Ray French

I decided to read this as the author was one of my creative writing tutors at university.

The writing style is as good as I expected it to be. Ray French proves to authors everywhere that it is possible to write the majority of dialogue without having to specify who's speaking. Character exchanges like in this collection of shorts read much smoother without superfluous dialogue attribution. If a character is strong enough, the reader doesn't need a "said John", etc.

As for the content, well, I'd hoped to give this a higher rating, as Ray was one of the best tutors I encountered at university, but the 13 stories featured here are all down to earth-type tales, which I found a little mundane at times. But that's just personal taste, plus, as the three-star rating indicates, I still liked what I read.… (altro)

Terminées les grèves de la faim, manifestations en tout genre et autres immolations sur la place publique. La nouvelle solution pour se faire entendre lorsqu'on est un petit homme face au grand système ? S'enterrer vivant... C'est du moins l'idée folle d'Aidan lorsqu'il apprend la délocalisation de l'usine qui fait vivre sa petite ville du pays de Galles. Sous l'oeil accablé de sa fille, épaulé par son fils et par ses compagnons de pub, considéré comme fou par le reste du monde, Aidan creuse un trou dans son jardin et élit domicile dans un cercueil ' bio '. Et il n'en sortira pas tant que les autorités ne seront pas revenues sur leur décision. Contre toute attente, la renommée d'Aidan s'étend rapidement à l'ensemble du pays. Une comédie à l'anglaise, tendre et humaine, pour en finir avec la crise !… (altro)

A good, quick read with plenty of contemporary humour and an uncluttered narrative not to mention several little known facts about Iceland. I have been reading it at a time when its central theme of redundancy has affected my own family, and it was not hard to empathise with the characters. Given an infinite amount of time it would probably have turned me into a raving Marxist.

The synopsis on the back tells how the main character buries himself alive in a coffin in his back garden as a protest when the factory where he works is relocated to India. I was fascinated to know how the author would sustain interest in a story whose viewpoint was located six foot underground. But sustain it he did, introducing a wealth of brilliantly drawn characters and thought provoking issues. I then wondered whether the story would have a fairytale style ending, or whether gritty realism would prevail.

Around two hundred pages in, the reader is offered a glimpse of the probable conclusion, like the first glimmering of the sea on the horizon after a long drive. But like all good books there are twists and turns along the way, and I was eventually impressed by the way the story was rounded off in a realistic yet hopeful way.

There were elements of the plot, mainly to do with practicability, that I struggled with. Like how on earth the coffin didn't get full up with mud, water and worms considering there was an access shaft. Or start to decompose for that matter. Or the way he was able to overhear the neighbours' private activities from underground (not what you're thinking....guess again..... yes, right second time). And if it could be believed, it was most definitely a case of too much information!

But all in all a really good entertaining read.… (altro)