Espedair Street cover art

Espedair Street

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Espedair Street

By: Iain Banks
Narrated by: Peter Kenny
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About this listen

Daniel Weir used to be a famous - not to say infamous - rock star. Maybe still is. At thirty-one he has been both a brilliant failure and a dull success. He's made a lot of mistakes that have paid off and a lot of smart moves he'll regret forever (however long that turns out to be). Daniel Weir has gone from rags to riches and back, and managed to hold onto them both, though not much else.

His friends all seem to be dead, fed up with him or just disgusted - and who can blame them? And now Daniel Weir is all alone. As he contemplates his life, Daniel realises he only has two problems: The past and the future. He knows how bad the past has been. But the future - well, the future is something else.

©1987 Iain Banks (P)2013 Hachette Audio Fiction Genre Fiction Literary Fiction

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Critic reviews

"Engagingly told, cleverly constructed." ( Time Out)
All stars
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The plot is interesting, the characters engaging and the quality of the writing and narrating excellent.

But more than all that it perfectly illustrates the anxiety and pain one can feel as a result of there appearance, upbringing and life choices.

It made me feel less alone and more capable while providing a thoroughly enjoyable story.

Bravo mr Banks

Breathtaking

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Not my favourite of Banks story but still good. Peter Kenny's performance is excellent as always.

A more relaxed Banks.

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I read many of Banks’ novels in my early twenties but this one passed me by. Such a delight to discover it now; a must-listen for fans of character-driven fiction, especially those with a soft spot for flawed heroes and the ghosts of rock and roll.

What really sets this audiobook apart is Kenny’s narration. His ability to shift between Scottish grit and gentle introspection is seamless, and he captures Daniel’s inner world with both humour and heartbreak.


Thoughtful, funny, and ultimately hopeful — Espedair Street is a bittersweet tune you’ll want to hear again.

Amazing

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There's something about these two: Iain Banks and Peter Kenny, it's like bumping into old friends listening to Espedair Street. Banks's ability to explore the human condition, to look at what makes us tick, and make that exploration entertaining is part of his charm. There's also the delicious melancholy magic that pervades a lot of his writing that really appeals to me. I started reading Banks as a teenager in the 80s, and here I am in my 50s still enthralled by his storytelling.

The book? Yeah, the life, times, up and downs of the bassist / songwriter of a 70s prog rock band, Weir,D is an excellent look back at that era and its culture. The awkward protagonist is well developed and Banks's whit shines through.

Peter Kenny is magnificent as ever. His Scottish brogue sets the book firmly in place and his range of character voices is a delight to hear. This man really is a delight to listen to, a top tier narrator. 5☆

Melancholy Magic

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Iain Banks does it again, great story, and beautifully written and brilliantly performed. I already know I'll listen to this again.

magnificent

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I’m a huge fan of Banks but this story gets a bit tedious and lacks his usual magic touch.

Usual Banks magic missing

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Only made it to the end of this because it was a book group selection.... will be interesting to see if anyone in the book group liked it! Unfortunately to me it was just extremely boring. Part of the problem may be that none of the songs mentioned actually exist - a title and a few lyrics cannot command the emotional connection of actually listening to song. This is book where music is important but it doesn’t have any music in it - maybe this would have seemed a less jarring issue if I had been reading the novel rather than listening to it. As I was in listening mode, I wanted to hear the songs!

I found the characters poorly drawn, more caricature than flesh and blood. The ending was both unimaginative and unbelievable. There were a few rather “slapstick” moments (one of which involved a drunk dog) which I could imagine translating well into a low budget darkly comic film but other than that struggling to find anything positive to say.

Dull

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It’s well read and the prose is good but I kept waiting for something significant to happen and really what does just isn’t enough. I’m kept on with this because it’s easy to listen to but often found I’d stopped caring what was said. If it had been a boom I would not have finished it.

Nothing happens.

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