Customer Reviews:
 A Great Mix April 28, 2008
1 out of 1 found this review helpful
Having only discovered this author through watching the No 1 Ladies Detective Agency on the television - oh what a find. I have started with this set of Alexander McCall Smith books.
The characters are warm and interesting, who all make up the foundations of the house in Scotland Street. Pat was slightly dysfunctional and I thought at times very awkward within the book. Perhaps that is why she is on her second gap year.
Bruce makes you want to despise every man ever living, but you know he is like a scratch annoying when you have got it but you just have to itch it. I hope he gets some sort of justice - perhaps his move into wine might be the down fall for him?
Bertie was the strongest that shone through for me. A delightful child trapped with this mother who has the issues and is getting far more from therapy then Bertie. A child that just wants to be a child - train sets and all.
This book is simple in its understanding and great to dip in and out of but leaving you wanting more. Just as soon as a couple of chapters have gone past and characters have been dealt with then the author changes track and focuses on another. A great comparison with Charles Dickens, for me who serialised some of his books in a paper over a period of time, again switching back from characters and situations to keep the reader hooked.
The reason for 4 stars is easy - I am not from Scotland and many of the places and the 'in jokes' were slightly lost on me. However, this did not stop me enjoying the novel immensely and I am off to enjoy book 2!
 I absolutely loved it! October 1, 2007
It has been a long time since a book totally delighted me - and this book definitely did! I cannot recommend it highly enough. I thought it was hilarious! I laughed out loud so many times when reading this book.
The character development is brilliant - I read it in a day, page turning to see what happened next. So many funny 'cringe' moments - Bruce and his pants was a particular favourite. I've now ordered the next in the series and can't wait to read it!
A great cast of characters June 9, 2007
4 out of 4 found this review helpful
44 Scotland Street introduces us to a cast of great characters all living in a house that has been turned into several flats. It takes a witty, sometimes wry look at Edinburgh life. We meet the fairly horrid Bruce, Pat, his flatmate, and the unforgettable Bertie - a child prodigy, and his truly dreadful parents. Young Pat (2 gap years)takes a job in a gallery and there is a lot of fun and misunderstanding over a certain painting. Good fun, a real feel good read.
 A pleasant surprise April 25, 2007
17 out of 17 found this review helpful
When this book came into my hands, I have to admit I didn't think I was going to like it. Given that my only knowledge of the author had to do with a series of novels revolving around an African detective agency for women (or thereabouts)- I guess I was expecting a flight of fancy through Edinburgh, with no real meat to it.
I couln't have been more wrong. This book is a wittily observed journey through the lives and thoughts of five or six of the best realised characters I've come across in modern fiction.
The narcissistic Bruce, fantastically pretentious Irene and perpetually befuddled Matthew are among my favourites, but I think there's definitely someone for everyone in this book.
I can foresee a potential negative for some people coming to this book expecting a great saga. Because of the way in which it was written (Smith submitted a chapter a day to The Scotsman newspaper for 110 days), the story flits around and just as a particular line gets some legs, you find yourself focused on something totally different.
For those who like books with a long, developed plot line and deeply winding subplots, this book may feel like dealing with a hyperactive child. However, if you like dry, well realised humour with a good pace and excellent characters, then this will make a great read.
I'm certainly interested enough to hunt down the two sequels. Well done, Mr Smith, you've converted another fan.
Witty. Funny. A delightful parody of Edinburgh society February 18, 2007
6 out of 6 found this review helpful
I loved this book. It was a real delight to read. A treasure trove of wonderfully exaggerated characters, each highlighting a different aspect of the bourgeois Edinburgh society that Alexander McCall Smith is portraying in this novel. The plots are funny, and although not entirely believable... if you stretch your imagination just a little bit, you're almost there!
The main character is Pat. Pat is 20 and taking a second year out before going to uni. She's just found herself a room to rent at 44 Scotland Street and walked into job in an art gallery (a struggling art gallery!)...
Meet Bruce, the self-absorbed narcissistic but also very fit flatmate. Meet Matthew, the new boss who knows nothing at all about art and even less about running a successful business. Meed Domenica, the welcoming, supportive and fascinating neighbour. Then, of course there's snooty neighbour Irene and her sax playing, french-speaking 5 year old son... Of course many more such characters are just waiting to make your acquaintance in this fabulously witty novel.
There are mini plot lines and cliffhangers throughout to keep your attention going and the pages turning. The novel itself is a breakdown of neat little 2 or 2.5 page segments, amounting to an amazing 110 chapters. Usually, this kind of breakdown is an annoyance and can feel very stilted, but Alexander McCall Smith makes this work so well and ties in all the threads so that you barely notice. The book originally began as daily instalments in "The Scotsman" paper, hence so many chapters but it works so well if you read it all in one go. The only very slight irritation for me is that Pat comes across as just a bit too sensible and sophisticated for her 20 years... but then again, I guess none of the characters in the book are entirely believable......
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