London Fields

Great, I think...

I was totally drawn in with this book, swept away, mesmerised with the characters. I loved the story, the people, I laughed, I shook my head, I couldn't have stopped listening for anything. But I got to the end and thought, I haven't a clue what that was all about. Yet I loved it.

It's one, I think, that you've got to concentrate on. Amis is incredibly witty and clever, and I kind of felt like I was peeking in the head of a VERY clever man. If you've read any Clive James, it's a similar style.

However, if a narrator can make or break a book, as they so often do, this narrator is superb! He brings everyone to life, not just, 'yeah, i can imagine that,' but fully to life so you feel as though you'd recognise them if they walked past you on the street or spoke to you in a pub.

The other impression I got is one of confusion, not over the writing, certainly not over the writing, but over the characters. I felt as though I should hate the people in this. Some of them are truly awful, but I couldn't wait for them to come back into the story, and I liked spending time with them, which felt odd and uncomfortable but safely uncomfortable, if that makes sense.

I wouldn't recommend this as a story to dip in and out of in short bursts, but if you're going on a long trip or have a chunk of time to dedicate uninterrupted, then go for it!

8 of 8 people found this review helpful

I am struggling with this

I'm on part two so I'm about 9 hours in. Is it alright if I tell you I don't really know what is happening apart from a bloke who is writing a book about what is going on around him supported by a bunch of odd-bods who are providing the real life plot? It is a bit seedy. There is stuff about darts in it, that much I know.

Is it alright if I say this is Steven Pacey but not as we know him so be careful and whatever you do don't be put off this narrator? He is using an American accent on this one. I love this man and often seek him out on here.

And...Is it alright to say I bought this because my bookshelf (rarely used these days thanks to Audible) is a bit snobby and I sometimes like to pretend that I'm all cerebral and clever? I thought it was time for a classic author.

But, we trust each other on here and I have to tell you that this one is quite a trawl. I've just bought three more audio books so that I can leave this one for something more gripping and come back to it. I'll see it through and I do sort of wonder if the woman who has chosen to be murdered on her birthday really means it and indeed if the completely weird bloke she has chosen to do it even knows what she is all about. If you are doing this because you want to familiarise yourself with Martin Amis then go no further than the Zone of Interest which I also bought because of my book-snobbery but have now listened to twice. That one is truly moving. I also read Times Arrow on real paper once and loved that.

Oh, I just looked up the spelling of the word weird which keeps being auto corrected. Apparently the oxford English changed it to an I before E spelling in 2009.

I must go and be an un-snob because I have book one of Logan McRae and can't wait to get started on it...

2 of 2 people found this review helpful

Making Darts Interesting

Steven Pacey's reading of this novel is superb. It enabled me to get into a novel which I would otherwise have found challenging. His interpretation brings a collection of sad and shady characters to life and is very entertaining. By the end, I felt very involved and sorry to be leaving this bizarre and unsafe world.

1 of 1 people found this review helpful

Long and fundamentally not much happens

What disappointed you about London Fields?

It could be because I am stupid but I feel like I just wasted 20+ hours listening to a story that could have taken at least half that. To be fair, I made it to the end and I enjoyed the character of Keith but beyond that I predicted the end almost immediately and struggled to be gripped by the story..... I basically don't really get it. Why am I missing?

What aspect of Steven Pacey’s performance might you have changed?

Overall I liked the narrator - he was good and couldn't be faulted

What reaction did this book spark in you? Anger, sadness, disappointment?

Disappointed - Just didn't feel like a climax or any kind of tension that others have described.. felt like I could have predicted this from the start

1 of 1 people found this review helpful

Brilliant, should be qualified though

This is the book that got me hooked on Amis in the first place and is my second favourite by him (after Time's Arrow). As with most of his works it can be quite difficult to follow if you aren't used to his style, so I do not recommend this as either bedtime, or light reading.



The ending however is one of my all time favourites. I won't spoil it for you, so I can't even tell you why it was so good, but it gave me such a well up of different emotions that I have never found in any other book. Well worth it.

3 of 4 people found this review helpful

A great book, brilliantly narrated

This is the third book I have read by Martin Amis, two of which have been audiobooks (the other was "Money" - also brilliant, with the same narrator - a plea to AUDIBLE to get it). In print, as it were, I find him to be a difficult author; I like to read quite quickly but it is simply impossible to do this without losing the essence.

But with an audiobook, you have to go at the pace of the narrator, and so learn to appreciate the mind-boggling prose, the savagely funny humour, the variations in pace and tone, the torrent of ideas, and the complications of the characters. He really is an exceptional author, and this is a truly great book.

Of course, you need a good narrator and Steven Pacey does an quite superb job. He clearly relishes the task - he seems to roll the prose round his mouth like a fine wine - and he brings the book to life quite brilliantly. His judgement of pace and colour is faultless; and he draws the characters brilliantly too.

Strongly recommended, particularly if you are already familiar with and like the author's work.

4 of 6 people found this review helpful

story never seemed to go anywhere

struggled to finish felt like a waste of time. didn't like that Nicola six had a 'kink' of "sodomy" she just a male fantasy

I know I should appreciate it more, but...

... I just got so bored. I made it to the end with sheer will and not due to any enjoyment. I found the characters well realised, but it took so long for them to actually get around to being involved in the next bit of plot... then there would be another couple of hours of not much going on before the next thing happened. An endurance event from an author I really wanted to like... it's put me off his other titles... I appreciate his writing might be amazing, but the storyline just didn't keep momentum enough for me.

A convoluted murder story.

It had initial traction, it had a plot, it had characters, it had a purpose. Then it disappeared up its own convolutions as it tried to explore various angles and perceptions but all it achieved was to drag out the plot to the point where I simply couldn't wait for the thing to end. I appreciate it's a bit of a classic to many people but it isn't my thing. I'm sure if you enjoy Amis you'll enjoy this one, it does work as a book and a story.

ps I don't like Stephen King but do like Frank Herbert, just to give you a flavour of where I'm coming from.

Not great

the narration was very good particularly the different characters voices and accents however I struggled to follow a storyline