44 Scotland Street - Alexander McCall Smith

Advantages: Very funny, excellent characters
Disadvantages: Some storylines weren't as strong as the others

44 Scotland Street started life as a revival of the serialized novel. Serialized novels in newspapers were once very popular – authors like Dickens and Thomas Hardy had some of their novels published as serials before they were published as books – but seems to have largely disappeared. Alexander McCall Smith was conversing with Armistead Maupin, who revived the serialization novel in The San Francisco Chronicle (where it had proved t be very popular) ...
...Unfortunately, I did not read 44 Scotland Street in The Scotsman, probably because I am not Scottish and do not read any newspaper other than the dreadful tabloid my dad buys, but I’m sure I would have loved it and I think it’s a shame that serialized novels have fallen out of favour. Luckily, 44 Scotland Street is extremely enjoyable in book form and makes a good lighthearted read that is best accompanied with tea and biscuits. Or whatever else ... Read review

Advantages: Good characterisation
Disadvantages: Slow moving in places

...She finds lodgings at 44 Scotland Street, situated in a fashionably bohemian district of Edinburgh, where she shares a flat with the handsome, but impossibly vain Bruce Anderson, a chartered surveyor with a penchant for rugby and girls, the latter often taking second place to the former. Irritated by Bruce's egotism, Pat becomes friends with Domenica MacDonald, an anthropologist and a shrewd judge of character, who lives in the flat across the landing. ...
...taken up with introducing us to the various characters as they go about their daily business, and we're quickly given a detailed picture of each of their personalities. Unlike his Ladies' Detective Agency series, in which the characters tend to be mainly virtuous folk, McCall Smith has, in this novel, explored some of human nature's less pleasant traits, resulting in a much broader assortment of individuals than we've seen in the African-based novels. ... Read review

Advantages: Entertaining, a light read
Disadvantages: Plot was a bit thin

...and off I went. 44 Scotland Street was not written in the same way as a normal novel. The Scotsman newspaper actually published it as a daily serial over 6 months in 2004. This meant the author was writing trying to make something happen in every instalment and finished each instalment with some kind of mini cliff-hanger to keep the reader coming back for more. It also meant that it was being published as it was being written so it wasn’t possible ...
...general and she moves into 44 Scotland Street with a sense of optimism. The other occupant of Pat’s flat is Bruce Anderson, a very good looking, Rugby playing, Surveyor. The other occupants of the building are Bertie, a child genius with the customary ‘pushy parents’ and Domenica, a 60 year old lady who’d had an interesting life and had a few stories to tell. Domenica befriends Pat. Other characters include Bruce’s work colleagues, the Todd family ... Read review

Advantages: Fun, easy to read chapters
Disadvantages: Cant put it down,

...another of his books. 44 Scotland street had humour, poignancy and deep philosophical issues. My poor husband kept getting woken up as I shook with laughter at the various adventures - what else can you do when you read lines such as 'what did it matter if you had no underpants'? The format, having been adapted from a newspaper serialisation meant that each chapter was complete in itself, and yet still had you eager to find out what happened next. ...
...and Matthew. What had happened to Pat in her gap year - sorry, in her first gap year? Thsi book starts in her 2bd Gap year. As for Matthew, he seems to be the original useless rich boy - he has had several failed businesses funded by his father. Will the gallery be a success? ... Read review

Advantages: Lots of variety, great characters, interesting facts included, learn lots about Edinburgh, very well written!
Disadvantages: None!

Well, the title of this review really says it all! I have just discovered Alexander McCall Smith and I think he is great! This is part of a series of books set in Edinburgh - that in itself is good because - thanks to McCall Smith's insightful writing style - you really get a great picture of Edinburgh; I've never been there but I feel like I have! The characters are very interesting and you really feel like you can identify with them - who doesn't ...
...much better with his career (but ever so nice) man, or a parent who thinks their child will be the next Vanessa Mae or Charlotte Church?! The story is intriguing - it is one of those books that doesn't have an amazing storyline - it's more of an observation about people and their daily routines and lives. Things do happen and it does have a storyline, but it's more about the people than anything else. ... Read review