Grim. Possibly his most importantly novel but it is hard going and very bleak. Most of the humour falls to hit the mark too. That said it's a very well observed journey into addiction and the lies junkies tell themselves. It's great to learn more about the characters. Though you hate several of them. ( )

The writing is superb but the book as a whole kinda rambles. Which is fine, such is life. NOT plot driven. The type of book that would turn up at a publishing house and the editor would say "This guy will be a great author ... one day".

The depiction of boring and fleetingly beautiful Edinburgh is exquisite, of community is embracing, of drugs is familiar, of violence, betrayal, failure and loss mundane and comfortable. This book is worth the time, but it's not a true classic.

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P.S. If you have pained yourself by reading the other reviews of this book, then, yes, there's lots of anatomically correct, detailed, smelly and familiar sexual descriptions, and a per-sentence usage of "ya cunt". If this is not your cup of tea then just fuck off and read something less real. You do? know that humans have sex? If you object to usage of the word "cunt" then you're a fucking idiot, don't let anyone tell you otherwise. ( )

Interesting, but (only partly due to the subject matter) not entirely enjoyable.

I personally found it difficult to keep a track of who was talking in each (1st person) chapter, so 4 or 5 pages in, I often had to think "Oh, it's not Rent Boy talkng, its xyz..." ( )

Review: Skagboys by Irvine Welsh.

Well, I really tried to read this book with some kind of pleasure because so many people liked it. However, it just didn’t spark for me. I read it to the end but I was more dissatisfied with myself when I finished the book. I’m one person, who has a hang-up with so much swearing, and sexual innuendos page after page. I know the book had a story to tell and the subject mater about Drugs, Aids, and Death among other issues doesn’t bother me but I feel this type of book just kept eating at me and I literally felt sick at times and appalled at myself because I didn’t stop reading the book. I have OCD with some things and making sure I finish a book is one. (The OCD won).

As I read I thought my judgment would change but it just got harder to read. The Scottish slang didn’t bother me, the characters were well suited and getting the message that Irvine Welsh was mastering was greatly informative. With characters like Renton, Skag boy, Spud, Begbie, I did feel for them and what they had gone through, it made me feel like I wanted to help them. Although, I felt the author (good writer) pushed too much on the repetitive dialogue and behaviors then the what and why issues of the message he was coming across with….It is true that this is how some people live but the porn type of writing didn’t settle to well with me…

I was disappointed with a few scenes especially a fetus being thrown down a garbage chute in a building, and a sixteen yr old raped by the man who killed her father and other shocking scenarios that I felt were just to show how horrific and depraved the underclass live. So, I will say Welsh got his message through but did he go to far……?

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Couldn't do it, love Trainspotting but couldn't get into this one ( )