Comments on: Review your Copy of 44 Scotland Street here!

By: Lea-Anne Alexander (Hout Bay Ladies Book Club)

Lea-Anne Alexander (Hout Bay Ladies Book Club) — Wed, 19 Aug 2009 12:17:27 +0000

Thanks for the opportunity to review this book for you.

Feedback from my book club is as follows:
- fun and easy read enjoyed it – but die-hard fans may be get a bit frustrated with this particular book and the style of writing
- I did not enjoy it as much as his 1st Lady Detective Stories
- I realise that it was orginally written as a series for the newspaper but I found it a bit disjointed and didn’t feel like I got enough info or story about each family
- Pleasant enough read

By: Ruth Cohen

Ruth Cohen — Sat, 01 Aug 2009 14:43:50 +0000

Thank you for the opportunity of reading 44 Scotland Street. The first Alexander McCall Smith’s writing I’ve experienced. At first, I was impressed by the short chapters, that were easy to get into and the different characters. Most were interesting and people that you could relate to or imagine that you’ve known at some time. I was particularly interested in little Bertie and his mother’s relationship and was hoping that he would one day be ‘understood’. Pat too seemed quite ‘lost’ and her association with Bruce was very typical of what does happen to young girls of today who haven’t found themselves yet. Having said this and that the Conservative Ball was quite hilarious and wondered whether this could in fact ever have happened and the scenario with the ultimate destruction of the Peploe/Vettriano painting, I found that at about two thirds through the book, it tended to drag and was being written just to fill the pages. I was disappointed that in the end, nothing seemed to gel and yes, I do understand that there might be a sequel, but there was just too much just left in the air to be totally conclusive for me and I was wondering whether I would want to read the next issue. Thank you again for choosing me as a reader/critic though. I would very much like to have the chance of reviewing another publication in the future. And oh yes – what was the purpose of the illustrations – they did nothing to enhance the fabric of the tales.

By: Heleen

Heleen — Thu, 16 Jul 2009 13:55:51 +0000

I’m still reading this book, but I’m not over the moon by it. I’ve never read any of his books, and was very excited about it. But I’m not enjoying it as much as I was hoping I would. But it is sometimes funny and witty, but there are too many characters and I can’t identify with one and get into their character. I will try more of his books, hopefully, but this one is not standing out as a favourite on my list. I’m also not too keen on the illustrations inside. I like to use my imagination.

Thanks anyway for the opportunity to read it and I hope that I could get a chance like this again!

By: Helen

Helen — Tue, 14 Jul 2009 12:46:56 +0000

Thank you very much for my free copy of this book. I found it easy light reading. As has been noted above, McCall Smith originally wrote 44 Scotland Street for an Edinburgh newspaper, with a chapter published daily. All the chapters are the same length and each tends to have a single theme or story. Sometimes a story arc carries across a few consecutive chapters, but more often than not each new chapter brings new characters and a new adventure. I think he does this very well, with each chapter a little vignette. This makes it very easy to dip in and out of this book – it is the perfect read to carry around in your handbag, or to have in your car or on a plane (or even in the loo!). What it does mean too is that it doesn’t read much like a novel – it doesn’t draw one in with long narratives, complicated plots or deep complex characters. Also, there is real end to the book (in fact, several story lines are left unresolved) so it was no surprise to learn that this is the first of several collections of the 44 Scotland Street pieces. I would definitely read more to find out what happens next to the various characters. I think the characters are great fun – there are lots of them, and they very well-drawn, funny and true, even through painted in broad strokes and tending to the stereotypical. The humour of the characters and the stories (which centre around little mysteries, romances, misadventures and the like) reminded me a lot of PG Wodehouse. Yes, it is a little old-fashioned! But I also found 44 Scotland Street light-hearted, warm and witty.

By: Margaret

Margaret — Mon, 06 Jul 2009 14:18:10 +0000

I have read 3 of Mc Call Smith’s Botswana books and thoroughly enjoyed them. 44 Scotland street was a first for me in this series. He has a way of writing that is so visual that one feels as if one is invisible and present where ever the characters are. One relates to the characters as they are so real, whether in Edinburgh or Botswana. All of this written with humour and wit, while giving insight into the communities being written about.
A thoroughly delightful real, read.

By: Ronel Botha

Ronel Botha — Fri, 03 Jul 2009 09:09:36 +0000

This was a first for me. I have not read any of McCall Smith’s books. Had no idea what was about to happen. I really enjoyed the feel around the happenings at 44 Scotland Street. It kept you guessing all along. Being short chapters made reading easy.

Really worth the read.

By: Robyn

Robyn — Thu, 02 Jul 2009 08:40:27 +0000

I fell in love with McCall Smith’s writing style when I read 44 Scotland Street, my first of his books. I was delighted by his dry, wry sense of humour – almost as if he was nudging me in the ribs to quietly chuckle at the goings-on described.

I was laughing so hard as I read through the chapters on the Conservative ball, the tears dripped from my chin and I gasped for breath. His character development was as though he layered coats of watercolours to build up their personalities, and I found I really knew the personalities by the end of the book.

I enjoyed the short chapters – it was easy to quickly ‘just finish this chapter’ when I snatched moments to read. I found the narrative style easy to follow and I loved the entirely believable quirky personalities and characters.

It just left me wanting more! Thank you for the great introduction to, for me, a new author.

By: admin

admin — Tue, 23 Jun 2009 08:39:51 +0000

Hi Romy

We are thrilled that you would like to review more of out titles!

Seeing as you are far from book shops, on our website we have a list of online retailers that can deliver books direct to your door step without the inconvenience of travelling to find one.

We look forward to your next review!

By: Romy

Romy — Mon, 22 Jun 2009 16:25:43 +0000

PS. Love to get my hands on an “Outliers”. Or “Blink”. I have read “Tipping Point”, which was an amazing read and one which I would recommend to anyone who’s even vaguely interested in business.

By: Romy

Romy — Mon, 22 Jun 2009 16:21:48 +0000

Hi Penguin
Do you have any more titles which you would like reviewed? I’m a hungry reader! Living in the isolated-from-bookshops Karoo! Regards