stumbles around Glasgow having gay sexual encounters and making a general fool of himself. The Rilke's intentions seem all but forgotten until the final 50 pages, which bring the plot back in again, and concludes the book absolutely BRILLIANTLY. I loved the resolution to this book, absolutely loved it. It's brief but very fulfilling.

Overall, this is certainly a commendable debut. The writing is of a very high-class indeed, the characters are very good, especially the marvellous Rilke. I enojoyed reading this book a great deal, but it would have been better if the plot wasn't forgotten for half of the time. For that i feel i must deduct a star, but it is a close-run thing. The great writing, grimy atmosphere and wonderful noir and gothic-ness of it are all to be treasured. I'm very much looking forward to her next book.