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Canal Dreams
Hisako Onoda, world famous cellist, refuses to fly. And so she travels to Europe as a passenger on a tanker bound through the Panama Canal. By the end of her journey she had ignited one soldier with an oxy-acetylene torch, stabbed another through the chest with the spike of her cello, clobbered a guard with the butt of a rifle and raked terrorists with machine-gun fire before frazzling the survivors in an oil-covered sea.
198 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 1989
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1341 people want to read
About the author
Iain Banks
42 books4,769 followersThis author also published science fiction under the pseudonym Iain M. Banks.
Banks's father was an officer in the Admiralty and his mother was once a professional ice skater. Iain Banks was educated at the University of Stirling where he studied English Literature, Philosophy and Psychology. He moved to London and lived in the south of England until 1988 when he returned to Scotland, living in Edinburgh and then Fife.
Banks met his wife Annie in London, before the release of his first book. They married in Hawaii in 1982. However, he announced in early 2007 that, after 25 years together, they had separated. He lived most recently in North Queensferry, a town on the north side of the Firth of Forth near the Forth Bridge and the Forth Road Bridge.
As with his friend Ken MacLeod (another Scottish writer of technical and social science fiction) a strong awareness of left-wing history shows in his writings. The argument that an economy of abundance renders anarchy and adhocracy viable (or even inevitable) attracts many as an interesting potential experiment, were it ever to become testable. He was a signatory to the Declaration of Calton Hill, which calls for Scottish independence.
In late 2004, Banks was a prominent member of a group of British politicians and media figures who campaigned to have Prime Minister Tony Blair impeached following the 2003 invasion of Iraq. In protest he cut up his passport and posted it to 10 Downing Street. In an interview in Socialist Review he claimed he did this after he "abandoned the idea of crashing my Land Rover through the gates of Fife dockyard, after spotting the guys armed with machine guns." He related his concerns about the invasion of Iraq in his book Raw Spirit, and the principal protagonist (Alban McGill) in the novel The Steep Approach to Garbadale confronts another character with arguments in a similar vein.
Interviewed on Mark Lawson's BBC Four series, first broadcast in the UK on 14 November 2006, Banks explained why his novels are published under two different names. His parents wished to name him Iain Menzies Banks but his father made a mistake when registering the birth and he was officially registered as Iain Banks. Despite this he continued to use his unofficial middle name and it was as Iain M. Banks that he submitted The Wasp Factory for publication. However, his editor asked if he would mind dropping the 'M' as it appeared "too fussy". The editor was also concerned about possible confusion with Rosie M. Banks, a minor character in some of P.G. Wodehouse's Jeeves novels who is a romantic novelist. After his first three mainstream novels his publishers agreed to publish his first SF novel, Consider Phlebas. To distinguish between the mainstream and SF novels, Banks suggested the return of the 'M', although at one stage he considered John B. Macallan as his SF pseudonym, the name deriving from his favourite whiskies: Johnnie Walker Black Label and The Macallan single malt.
His latest book was a science fiction (SF) novel in the Culture series, called The Hydrogen Sonata, published in 2012.
Author Iain M. Banks revealed in April 2013 that he had late-stage cancer. He died the following June.
The Scottish writer posted a message on his official website saying his next novel The Quarry, due to be published later this year*, would be his last.
* The Quarry was published in June 2013.
Banks's father was an officer in the Admiralty and his mother was once a professional ice skater. Iain Banks was educated at the University of Stirling where he studied English Literature, Philosophy and Psychology. He moved to London and lived in the south of England until 1988 when he returned to Scotland, living in Edinburgh and then Fife.
Banks met his wife Annie in London, before the release of his first book. They married in Hawaii in 1982. However, he announced in early 2007 that, after 25 years together, they had separated. He lived most recently in North Queensferry, a town on the north side of the Firth of Forth near the Forth Bridge and the Forth Road Bridge.
As with his friend Ken MacLeod (another Scottish writer of technical and social science fiction) a strong awareness of left-wing history shows in his writings. The argument that an economy of abundance renders anarchy and adhocracy viable (or even inevitable) attracts many as an interesting potential experiment, were it ever to become testable. He was a signatory to the Declaration of Calton Hill, which calls for Scottish independence.
In late 2004, Banks was a prominent member of a group of British politicians and media figures who campaigned to have Prime Minister Tony Blair impeached following the 2003 invasion of Iraq. In protest he cut up his passport and posted it to 10 Downing Street. In an interview in Socialist Review he claimed he did this after he "abandoned the idea of crashing my Land Rover through the gates of Fife dockyard, after spotting the guys armed with machine guns." He related his concerns about the invasion of Iraq in his book Raw Spirit, and the principal protagonist (Alban McGill) in the novel The Steep Approach to Garbadale confronts another character with arguments in a similar vein.
Interviewed on Mark Lawson's BBC Four series, first broadcast in the UK on 14 November 2006, Banks explained why his novels are published under two different names. His parents wished to name him Iain Menzies Banks but his father made a mistake when registering the birth and he was officially registered as Iain Banks. Despite this he continued to use his unofficial middle name and it was as Iain M. Banks that he submitted The Wasp Factory for publication. However, his editor asked if he would mind dropping the 'M' as it appeared "too fussy". The editor was also concerned about possible confusion with Rosie M. Banks, a minor character in some of P.G. Wodehouse's Jeeves novels who is a romantic novelist. After his first three mainstream novels his publishers agreed to publish his first SF novel, Consider Phlebas. To distinguish between the mainstream and SF novels, Banks suggested the return of the 'M', although at one stage he considered John B. Macallan as his SF pseudonym, the name deriving from his favourite whiskies: Johnnie Walker Black Label and The Macallan single malt.
His latest book was a science fiction (SF) novel in the Culture series, called The Hydrogen Sonata, published in 2012.
Author Iain M. Banks revealed in April 2013 that he had late-stage cancer. He died the following June.
The Scottish writer posted a message on his official website saying his next novel The Quarry, due to be published later this year*, would be his last.
* The Quarry was published in June 2013.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 199 reviews
November 5, 2012
I was thinking this book might be a good present for a cellist - my brother is a cellist, and suddenly the Christmas decorations are out in all the shops. But really, it's a better present for a cellist who has a thing for Japanese women and weird dreams. And ideally, also for martial arts, extreme violence and gang rape. And oil tankers. And the Panama Canal.
Okay, now that I've thought about it a bit, it's probably not a very good Christmas present for most people. But if you know someone who answers to the above description and he hasn't read it, then boy, is he in for a treat!
Okay, now that I've thought about it a bit, it's probably not a very good Christmas present for most people. But if you know someone who answers to the above description and he hasn't read it, then boy, is he in for a treat!
May 7, 2021
Hisako Onoda in the first part of the novel:
Hisako Onoda in the second part:
Hisako Onoda in the last part:
And that's all, folks!
Hisako Onoda in the second part:
Hisako Onoda in the last part:
And that's all, folks!
November 9, 2021
My third Iain Banks. Amazing writer. Lots to like about this novel – so much going on in less than 200 pages!
The canal in the title is the Panama, scene of much of the action and where the dreams (and flashbacks) occur. The dreamer is Hisako Onada a Japanese cellist with an international reputation and a very remarkable woman. She may be a dreamer but she is also a very switched - on lady, who has to come to terms with her fear of flying. It leads her to the Panama Canal where she finds love, terror and much more.
The constant flashbacks to earlier scenes of Hisako’s life in Japan are clever and instructive and further honed my interest in most things Japanese. All these flashbacks, coupled with her multi-layered dreams, how come this lady doesn’t have a permanent Migraine?!
I guess this is where I come in as a reader..This is a frustrating, turbulent read which never quite lifts off for me, though I was stunned by the author’s awesome use of words.
The canal in the title is the Panama, scene of much of the action and where the dreams (and flashbacks) occur. The dreamer is Hisako Onada a Japanese cellist with an international reputation and a very remarkable woman. She may be a dreamer but she is also a very switched - on lady, who has to come to terms with her fear of flying. It leads her to the Panama Canal where she finds love, terror and much more.
The constant flashbacks to earlier scenes of Hisako’s life in Japan are clever and instructive and further honed my interest in most things Japanese. All these flashbacks, coupled with her multi-layered dreams, how come this lady doesn’t have a permanent Migraine?!
I guess this is where I come in as a reader..This is a frustrating, turbulent read which never quite lifts off for me, though I was stunned by the author’s awesome use of words.
July 15, 2012
The second time I've tried to read this book and this time I finished it.
It was good. Not the best book I've ever read, but certainly not the worst. It was easier to read this time around because the central character is Japanese and since I live in Japan I could understand the extend of research Banks had done. I actually made a game of trying to catch him out - probably the closest I got was when Hisako was remembering an incident in her childhood when her hands were pushed against the radiators in school, burning her hands. Having worked in 14 Japanese schools I'm yet to see a radiator, although we do have these things referred to as 'stove heaters' which are dirty, smelly, kerosene-powered things that are put in the classrooms in November and moved out again in March. They aren't really radiators, although since Hisako was from Sapporo in Hokkaido, the northernmost island, things might be different there. In any case, it was fun trying to find him out and to be fair his research was pretty deep.
On to the story. I thought it was well written but the plot was as little linear. Not much unexpected happened after the initial shock of the terrorists' takeover of the ship. You kind of knew what was going to happen, and in fact the blurb on the back of the book pretty much sums up all the major plot points of the story. There were a few interesting backstory elements, something Banks is pretty good at, but in general these seemed merely to beef up the length, as they didn't really explain Hisako's character more than that she was a bit of a battler.
Overall, as a bit of a Banks completist I thought it was decent, but if you're new to Iain Banks don't start here. Go with The Bridge, The Wasp Factory, The Crow Road or Consider Phlebas (if you like sci-fi) first.
It was good. Not the best book I've ever read, but certainly not the worst. It was easier to read this time around because the central character is Japanese and since I live in Japan I could understand the extend of research Banks had done. I actually made a game of trying to catch him out - probably the closest I got was when Hisako was remembering an incident in her childhood when her hands were pushed against the radiators in school, burning her hands. Having worked in 14 Japanese schools I'm yet to see a radiator, although we do have these things referred to as 'stove heaters' which are dirty, smelly, kerosene-powered things that are put in the classrooms in November and moved out again in March. They aren't really radiators, although since Hisako was from Sapporo in Hokkaido, the northernmost island, things might be different there. In any case, it was fun trying to find him out and to be fair his research was pretty deep.
On to the story. I thought it was well written but the plot was as little linear. Not much unexpected happened after the initial shock of the terrorists' takeover of the ship. You kind of knew what was going to happen, and in fact the blurb on the back of the book pretty much sums up all the major plot points of the story. There were a few interesting backstory elements, something Banks is pretty good at, but in general these seemed merely to beef up the length, as they didn't really explain Hisako's character more than that she was a bit of a battler.
Overall, as a bit of a Banks completist I thought it was decent, but if you're new to Iain Banks don't start here. Go with The Bridge, The Wasp Factory, The Crow Road or Consider Phlebas (if you like sci-fi) first.
December 9, 2014
Rape. Ultra-violence. Outdated dystopia. Cold War prophecy gone awry. Cello. Obnoxious Americans. Anti-US Foreign Policy and its crimes. Panama Canal. SCUBA. History lessons. Imaginings of Japan. Hisako Onoda. Fire. Blood.
This is one bloody tale, one of Iain Banks bloodier tales, which is saying a lot, yet it is also a tale with many moments of profound beauty. I found myself surprisingly moved from time to time, both from the emotional connection I found myself developing with Hisako Onoda, the Japanese Cellist deathly afraid of flying but not diving, and from the gorgeous prose Banks conjured out of the most disparate occurrences.
I'm guessing this would be a tough read for some folks, but if you're not triggered by anything I said in the first paragraph, you could just be a candidate for falling in love with this least talked about -- and seriously underrated -- Iain Banks book.
This is one bloody tale, one of Iain Banks bloodier tales, which is saying a lot, yet it is also a tale with many moments of profound beauty. I found myself surprisingly moved from time to time, both from the emotional connection I found myself developing with Hisako Onoda, the Japanese Cellist deathly afraid of flying but not diving, and from the gorgeous prose Banks conjured out of the most disparate occurrences.
I'm guessing this would be a tough read for some folks, but if you're not triggered by anything I said in the first paragraph, you could just be a candidate for falling in love with this least talked about -- and seriously underrated -- Iain Banks book.
March 31, 2009
Another 1 Euro book that I bought because of the cover and because I cannot resist bargain books.
I practically inhaled the first half of this book, marveling at the excellent story-telling and the intelligent writing, happy that I had found such a gem for 1 Euro.
I also inhaled the second half, but only because I wanted to get it over with. The writing was too good to stop reading, but I can't say that I enjoyed it. When the story first turns violent, it's part of the plot. When it becomes more brutal, it's a necessary consequence. This is where it would have been enough for me, but Banks doesn't stop. He loses his plot to indulge in an orgy of blood and violence, interrupted by occasional dream sequences which are probably supposed to make it all okay on an intellectual level. Sorry, didn't work for me. All I could see was someone who really liked to describe killing people. And I really couldn't see what any of this had to do with the excellent beginning and the story that he started telling there.
I practically inhaled the first half of this book, marveling at the excellent story-telling and the intelligent writing, happy that I had found such a gem for 1 Euro.
I also inhaled the second half, but only because I wanted to get it over with. The writing was too good to stop reading, but I can't say that I enjoyed it. When the story first turns violent, it's part of the plot. When it becomes more brutal, it's a necessary consequence. This is where it would have been enough for me, but Banks doesn't stop. He loses his plot to indulge in an orgy of blood and violence, interrupted by occasional dream sequences which are probably supposed to make it all okay on an intellectual level. Sorry, didn't work for me. All I could see was someone who really liked to describe killing people. And I really couldn't see what any of this had to do with the excellent beginning and the story that he started telling there.
November 21, 2017
Iain Banks was taken from us far too soon, but regardless of his untimely passing several years ago, he has left us with quite a substantial body of literature, both his contemporary works such as Canal Dreams, as well as his Culture Science Fiction works. I thought I had read a lot of his books, but I am still wading through them, even after starting with The Wasp Factory back in the very early 1990's. Still several to get through, and that is no bad thing, so will take my time in reading the remaining ones seeing as his genius is no more.
Canal Dreams; imagine a Japanese Woman who is world-wide renowned for her skill at playing the Cello. She has issues (hey, it is a Banks novel), one of those is a great fear of flying. This means to perform in Europe she has to take a boat over the Pacific, via the Panama Canal. Hers and two other ships get stranded at Panama during (I believe) the Noriega crises when rebels tried to take over the country. There is no historical theme explicitly mentioned what the crises was about, but considering the book was published in 1989 it must allude to that, as well as CIA involvement. The novel is quite clichéd in its characterisation of the guerillas who take over the three ships, as well as their yanqui leader (CIA), who want to shoot down an aircraft containing diplomats, who were attempting to find a solution to the crises. Beware: there is a high body count and a rape scene, and for a contemporary novel by Banks was quite shocking. The Cellist and protagonist, Hisako Onoda, ends up getting some interesting methods of revenge however; I mean serious revenge, both for her rape and the murder of the crew of the three ships. Quite a bloody affair really and quite 'feminist' (you know a Cello has a spike at its base to balance it on the floor?)
So, interesting diversion, short novel, it is Iain Banks so a safe bet on the standard of prose and so on. Interestingly, Banks said he was not happy with the book afterwards, and yes, it is nowhere near his best but does contain a certain uniqueness that was his trait in everything I have read. I give it three stars because it could almost be a novella.
Canal Dreams; imagine a Japanese Woman who is world-wide renowned for her skill at playing the Cello. She has issues (hey, it is a Banks novel), one of those is a great fear of flying. This means to perform in Europe she has to take a boat over the Pacific, via the Panama Canal. Hers and two other ships get stranded at Panama during (I believe) the Noriega crises when rebels tried to take over the country. There is no historical theme explicitly mentioned what the crises was about, but considering the book was published in 1989 it must allude to that, as well as CIA involvement. The novel is quite clichéd in its characterisation of the guerillas who take over the three ships, as well as their yanqui leader (CIA), who want to shoot down an aircraft containing diplomats, who were attempting to find a solution to the crises. Beware: there is a high body count and a rape scene, and for a contemporary novel by Banks was quite shocking. The Cellist and protagonist, Hisako Onoda, ends up getting some interesting methods of revenge however; I mean serious revenge, both for her rape and the murder of the crew of the three ships. Quite a bloody affair really and quite 'feminist' (you know a Cello has a spike at its base to balance it on the floor?)
So, interesting diversion, short novel, it is Iain Banks so a safe bet on the standard of prose and so on. Interestingly, Banks said he was not happy with the book afterwards, and yes, it is nowhere near his best but does contain a certain uniqueness that was his trait in everything I have read. I give it three stars because it could almost be a novella.
June 28, 2016
This book was weird. I mean, it had elements that I like in a book generally; like a very well-fleshed out and likable protagonist, a pretty solid, albeit predictable story line, and sublime writing. But something didn't click; something I can't exactly put my finger on.
A symphony cellist braves the consequences of a political nightmare at the Panama Canal, as the ship she is on is attacked by, for lack of a better word, terrorists. Pretty straightforward, right? Right? WRONG! How about you add in some surreal, violent, vivid dreams, some of which leave you with your head in your hands wondering "what the fuck did I just read", and explicit rape? Still not satisfied? Cool, just bring in the Expendables. Except all the Expendables have somehow entered the soul of the cellist, and now she can do anything? Cool, you've got yourself a book.
I have to say though, that the writing was fantastic. It kept me going through all the fuckery, and for that, I have to agree that Banks is a really good writer, and that I have been curious about Wasp Factory for a while now. What an I say, the bizarre attracts me like a moth to a flame.
A symphony cellist braves the consequences of a political nightmare at the Panama Canal, as the ship she is on is attacked by, for lack of a better word, terrorists. Pretty straightforward, right? Right? WRONG! How about you add in some surreal, violent, vivid dreams, some of which leave you with your head in your hands wondering "what the fuck did I just read", and explicit rape? Still not satisfied? Cool, just bring in the Expendables. Except all the Expendables have somehow entered the soul of the cellist, and now she can do anything? Cool, you've got yourself a book.
I have to say though, that the writing was fantastic. It kept me going through all the fuckery, and for that, I have to agree that Banks is a really good writer, and that I have been curious about Wasp Factory for a while now. What an I say, the bizarre attracts me like a moth to a flame.
March 12, 2023
Challenging and often very good book that I feel like I can’t categorise even after finishing. Sound like that could be brilliant and it is often great, but everything does not not blend together all the way and the shocking violence and gore of the last third stops being shocking and becomes tedious quite quickly. Not like much else, well worth a read.
September 26, 2013
Due to her fear of flying, famous Japanese cellist Hisako Onoda opted to travel to Europe by ship for her European debut tour. However, at a stop in Panama, the ship is held up and caught in the middle of a civil war. At first it seems that the delay will be no more than an inconvenience, possibly necessitating the rescheduling of a few concert dates. But the situation rapidly declines, going from bad to worse...
The story is interspersed with surreal and ominous dream sequences, and flashbacks that explore Hisako's (rather unhappy) life, revealing some unexpected dark secrets...
Beautiful language, explicit violence, and philosophical exploration of situations and motivations are all hallmarks of Banks' writing. Nice, subtle use of foreshadowing, too.
Stylistically (& topically) it reminded me quite a bit of J.G. Ballard.
It seems a lot of people (Banks fans) don't really have this as one of their favorites - I'm not sure why. I did think it was a really excellent book.
Banks is one of my favorite current authors (I like both his sf & 'mainstream' fiction), and again, this book did not disappoint.
The story is interspersed with surreal and ominous dream sequences, and flashbacks that explore Hisako's (rather unhappy) life, revealing some unexpected dark secrets...
Beautiful language, explicit violence, and philosophical exploration of situations and motivations are all hallmarks of Banks' writing. Nice, subtle use of foreshadowing, too.
Stylistically (& topically) it reminded me quite a bit of J.G. Ballard.
It seems a lot of people (Banks fans) don't really have this as one of their favorites - I'm not sure why. I did think it was a really excellent book.
Banks is one of my favorite current authors (I like both his sf & 'mainstream' fiction), and again, this book did not disappoint.
December 21, 2016
Iain Banks said this was the worst thing he'd ever written and I'm inclined to agree with him. I thought it was utter crap. Definitely a book published because of who wrote it rather than how good the book is.
2 dimensional characters and a non existent plot.
2 dimensional characters and a non existent plot.
September 13, 2016
This is Banks trying to be Murakami.
He doesn't really pull it off, but it kinda worked.
It's a little weird, a bit confusing at times, and really rather depressing.
Not the sort of thing I usually read, or that I'll want to read again anytime soon, but it's still quite good.
Do not read if you are opposed to violence.
He doesn't really pull it off, but it kinda worked.
It's a little weird, a bit confusing at times, and really rather depressing.
Not the sort of thing I usually read, or that I'll want to read again anytime soon, but it's still quite good.
Do not read if you are opposed to violence.
June 30, 2020
Second read. I really wanted to like it. Banks himself was meh about it. So am I. Damn it.
October 19, 2021
I needed a day to process this book. WHOA! My husband encouraged me to read this book and I'm glad he did. However, the write up on the back jacket is not at ALL what I thought would happen on these pages.
It started out slow and I worried I would have to break my husband's heart. Then, I got into it and I couldn't stop. Hisako Onoda, I don't know what to say about this character, but I haven't seen or read anything like her and I kind of loved that for sure.
Ms Onoda in Part 1 and Part 2
https://th.bing.com/th/id/R.79590e000...
Ms Onoda in Part 3
https://th.bing.com/th/id/R.6af2f0506...
Holy crap, she was a bad ass. I mean dropping the anchor with the man on it was absolutely crazy and my husband said, "I thought you would like that." I did. The story is great. It takes turns. It goes quick. It doesn't get five stars though. It jumps from past, present, dream, and day dream without a smooth transition. It's like a hard edit on a movie and some were difficult to interpret. The Japan past was easy, just not smooth.
And THEN IT ENDED. I mean she survived leaving the lake in a burning oil fire and everyone dead, but then what happened?. Literally, the last line has her make it to shore seeing the destruction. Did she get back to Japan? Did she get to Europe? Did she go back on a boat? Is she pregnant? And what was with the flimsy story of the Japanese guy and the glib statement about her getting an abortion? I just felt like it was thrown in there without a good buildup to why. I figured it was to show that she was pregnant again, but then the story ended. UGHHHH!
But whatever, this book is crazy and awesome and I loved it. Is it weird that I wanted to immediately travel through the Panama Canal knowing my boat could get hijacked and I could get gang raped and tortured or killed? Nah, I didn't think so either. I'm so glad the hubby suggested me to read it and I totally recommend it.
It started out slow and I worried I would have to break my husband's heart. Then, I got into it and I couldn't stop. Hisako Onoda, I don't know what to say about this character, but I haven't seen or read anything like her and I kind of loved that for sure.
Ms Onoda in Part 1 and Part 2
https://th.bing.com/th/id/R.79590e000...
Ms Onoda in Part 3
https://th.bing.com/th/id/R.6af2f0506...
Holy crap, she was a bad ass. I mean dropping the anchor with the man on it was absolutely crazy and my husband said, "I thought you would like that." I did. The story is great. It takes turns. It goes quick. It doesn't get five stars though. It jumps from past, present, dream, and day dream without a smooth transition. It's like a hard edit on a movie and some were difficult to interpret. The Japan past was easy, just not smooth.
And THEN IT ENDED. I mean she survived leaving the lake in a burning oil fire and everyone dead, but then what happened?. Literally, the last line has her make it to shore seeing the destruction. Did she get back to Japan? Did she get to Europe? Did she go back on a boat? Is she pregnant? And what was with the flimsy story of the Japanese guy and the glib statement about her getting an abortion? I just felt like it was thrown in there without a good buildup to why. I figured it was to show that she was pregnant again, but then the story ended. UGHHHH!
But whatever, this book is crazy and awesome and I loved it. Is it weird that I wanted to immediately travel through the Panama Canal knowing my boat could get hijacked and I could get gang raped and tortured or killed? Nah, I didn't think so either. I'm so glad the hubby suggested me to read it and I totally recommend it.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
April 11, 2025
I'm always afraid when I start reading an Iain Banks novel, due to the fact that in it I might find anything from science fiction to psychopathic brothers or bridges that end in infinity; this time I read about a Japanese cellist who would scare Chuck Norris and a story that I enjoyed so much, almost as much as the one about Daniel, the rock star in "Espedair Street". My science fiction reading group keeps pulling super rabbits out of its hat....
Ho sempre paura quando comincio a leggere un romanzo di Iain Banks, perché potrei trovarci di tutto: dalla fantascienza ai fratelli psicopatici, oppure ponti che finiscono nell'infinito; stavolta abbiamo una violoncellista giapponese che metterebbe paura a Chuck Norris ed una storia che mi é piaciuta quasi come quella di Daniel, la rockstar di "Espedair Street". Il mio gruppo di lettura della fantascienza continua a tirare fuori dei super conigli dal suo cilindro....
Ho sempre paura quando comincio a leggere un romanzo di Iain Banks, perché potrei trovarci di tutto: dalla fantascienza ai fratelli psicopatici, oppure ponti che finiscono nell'infinito; stavolta abbiamo una violoncellista giapponese che metterebbe paura a Chuck Norris ed una storia che mi é piaciuta quasi come quella di Daniel, la rockstar di "Espedair Street". Il mio gruppo di lettura della fantascienza continua a tirare fuori dei super conigli dal suo cilindro....
July 11, 2018
More or less tore through it. Brutal and atmospheric with enough variety between the present action and the flashbacks (not to mention the dream sequences and darkly comic moments) to keep me engaged with the linear plot. Still love u Iain
January 11, 2019
A stunning read in which Iain Banks weaves together the violent happenings in the Panama Canal with Hisako Onoda's backstory to bleed information into the narrative at just the right pace to make her incredible behaviour credible.
It's called Canal Dreams. I get it. But I found Onoda's dreams a distraction that didn't add weight to what was a brilliant piece of story-telling.
I haven't read any of the other reviews but it would surprise me if Iain Banks is not accused of misogyny because of the trials that he inflicts on his central character.
Weirdly, there are echoes of Slumdog Millionaire in the way that Onoda absorbs the information that she needs at the climax.
It's called Canal Dreams. I get it. But I found Onoda's dreams a distraction that didn't add weight to what was a brilliant piece of story-telling.
I haven't read any of the other reviews but it would surprise me if Iain Banks is not accused of misogyny because of the trials that he inflicts on his central character.
Weirdly, there are echoes of Slumdog Millionaire in the way that Onoda absorbs the information that she needs at the climax.
December 18, 2018
For any Iain Banks supporters out there, please note as a foreword that I think The Wasp Factory is one of the greatest novels out there - both for writing and story impact. For Canal Dreams however, my best summation would be I couldn't care less!
Iain Banks is a good writer, which is still a given here. However I have a number of issues with this book that I will happily share the blame on, with my failing energy and commitment as a reader (Christmas is a sniff of Bailey's away and I'm currently lacking sleep!).
1. The politics - I do not know enough about the issues surrounding Panama at this time. I don't even know what time/decade we're looking at here, but could give a rough guess given the timescales from Hiroshima and Nagasaki. It would have been nice to have more background information about the US invasion to overthrow dictatorship (circa 1989 - this is what I'm assuming was going on) to provide more of a feel for both parties and ultimately the reason the boats were hijacked.
2. From above the plot - happy lovers, to semi-serious guerrillas, to all out rape and war fare...women who can't get on a plane goes on a John McClane solo mission. WTF!
3. Hisako - I felt this character was bordering on vacant, despite Banks' efforts to provide a back story. I'm not sure what went wrong here (could be me), but I just couldn't connect. Her history was so random...once again mediocre mixed with high violence...and yet also with no real emotion or detail, that by the time she really needed my sympathy, I didn't care.
I'm sure there was meant to be some underlying deep connection between a women's inner struggles to identify herself through her love of father, relationships, mother...and the end situation forcing her into a position of controlling a solo destiny despite/with her history, but...(can you read the utter b***s*** in those lines)...I'm just glad I finished it.
Iain Banks is a good writer, which is still a given here. However I have a number of issues with this book that I will happily share the blame on, with my failing energy and commitment as a reader (Christmas is a sniff of Bailey's away and I'm currently lacking sleep!).
1. The politics - I do not know enough about the issues surrounding Panama at this time. I don't even know what time/decade we're looking at here, but could give a rough guess given the timescales from Hiroshima and Nagasaki. It would have been nice to have more background information about the US invasion to overthrow dictatorship (circa 1989 - this is what I'm assuming was going on) to provide more of a feel for both parties and ultimately the reason the boats were hijacked.
2. From above the plot - happy lovers, to semi-serious guerrillas, to all out rape and war fare...women who can't get on a plane goes on a John McClane solo mission. WTF!
3. Hisako - I felt this character was bordering on vacant, despite Banks' efforts to provide a back story. I'm not sure what went wrong here (could be me), but I just couldn't connect. Her history was so random...once again mediocre mixed with high violence...and yet also with no real emotion or detail, that by the time she really needed my sympathy, I didn't care.
I'm sure there was meant to be some underlying deep connection between a women's inner struggles to identify herself through her love of father, relationships, mother...and the end situation forcing her into a position of controlling a solo destiny despite/with her history, but...(can you read the utter b***s*** in those lines)...I'm just glad I finished it.
August 27, 2023
All good things must come to an end, and my brief fling with the notion that Iain Banks can do no wrong has sadly come to pass.
While some of this book was exciting and nicely written, it was - on the whole - a little bit batshit and extremely hard to follow.
The premise is a Japanese cellist who gets caught up in a terrorist plot in the Panama Canal to kickstart a revolution in the country.
But it never really goes into why, or for what reason, so large amounts of the book are just about her growing up and becoming a cellist, before some random story about her killing a policeman at a riot is added in for good measure.
If there was some overarching theme to all this, I have no clue what it is, and I probably wouldn’t recommend it unless you want something relatively quick to power through.
While some of this book was exciting and nicely written, it was - on the whole - a little bit batshit and extremely hard to follow.
The premise is a Japanese cellist who gets caught up in a terrorist plot in the Panama Canal to kickstart a revolution in the country.
But it never really goes into why, or for what reason, so large amounts of the book are just about her growing up and becoming a cellist, before some random story about her killing a policeman at a riot is added in for good measure.
If there was some overarching theme to all this, I have no clue what it is, and I probably wouldn’t recommend it unless you want something relatively quick to power through.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
February 15, 2015
So, my penultimate read in the complete works of Iain (M) Banks, and his self-professed "runt of the litter", I really wasn't expecting that much from this book and it's probably for that reason i quite enjoyed it. My only real problem with the book was that he spent far too much time describing dreams, I just don't know why authors do that so much, it's really boring and it has nothing to do with the story. With only Whit left to read now, i'm of the firm opinion that A Song Of Stone should definitely be considered the runt.
July 16, 2014
Hisako Onoda: Cello Ninja.
In the first half of the book, celebrated cellist Hisako whiles away her days diving, dining and fooling about with her toyboy while her ship is stuck in the Panama Canal due to US-Panamanian tensions. In the second half. she turns into Lady Vengeance. Great writing, awesome character, it was just that both halves seemed to drag on a bit too long.
In the first half of the book, celebrated cellist Hisako whiles away her days diving, dining and fooling about with her toyboy while her ship is stuck in the Panama Canal due to US-Panamanian tensions. In the second half. she turns into Lady Vengeance. Great writing, awesome character, it was just that both halves seemed to drag on a bit too long.
November 26, 2016
Started off promising, but the author took fiction to a new extreme. How a person who is part of an orchestra at the start of a book and then transcends into a one person army is beyond me. The author probably had a great time writing this. But not my cup of tea. I like my fantasy to have a bit of reality in it.
September 6, 2018
Part 1 Boring, perhaps meant to be boring to convey the boredom of being marooned.
Part 2. A bit more interesting.
Part 3. Codswallop. Banks has seen too many American garbage movies. Cellist to one man SAS platoon? Just a bit far-fetched for me.
Dream On.
Won't worry about reading anything more by Iain Banks.
Part 2. A bit more interesting.
Part 3. Codswallop. Banks has seen too many American garbage movies. Cellist to one man SAS platoon? Just a bit far-fetched for me.
Dream On.
Won't worry about reading anything more by Iain Banks.
February 16, 2014
don't mess with a cellist
November 30, 2024
Познакомиться с Бэнксом я хотела давно и думала, что первой книгой у него, которую я прочту, будет «Осиная фабрика». Но мой читательский путь сложился иначе по велению книжного клуба, в котором я состою. Честно, дальше продолжать знакомство с автором хочется, так как из отзывов и мнений я поняла, что это не самое знаковое произведение Бэнкса. Этот триллер показался мне немного скомканным, но интересным. Наверное, это не совсем мой жанр, хотя перчинки Бэнкс добавлять умеет и было увлекательно следить за развитием и ростом героев, хотя, когда началось кровавое месиво из раздора и убийств, то уже хотелось, чтобы эта жестокость просто быстрее закончилась.
Сюжет: 44 летняя талантливая японская виолончелистка Хисако Онода панически боится летать на самолетах и выбирает передвижение на морском судне, чтобы выступить перед почитателями ее творчества в Америке. Судно застревает в Панамском канале, Хисако репетирует на виолончели, погружается с аквалангом, находит себе любовника. Но в какой-то момент эта размеренная зависшая и заторможенная жизнь заканчивается, судно захватывают террористы и пассажиры начинают бороться за свое выживание.
Повествование нелинейное, Бэнкс описывает прошлое Хисако, ее учебу, потом повествование резко переключается в настоящее (захват террористами судна), а еще все это перемежается со снами Хисако (один раз я пошла спать после того, как прочла сон Хисако, и мне тоже приснились отрубленные конечности, которые складывали в мешок, так что осторожнее с этим текстом). Абзацы с разными событиями сменяют друг друга и в самом начале я долго привыкала к таким резким скачкам.
Из-за нелинейности повествования создается хаос и ориентироваться в нем бывает трудно, если вы не следите за деталями. Сам текст тяжелый из-за описанной жестокости, из-за насилия, из-за подробного описания захвата судна террористами. Мне была интересна линия Хисако, ее становление как музыканта. Линия, где Хисако решает, что ей нужно защитить всех и вся, сходит с ума и начинает всех кромсать как Рембо, - для меня спорная. Происходит взрыв, брошенная «политическая» граната срабатывает и начинается полнейший хаос.
Грезы о прежней жизни, грезы о всемирной славе, грезы о выживании, грезы-грезы-грезы-грезы. У каждого пассажира захваченного судна они свои. Хоть объем книги и не очень большой (порядка 300 страниц в издании 2005 года), но она очень богата на события и описания, текст очень плотный и порой даже удушливый.
Часть, где начинается откровенная резня, мне не очень зашла. Но нужно отдать дань тому, что это триллер, еще и с политической повесткой, поэтому я не придираюсь к этой части. Динамично, интересно, местами не мое, но как итог: хорошее знакомство, которое хочется продолжить.
Сюжет: 44 летняя талантливая японская виолончелистка Хисако Онода панически боится летать на самолетах и выбирает передвижение на морском судне, чтобы выступить перед почитателями ее творчества в Америке. Судно застревает в Панамском канале, Хисако репетирует на виолончели, погружается с аквалангом, находит себе любовника. Но в какой-то момент эта размеренная зависшая и заторможенная жизнь заканчивается, судно захватывают террористы и пассажиры начинают бороться за свое выживание.
Повествование нелинейное, Бэнкс описывает прошлое Хисако, ее учебу, потом повествование резко переключается в настоящее (захват террористами судна), а еще все это перемежается со снами Хисако (один раз я пошла спать после того, как прочла сон Хисако, и мне тоже приснились отрубленные конечности, которые складывали в мешок, так что осторожнее с этим текстом). Абзацы с разными событиями сменяют друг друга и в самом начале я долго привыкала к таким резким скачкам.
Из-за нелинейности повествования создается хаос и ориентироваться в нем бывает трудно, если вы не следите за деталями. Сам текст тяжелый из-за описанной жестокости, из-за насилия, из-за подробного описания захвата судна террористами. Мне была интересна линия Хисако, ее становление как музыканта. Линия, где Хисако решает, что ей нужно защитить всех и вся, сходит с ума и начинает всех кромсать как Рембо, - для меня спорная. Происходит взрыв, брошенная «политическая» граната срабатывает и начинается полнейший хаос.
Грезы о прежней жизни, грезы о всемирной славе, грезы о выживании, грезы-грезы-грезы-грезы. У каждого пассажира захваченного судна они свои. Хоть объем книги и не очень большой (порядка 300 страниц в издании 2005 года), но она очень богата на события и описания, текст очень плотный и порой даже удушливый.
Часть, где начинается откровенная резня, мне не очень зашла. Но нужно отдать дань тому, что это триллер, еще и с политической повесткой, поэтому я не придираюсь к этой части. Динамично, интересно, местами не мое, но как итог: хорошее знакомство, которое хочется продолжить.
June 29, 2023
solid three. Would I recommend it... probably not. I did find it interesting, but a little boring compared to some of Iain Banks' other work. I was impressed by his ability to write from a woman's perspective in a way that wasn't annoying. I think this is th 5th book I've read this year that has boats and complicated boat terminology in it so again I had no idea where she was towards the end when she's hiding and moving starboard blah blah blah. Include a boat diagram please because I am so confused and I dont want to have to look up boat labels every 5 pages, make it accessible to the non-boating girlies, sorry i'm not rich and own a boat.
October 18, 2024
'...The brown slick of oil, the great dumped flat platelet she'd spread over the waters, was a kind of blood. Blood of the planet, blood of the human world. The oil-blood greased the world machine; the blood-oil carried energy to the workings of the states and systems. It welled and was pulled out, bled to the surface, was transfused and transported.'
Christ, this was even darker than I expected. By the end there is not a shred of hope or goodness left, and Banks makes sure you know who is to blame.
Never thought I'd say it, but this needs a film adaptation.
Christ, this was even darker than I expected. By the end there is not a shred of hope or goodness left, and Banks makes sure you know who is to blame.
Never thought I'd say it, but this needs a film adaptation.
August 31, 2025
I didn't get on with this at all. The canal was fine but I wasn't interested in the dreams at all. The book gets less interesting the more violent it gets. You'd also think that even back in the 80s Banks might have thought better of making Japanese accent 'jokes'. Maybe that's one of the reasons he thought it was his worst book.
December 11, 2021
The man was a genius.
March 27, 2023
Gratuitous, superfluous and esoteric, yet the effectiveness and power with which banks writes somewhat makes up for this. An effectively shaped protagonist and an entertaining yet predictable story with some interesting themes.
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