The Wasp Factory

Full of graphically described and inventive unpleasantness, the Wasp Factory is not a pleasant read and requires a strong stomach. I couldn't bring myself to read all of it as I'm not a fan of pointless gore. However, it is well written and I've given it three stars as it would be a good read for someone who likes this sort of thing.

If you like horror films or the type of shows that feature lots of explicit gore, then you'll probably enjoy this. A reviewer describes it as the 'literary equivalent of a video nasty', which is quite an apt description. I would think it would appeal more to men than women, on the whole, and younger men in particular.

Banks is a good writer and I would read another of his books, but only if it had less of a focus on torturing small animals than this one does.

Drivel. Don't believe the hype. (0/2 people found this helpful)

Since this book was first published I deliberately ignored the hype and didn't buy the book. Having read some of his science fiction books I thought it time to give it a go and on the strength of all the 5 star reviews finally bought it. What a disappointment. A book full of caricatures and stereotypes who meander through a "plot" that is clearly a collection of idle thoughts and drink or drug fuelled "great ideas" supposedly aimed at producing a feeling of horror in us all. From the ridiculous and improbable murders (particularly the one with the kite)to the poor renditions of OCD, autism and Asbergers Syndrome I am amazed the publishers even took it up. It might appeal to a ten year old but even they would feel let down by the pathetic attempt at a twist at the end. Awful. Avoid it unless you enjoy feeling short changed.

The Wasp Factory (4/10 people found this helpful)

I assume this book is meant to be shocking - it isn't, it is just pointless and bland. Repeated descriptions of how Frank spends his days, a series of ridiculously OTT telephone calls from Eric and a twist at the end that just makes you laugh at its stupidity. The only part I vaguely enjoyed was when Frank got leglessly drunk in the pub. I really don't understand all the 5 star ratings,or why this is such a hyped book.

An excellent story, superbly written. (3/5 people found this helpful)

I really didn't know what to expect from this title as it was recommended to me and I was advised to `just read it, don't read anything about it, just read it' What a solid piece of advice that was.

Without giving anything away Iain Banks delivers the story of an interesting if somewhat unhinged central character living in a remote house in Scotland that whiles away his time in the oddest of fashions.

Every character we come across in the book is interesting and unusual and the story zips along at a great pace and remains interesting throughout. There were times when I was laughing hysterically and a couple of occasions where I feared what was coming next.

An excellent story, superbly written.

Dark and violent - deceptively subtle but is it deliberate? (2/4 people found this helpful)

Iain Banks' 'The Wasp Factory' is at once a brilliantly disturbed, sickening and depraved novel chronicling a psycho and his insane exploits, but its very much a love it or hate it affair.
those who like this type of fiction might swoon about its cleverness, the unexpected ending, the subtlety of the prose and its many supposed facets of meaning, but equally those who hate it would be right in describing it as sickening, pointless, deliberately controversial and loosely tied together with a stuck on ending.
i dont really know what i feel, but i think i am siding with the idea that it is a deliberate take on a scottish 'American Psycho' but never as shocking or as tightly put together. the reasons behind the lead's psychosis are to simple even when you do get to the quite unexpected ending, relying to much on shock and not enough on substance.
However i did enjoy it. it is depraved and sick, but i found it readable and compulsive. the black humour was funny but also took something away from the shock factor of the killings.
overall - i'd recommend not reading reviews of it (yeah i no this is the end of a review) - and reading it without preconceptions, which is thankfully what i did. what follows is a darkly comic, compulsive and violent trip into a depraved mind, but you may feel cheated by the deceptive subtlety and unoriginal idea.
6/10

Iain Banks

Reader Reviews:

Graphically gory, but good writing (1/1 people found this helpful)

Drivel. Don't believe the hype. (0/2 people found this helpful)

The Wasp Factory (4/10 people found this helpful)

An excellent story, superbly written. (3/5 people found this helpful)

Dark and violent - deceptively subtle but is it deliberate? (2/4 people found this helpful)

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