I’ve never been such a fan of Iain Banks, but this latest novel The Steep Approach to Garbadale [ISBN 978 0 349 11928 1] is certainly the best of his I’ve read. The book is centered around a deep family mystery and follows the life of a young man as he stumbles his way to adulthood enabling him to track down the secrets of his past. Lovely characterisations. Though you think you can guess the ending, you can’t, quite – a good twist.
I’ve never been such a fan of Iain Banks, but this latest novel The Steep Approach to Garbadale [ISBN 978 0 349 11928 1] is certainly the best of his I’ve read. The book is centered around a deep family mystery and follows the life of a young man as he stumbles his way to adulthood enabling him to track down the secrets of his past. Lovely characterisations. Though you think you can guess the ending, you can’t, quite – a good twist.
Alban Wopuld has fled from his large family and the family business (which employs all his family) burying himself in physical work, but his cousin winkles him out to plead with him to attend an Extraordinary General Meeting because an American firm is wanting to but the company out for its electronic game – once a boardgame – Empire ! As he returns to his family he ponders the strange happenings in his life – why did his mother commit suicide ? Why does his cousin he had such a crush on when he was 17 avoid him ? The truth takes long to find out and is very painful.
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