MORVERN CALLAR
13 journalers for this copy...
Part of a job-lot of books I bought on ebay for release. This one doesn't look to be my 'cup of tea' but hopefully another reader will find and enjoy this novel.
From Booklist...
'Warner, one of the new "Scottish beat" writers like Irvine Welsh (Trainspotting), forcefully evokes the dreary life in a northern Scotland port town of Morvern Callar, whose name means "quieter silence" in Scottish. The book opens with Morvern's discovery of her boyfriend's body: a suicide on Christmas Eve. She opens her gifts, goes to her despised supermarket job, and pub hops that night. Unexpected reactions are Morvern's trademark and make her story fascinating. Directionless and disgusted at home, she uses money unexpectedly inherited from her boyfriend to return to the Mediterranean rave scene she had discovered on a trip to "Youth Med." In the end, she returns broke and still sullen. This may be the first novel with a soundtrack: Morvern acknowledges the songs she listens to on her Walkman while moving through the actions of the narrative. The sound of her strong voice telling this wild adventure may play through readers' heads long after they have put down this book.'
From Booklist...
'Warner, one of the new "Scottish beat" writers like Irvine Welsh (Trainspotting), forcefully evokes the dreary life in a northern Scotland port town of Morvern Callar, whose name means "quieter silence" in Scottish. The book opens with Morvern's discovery of her boyfriend's body: a suicide on Christmas Eve. She opens her gifts, goes to her despised supermarket job, and pub hops that night. Unexpected reactions are Morvern's trademark and make her story fascinating. Directionless and disgusted at home, she uses money unexpectedly inherited from her boyfriend to return to the Mediterranean rave scene she had discovered on a trip to "Youth Med." In the end, she returns broke and still sullen. This may be the first novel with a soundtrack: Morvern acknowledges the songs she listens to on her Walkman while moving through the actions of the narrative. The sound of her strong voice telling this wild adventure may play through readers' heads long after they have put down this book.'
Sending to iiwi as a wishlist RABCK.Enjoy!
received! Tnxs so much and happy new year.
I'm off to the sea for the weekend, and taking this book with me to read.
Oh, we remember the ninetees, with the E and the raves and clubbing forever. We all felt so connected while dancing for days, sharing the E and 2ct7, tripping away in the darkness, surrounded by lasers and acid-house. But in the end, when the tab was brought, we all had to pay our own share, and while you blink your eyelids in the hard tl-light, suddenly there is no-one left to catch you while you fall in the deepest darkness you know. But then again, you made the promise to go on till the money is gone.
This last sentence brings us to Morvern Callar, who made such a promise with her best friend Lanna, and does so, without remorse, without any introspection, bored to her toes with more or less anything she does. The writing, which seems monotone and dull, describing for like 8 pages Morvern sunbading on the beach in Ibiza, makes me feel her, and in a way in the end even liking her, wanting to read more of her.
28/8
It is true, you, I, keep thinking about her. What I suddenly recognized is that Morvern does grow, becomes more adult, despite she keeps on raving. In the end she looks the same as she was in the beginning of the novel, but she isn't. She did find something in Spain.
This last sentence brings us to Morvern Callar, who made such a promise with her best friend Lanna, and does so, without remorse, without any introspection, bored to her toes with more or less anything she does. The writing, which seems monotone and dull, describing for like 8 pages Morvern sunbading on the beach in Ibiza, makes me feel her, and in a way in the end even liking her, wanting to read more of her.
28/8
It is true, you, I, keep thinking about her. What I suddenly recognized is that Morvern does grow, becomes more adult, despite she keeps on raving. In the end she looks the same as she was in the beginning of the novel, but she isn't. She did find something in Spain.
It will become a international ray!
Participants:
mafarrimond (UK)
pinkydinky (UK)
emgeeNL (NL /Eu)
fifna (NL / EU)
Yellow-sun (NL/ Eu)
Mraianita (Por)
franaloe (NL / Eu)
kingfan30 (UK / Eu)
Jozebedee (UK)
AliceF (UK / UK)
shovelmonkey1 (UK int)
elissamay (US / US)
LaRue (US/ Int)
...
Participants:
mafarrimond (UK)
pinkydinky (UK)
emgeeNL (NL /Eu)
fifna (NL / EU)
Yellow-sun (NL/ Eu)
Mraianita (Por)
franaloe (NL / Eu)
kingfan30 (UK / Eu)
Jozebedee (UK)
AliceF (UK / UK)
shovelmonkey1 (UK int)
elissamay (US / US)
LaRue (US/ Int)
...
Received in the post today. Will read and send on.
CONTROLLED RELEASE NOTES:
Found the book a little difficult to get into but once I did, I couldn't stop. Posting on to pinkydinky
Found the book a little difficult to get into but once I did, I couldn't stop. Posting on to pinkydinky
Arrived in the post today. Will put on top of MTBR. Thanks for sending mafarrimond and thanks for sharing iiwi.
Really enjoyed this. Want to know what happens to her after the end of the book which is always a good sign. Her reactions to situations at the beginning of the book are odd in the extreme. As the book progresses you realise that you are travelling with her as she matures into adulthood.
Have the address for the next on the list and will post tomorrow. Thanks
for sharing.
Have the address for the next on the list and will post tomorrow. Thanks
for sharing.
Journal Entry 12 by EmgeeNL from Rotterdam, Zuid-Holland Netherlands on Wednesday, September 23, 2009
The book arrived today. It's going on my TBR for now.
I'm not quite sure what to make of this book.
I'm not quite sure what to make of this book.
Released 14 yrs ago (10/6/2009 UTC) at
CONTROLLED RELEASE NOTES:
CONTROLLED RELEASE NOTES:
The book is on it's way to the next reader
The book is on it's way to the next reader
Received today, thanks EmgeeNL!
Journal Entry 15 by 
Fifna
from Tampere, Pirkanmaa / Birkaland Finland on Saturday, November 14, 2009
Fifna from Tampere, Pirkanmaa / Birkaland Finland on Saturday, November 14, 2009
So here's a weird coincidence: this is the third book in the space of just over a year that I've read in which somebody disposes of a body in this way. What does that say about me I wonder? Anyway, this is the kind of book that sticks with you for a while. Somehow or other, the sheer monotony manages to be interesting. And I liked the language: I'm originally from Scotland (albeit the south of Scotland) so many of the expressions were familiar to me. The ending in particular made me want to know what happens next. What will she find on her return. Will everything have changed beyond recognition? My Dad always says you can't go back to places, because they are just not the same.
Fascinating story. Thank you for sharing, iiwi. Sorry it took me a bit longer than necessary to finish. I left it at the office by mistake and then was off sick for two weeks.
I will contact yellow-sun to arrange a handover.
Fascinating story. Thank you for sharing, iiwi. Sorry it took me a bit longer than necessary to finish. I left it at the office by mistake and then was off sick for two weeks.
I will contact yellow-sun to arrange a handover.
CONTROLLED RELEASE NOTES:
Sent to yellow-sun.
Sent to yellow-sun.
Will read it before the new year and pass it on in 2010 (to be sure it does not get lost in the Christmas mail)
CAUGHT IN THE HAGUE ZUID-HOLLAND NETHERLANDS
CAUGHT IN THE HAGUE ZUID-HOLLAND NETHERLANDS
The post above was from me, I'll send the book on to the next person soon.
Overall I liked it, mainly because some scenes were described in a very good way, such as the midnight acid swimming, beautiful. But the storyline was not too great in my opinion, I did not like the overall vagueness.
Overall I liked it, mainly because some scenes were described in a very good way, such as the midnight acid swimming, beautiful. But the storyline was not too great in my opinion, I did not like the overall vagueness.
Found the book (together with 5 others...) waiting for me after returning from holidays...however, will read this asap, of course!
Nice book. The tone and type of the book reminded me of Irvine Welsh at some times. Also, I love the accent.
So's I'm now sending Morvern off raving at kingfan30's. Thanks for sharing iiwi!
So's I'm now sending Morvern off raving at kingfan30's. Thanks for sharing iiwi!
Journal Entry 21 by kingfan30 from Somewhere in Lincs 🤷♂️, Lincolnshire United Kingdom on Tuesday, March 16, 2010
book arrived safe and sound, thanks for including me, looks like an interesting read.
28 March 10 - Took me a chapter to get used to the way this was written, but once I did I enjoyed it. Some of the words were new to me being of local dialect, but I managed to work out what most of them meant. For some reason, it bought to mind American psycho with the OCD side to her (the music and the reference to lighting her Silk Cuts with her goldish lighter). Like other readers I was also left wanting to find out what happened to her on her return.
Jozebedee has asked to be skipped, like me she signed up for two rays for this, but the other one got to her first!
28 March 10 - Took me a chapter to get used to the way this was written, but once I did I enjoyed it. Some of the words were new to me being of local dialect, but I managed to work out what most of them meant. For some reason, it bought to mind American psycho with the OCD side to her (the music and the reference to lighting her Silk Cuts with her goldish lighter). Like other readers I was also left wanting to find out what happened to her on her return.
Jozebedee has asked to be skipped, like me she signed up for two rays for this, but the other one got to her first!
Released 14 yrs ago (3/29/2010 UTC) at Coventry, West Midlands United Kingdom
CONTROLLED RELEASE NOTES:
CONTROLLED RELEASE NOTES:
On its way to AliceF
For those that wanted to know what happened next I have just found out that there is a book that continues the story of Morvern - These Demented Lands, one for the wish list I feel.
On its way to AliceF
For those that wanted to know what happened next I have just found out that there is a book that continues the story of Morvern - These Demented Lands, one for the wish list I feel.
Journal Entry 23 by ARTurner from Coventry, West Midlands United Kingdom on Wednesday, March 31, 2010
Gratefully received by post today... the second of two ring books on my bedside table, so please bear with me a little.
Journal Entry 24 by ARTurner from Coventry, West Midlands United Kingdom on Wednesday, April 28, 2010
Finally finished this yesterday... lovely book (though yes, that is a strange word for it), but I struggled to enjoy/endure the minutiae of the style towards the end, which dragged somewhat.
Strange to read a book in which the narrator does not reveal her thoughts, only her actions.
Strange to read a book in which the narrator does not reveal her thoughts, only her actions.
Arrived safely through the bookring. Thanks!
Found this to be an odd mix of Clockwork Orange, Trainspotting, and Push by Sapphire... not quite my cup of tea (and I'm willing to fight over whether it deserves to be in the 1001 to be read before death :). In the mail to the next reader as of this morning.
Just received in today's mail, thanks!
I loved this novel. Morvern is so fully realized as are the characters in her life. Highly recommended.
This waas requested on paperbackswap.com
