Source and activity 5: Reviews
Reaction to the book
Scene from film
adaptation of 'A twelvemonth and a day'.
The following are reviews of Christopher Rush's book 'A twelvemonth and a day':
'With its bible-size characters, its tall and grisly tales of
storms and wrecks, whales and sharks, witches and fetches,
drownings and exhumations, it does convey a sense of that
fatalistic awe which the sea inspired in those deeply devout
fishing communities'.
— 'Times Literary Supplement'.
'Christopher Rush's book is a magical memory of childhood. His
story is powerful, vivid, evocative, funny, awesome, loving and so
assured in its writing it catches the breath … he can match words
with anybody who has tried to write about Scotland.'
— 'The Herald'.
'This beautifully written book is further evidence of Rush's
abundant literary talent. In the space of a few years he has
emerged as one of Scotland's most eloquent new voices, a man with a
forceful verbal presence and an artisitc flair. Here he has risen
to the challenge of his material and shown that whereas death in
the community is inevitable, the death of a community is a cause
for profound concern'.
— 'The Scotsman'.
'A vivid child's eye portrayal of communal existence, the kind
of memoir which thousands of people are always trying and failing
to write … His rich chronicle will be enjoyed well outside East
Fife.'
— 'The Guardian'.
Questions for discussion
- Read the reviews again. What are your expecations of the book after having read these? Think about what expectations other readers might have if they've not read the book.
- Watch the video again. What impressions do you get from the author of the kind of story he was trying to tell? Does it match what the reviewers think? Do you think he's sentimental or does he take a more practical view? How might this have affected his writing?
- Looking at the reviews above, what type of reader might this book appeal to? Why?
- Try writing your own review of a favourite or least-liked book. There are many places you can do this online. Amazon.co.uk is a good place for posting book reviews.
Literacy and English experiences and outcomes: LIT4-07a; LIT 4-08a; LIT 4-09a; LIT 4-11a; LIT 4-14a; ENG 4-17a; ENG 4-19a.
Themes in focus — Christopher Rush