Espresso Tales: A 44 Scotland Street Novel (2)
by Alexander McCall Smith
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Book Reviews of Espresso Tales: A 44 Scotland Street Novel (2)
Book Review: A most delightful read
Summary: 4 Stars
In "Espresso Tales," the marvelous sequel to "44 Scotland Street," Alexander McCall Smith once again displays his mastery of getting inside his characters' heads, whether they be child or dog, narcissistic macho or crashing bore, a woman feeling the pinch of advancing age or a mother overdoing it in the nurture department. The story I predict you'll fall in love with is that of Bertie, the precocious youngster who can speak Italian and play the saxophone but hasn't yet mastered crossing streets. As the episodes switched from character to character, I pounced on the ones dealing with Bertie to see how he was progressing in thwarting his arch-nemesis, his loving mother, who has ensured his place as class freak in the first grade by making him wear pink (make that "crushed strawberry") dungarees to prove his liberation from gender stereotypes.
The novel is character-driven, but the characters I felt succeeded the least were Pat, the young woman who played the lead role in "44 Scotland Street," who, while sweet, is rather bland, and Ramsey Dunbarton, whose tediousness is so well characterized I tended to skip over his boring monologues when I realized that they didn't further the plot.
But these are small complaints. Even if you haven't had the pleasure of reading "44 Scotland Street," you will enjoy this novel if you love rich depictions of exotic eccentrics; in the end, you will recognize them to be very much like people you know.
Book Review: A Taste Of Edinburgh
Summary: 4 Stars
This book, the second in the "44 Scotland Street" series truly gives the reader's palate a taste of Edinburgh. Taking off from his first book, this one develops to a far greater degree those characters introduced in the premier book. McCall Smith has a way of capturing the Edinburgh environment which describes it as the unique and even quaint place that it is. There is no other place in the world like it.
The feeling of Scottish allegiance plays a large part in the descriptive short chapters that Smith creates. Because the novel is a series of serialized columns, each chapter is short and succinct. But each chapter has its own character, has a point to make and a flavor to project.
The reader will be introduced to deeper understanding of the original characters and their relationship to each other. In addition, Smith mixes his characters and their personalities so that there is nothing boring about the book. Rather, each reader will recognize types of people, yet they will be enhanced broadly by the uniqueness of the Scottish environment in which they reside.
Like all McCall Smith's writings, this book is truly a wonderfully descriptive and interesting portrayal of life in Edinburgh, and in fact, life itself, everywhere. Readers should not miss the opportunity to enjoy this fine piece of work develop by Smith in daily segments. It truly is a joy to read.
Book Review: Not at all like "The #1 Ladies' Detective Agency" series
Summary: 2 Stars
Having read and thoroughly enjoyed several books in McCall Smith's "#1 Ladies' Detective Agency" series, I purchased the audio version of "Espresso Tales" to accompany me during frequent long drives, hoping for similar entertainment. I was sorely disappointed.
Although I had not previously read any of the "44-Scotland Street" novels, I expected the intriguing characters, subtle but satisfying humor and engaging plots ubiquitous in the "#1 Ladies Detective Agency" books.
Instead, other than 6-year old Bertie, a clever and delightful boy, I found the characters boring and not unlike the very-ordinary-to-the-point-of-mind-numbing people in Ann Tyler novels. The wonderful bits of dry British wit (e.g., Ramsey's dreary memoirs, the boy named Tofu and the pursuits of his parents, and Bruce's conceit and utter lack of introspection) were sprinkled far too sparsely to keep the novel moving along.
I assumed the title of the novel was indicative of the lift one gets from a cup of espresso, not that the reader would do well to fortify himself/herself with several cups of espresso to get through it! The book would make a great gift for bedtime reading insomniacs, or for readers who appreciate good British literature but don't necessarily read for entertainment.
Book Review: Book Does Not Travel Well
Summary: 3 Stars
Espresso Tales was first published as daily installment's in the conservative newspaper, "The Scotsman". The novel follows the daily lives of an ensemble group of middle class Edinburgh neighbors. At its core, Espresso Tales is a novel of Edinburgh written for the people of Edinburgh. The book is filled with the inside references and observations that McCall Smith's neighbors must have delighted in.
Alexander McCall Smith is a great craftsman who specializes in the philosophical problems of ordinary life. However, I think his wise pen is best used when directed towards a lady detective in Botswana or linguistics professors in Germany. There is something about writing about his own backyard which fills McCall Smith with the need to preach to his neighbors. There is always the sense that McCall Smith is preaching to a conservative choir of loyal Scotsman readers.
Espresso Tales is a pleasant read with many charming chapters. Alexander McCall Smith has a winning personality and it is hard not to like his many books. However, if a reader is new to Alexander McCall Smith, this is not the first of his books to read. Start with the Number One Lady Detective Series and then move onto the sublime Portuguese Irregular Verb series.
Book Review: Good second novel but not as good as the first!
Summary: 3 Stars
The old characters are back! Pat, Bruce, Matthew, Domenica, Little Bertie and his parents are great in this series.
I know a lot of reviewers are raving about Ramsey Dunbarton and his appearances in the second book. I enjoyed him in the first novel. I think the reason why I enjoyed him in the first novel was because you were given a little bit of him in doses. In this sequel you get a lot of him! He was funny in the first book because of his ramblings but in the second one he is talking about his memoirs. These memoirs sections are so boring! He isn't funny anymore to me because he is going on and on for pages at a time about his life. The funny parts of the memoirs are usually his wife who has to sit and listen to them and some little bits of his life that make him look like a git!
The rest of the book regarding Pat and the rest of the gang on Scotland street is just as good as the first book, if not better! Pat meets a guy that has a interesting hobby. Bruce, and his god-likeness, starts a wine store even though he doesn't really know muchragarding wine. You can see how the characters have grown and Bertie and his father get more of a back bone regarding Irene, the overbearing mother.