The Wasp Factory in Pick-a-Shelf

Mar 28, 2011 Tien rated it liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: read-on-kobo, ireland

After The Crow Road and based on this book’s description, I should know that there’s going to be some convoluted conspiracy and absolutely mind-blowing craziness in this book but still… I was caught by surprise and even felt physically sick at one point of the story. I may be a little sensitive or maybe too imaginative! Iain Banks certainly have got ‘horror’ down pat; I’ve never felt so horrified in most of my readings. I may have dwelled too much on that one incident that the twist at the end s ...more

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Mar 24, 2018 Rebekah rated it it was ok

Shelves: e-book, genre-classics, genre-contemporary, genre-thriller, genre-literature, genre-novels, genre-mystery, genre-horror, 1001-import, genre-fiction

I am sure there is supposed to be some point to this book, some reason why it is listed in the "1001 books to read before you die," considered a classic of literature, etc, but I didn't really see it.

I think the points it was trying to make are:
1) Post WWII society - everyone is violent, rotting, and traumatized. Is Frank really the sociopath or is it post modern society? One of the murders of an innocent young boy is literally caused by the trash leftover from WWII.

2) Toxic masculinity with wei ...more

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Apr 07, 2022 Bea rated it it was ok

This book was read for a gothic challenge...and, it certainly is dark and horrific. Even though I have read gothic works that I liked, this was not one of them.

I never connected to the protagonist other than to guess the birth gender. None of the elements described in the story were scary to me. No, each was just a horrific insight into a disturbed mind...not an element that led to a desire to keep reading at all.

There are better gothic stories out there. There are better horror stories out the ...more

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Dec 12, 2013 Nicole rated it did not like it

Shelves: 2013, didn-t-finish

I made it through the first pages where he was talking about his collection of animal skulls he used to make "sacrifice polls" and his both that set dogs on fire. But when he started blowing up bunnies on page 35 I gave up. So not for me. ...more

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Jun 07, 2009 Sunflower rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: fiction-read-2009

Frank Cauldhane will never be the poster child for home schooling. And they thought his brother was crazy? This book is dark, bizarre, and must be the product of an interesting mind-something like Lord of the Flies meets Running with Scissors.

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Jan 14, 2017 Catsalive rated it it was ok

Shelves: 2005

http://www.bookcrossing.com/journal/2... ...more

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Apr 13, 2021 Joanna rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: 1001, pas-trim-2021, 2021-read, rws-2021-spring

Absolutely one of the weirdest books I've read. This book is a window into the crazy mind of a young psychopath. Trigger warnings galore here--creepy descriptions of violence toward people and animals, crazy thoughts, and lots of uncomfortable moments. Yet fascinating. I couldn't look away even as I found the book disturbing and not exactly enjoyable.

The ending didn't work for me and seemed forced somehow. ...more

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Apr 22, 2011 Lindsay added it

Shelves: fiction, 1001, uk, z2011

A disturbing, but at the same time engrossing book. His obvious madness was made more fearsome by his absolute denial of it, and also the way his insanity followed patterns, and it's own terrible logic. ...more

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Jul 25, 2016 Kristina rated it it was ok

Shelves: did-not-finish, fiction, fiction-mystery, eo-mental-health, read-in-2016, eo-disturbing, fiction-contemporary, fiction-literary, fiction-speculative, fiction-thriller

I just stopped reading it. I put it down and I just don't have enough desire to pick it back up. It's okay, not gripping me. I'm pretty sure I see where it's going, and though I'm curious to know what's in the rest, not enough to keep reading. ...more

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