I really enjoyed the first of Alexander McCall Smith’s 44 Scotland Street novels, and so was really looking forward to reading this. However, I didn’t quite enjoy this one as much.On the plus side, I really love the drama of the Pollock family. Poor Bertie has now started at Steiner’s school-where his classmates have names like Tofu and Hiawatha-but longs to be a ‘normal’ boy and go to a school with a blazer and rugby. His unhappiness ultimately impacts his father, Stuart, who admires Irene but is finally tired of her violence surrounding ‘the Bertie project’ and takes a stand.There’s also the addition of a couple of other colourful characters. Dr Fairbrain, Bertie’s psychiatrist is given more room to breathe, and reveals himself not to be so perfect. Then there’s Ramsey Dunbartan, who popped up in 44 Scotland Street at the Conservative ball, who is seen here reading his memoirs to his long-suffering wife Betty; which reveals him to be slightly hypocritical.However, some things irked me this time round than they did in 44 Scotland Street. For instance, the mention of philosophy seemed a little hamfisted; we gather from one discussion that Big Lou is intelligent, we don’t need her to discuss philosophy all the time to grasp that. Additionally, Domenica McDonald seemed sometimes just to stand on a soapbox for an entire chapter which got irritating as well. I was also a little annoyed that Bruce, who was fired from his job at the end of 44 Scotland Street, despite two major mishaps and being reprimanded by Pat, still gets lucky with life.On the whole however, McCall Smith’s novel is still laugh out loud funny and it’s characters are varied and fun. I think I might just have a look at Love Over Scotland to see what happens next, especially for Bertie.
Warning: Partial spoilers, at least hints of what happens in the book. Reading this book without having read the first book (44 Scotland Street) would be an exercise in frustration as it really does continue the story of people who live and work in and around 44 Scotland St. Again, it's just the lives of people, so no real plot line. This second book in the series got me settled into the characters and fleshed out their personalities. McCall Smith has a real talent for weaving the lives of various characters together in an interesting way (same thing he has done in The #1 Ladies Detective Agency series).Quotes:"...joy unshared was a halved emotion, just as sadness and loss, when borne alone, were often doubled." (p. 329)"...what tradition was doing all along was affirming community and the sense that we are members one of one another." (p. 341)Possible spoilers follow:Some surprises — Matthew's father, Bruce's wine shop, Stuart's getting a backbone and Irene softening. Domenica gives a good soliloquay on the civilizing, community-building nature of tradition beginning about p. 340. Lots left hanging for the next book — what will Bruce actually do, where will Pat live, will Domenica actually go on her anthropological adventure with pirates, how will Matthew change after his windfall, will Irene actually change how she mothers Bertie and will Stuart really man-up, will Stuart's possession of the stolen car bring trouble, what happens to Dr. Fairairn now that his hitting of Wee Fraser has been outed and he slugged him again (broke his jaw after Wee Fraser head-butted him on the bus when Dr. Fairbairn accidentally jostled him), what will happen with Lou and the chef? Some weak points — Pat's agreeing to go to the nudist picnic — really?
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This book was better than "44 Scotland Street," the first book in the series. I laughed out loud at some of the scenes, and am probably hooked until I read the last one in this series. My favorite parts are those that deal with Bertie, a very gifted 6-year-old and his family. His attempts to lead a normal life, despite a pushy and "enlightened" mother provide poignancy as well as comedy. There is one episode in which his psychotherapist says 'chow' (the dog) and Bertie mistakes it for 'ciao' (the Italian greeting). Another funny part depicts nudists in Scotland, who despite their naturist tendencies, are often found wearing rain coats over nothing at all. Alexander McCall Smith is a brilliant and entertaining author.
—Susan
In der 44 Scotland Street haben sich interessante Charaktere unter einem Dach zusammengefunden. Die weitgereiste Domenica, die der in Liebesdingen unsicheren Pat gerne Ratschläge erteilt, der unsympathische Narzisst und Weinkenner Bruce, der sechsjährige Bertie, der für sein Alter schon viel zu weit ist und der unter seiner ehrgeizigen Mutter, seinem durchsetzungsschwachen Vater und dem Psychologen Dr. Fairbairn zu leiden hat. Der Autor sieht genau hin, wenn es um die Stärken und Schwächen seiner Mitmenschen geht und so hat er Charaktere geschaffen, die der Gesellschaft einen Spiegel vorhalten. Das Buch erschien Kapitel für Kaptel täglich in der schottischen Zeitung ‚The Scotsman‘ und eignet sich durch die kleinen Lesehäppchen besonders auch für Menschen, die einen Begleiter für den Weg zur Arbeit oder für zwischendurch suchen. Es ist allerdings schwierig, das Buch aus der Hand zu legen, sobald man sich eingelesen hat. Mich konnten die Geschichten immer wieder zum Schmunzeln bringen und überraschen. Die Illustrationen und die Karte der Innenstadt Edinburghs lockern das Buch auf. Warum man vielleicht zu diesem Buch greifen sollte:1. Wenn man feinsinnigen Humor schätzt2. Wenn man in Edinburgh verliebt ist3. Wenn man kurze Kapitel von vier – sechs Seiten magFazit: Wer intelligente Unterhaltung schätzt, wird dieses Buch lieben.
—Cassandra
This serialized novel tells of several people living in flats at 44 Scotland Street in Edinburgh. The stories of their lives are quietly funny and occasionally absurd. What they always are is true. They are not caricatures of people but real people with foibles and virtues. Bruce deserves a comeuppance but in real life people don't always get what they deserve and the rest of us have to decide whether to be generous or small about it. His characters do this as they discuss moral issues, the wine trade, art gallery affairs, and the Bertie project. Bertie is a six-year-old with an appalling mother who is trying to make him gender neutral and a father who is beginning to think it's a bad idea. I love these characters and McCall Smith's gentle telling of their lives.
—Sue
