Tag Archives: independent on sunday

My review of Apocalypse Baby by Virginie Despentes

Posted on July 24, 2013 by Doug Johnstone

  Been a bit slow getting my journo stuff up here recently, but here’s my Independent on Sunday review of Apocalypse Baby (Serpent’s Tail) by French author Virginie Despentes, best known for Baise-Moi. An interesting piece of transgressive fiction, but it … Continue reading →

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My review of The Quarry by Iain Banks

Posted on June 17, 2013 by Doug Johnstone

For folks who might’ve missed it over the weekend, here’s my review in The Independent on Sunday of The Quarry, the latest (and last) novel by Iain Banks. As you’ll see from the review, I didn’t bother pretending to be … Continue reading →

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I have been slack…

Posted on May 8, 2013 by Doug Johnstone

I have been slack about posting up the book reviews I’ve written in newspapers and magazines here, so here’s a wee round up of ones I’ve missed of late. I’ve written a lot more Big Issue reviews, but they’re slow … Continue reading →

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Loads more reviews for GONE AGAIN

Posted on April 18, 2013 by Doug Johnstone

With one thing and another, I haven’t posted all these reviews of late. So here’s a very quick round-up. In summary, folk are still loving it! Here’s John O’Connell in The Guardian declaring that the book has ‘elegant clarity’, of … Continue reading →

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Y’all should read Ruth Ozeki’s A Tale for the Time Being

Posted on March 15, 2013 by Doug Johnstone

Here‘s my review of A Tale for the Time Being (Canongate) by Ruth Ozeki, which ran in the Independent on Sunday. This is probably my favourite book of the year so far, and I wish I could’ve written more in … Continue reading →

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My review of Marry Me by Dan Rhodes

Posted on February 27, 2013 by Doug Johnstone

Here’s my review of Dan Rhodes’ Marry Me (Canongate) in the Independent on Sunday. It appeared two weeks ago, but I didn’t notice. I LOVED this book. Full of nasty, hilarious, dry weirdness. I read some stories out to my … Continue reading →

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My review of Mimi by Lucy Ellmann

Posted on February 26, 2013 by Doug Johnstone

OK so, my review of Lucy Ellmann’s Mimi (Bloomsbury) appeared in the Independent on Sunday at the weekend there. It’s a kind of feminist romantic comedy, I guess. With plenty of bite. A lot of nice writing and very funny … Continue reading →

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My review of RUBBERNECKER by Belinda Bauer

Posted on February 1, 2013 by Doug Johnstone

OK, so here’s my review of Belinda Bauer’s Rubbernecker in The Independent on Sunday last weekend. Lots of good writing, but I didn’t find it very gripping, I’m afraid.

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My review of Chloe Hooper’s THE ENGAGEMENT in The Independent on Sunday

Posted on January 25, 2013 by Doug Johnstone

Here’s my review of this Aussie literary psychological thriller. Didn’t really get on with this, I’m afraid. Lots of nice atmosphere, but some unconvincing characterisation and plot stuff. IMHO.

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my review of Stuart Neville’s RATLINES in The Independent on Sunday

Posted on January 7, 2013 by Doug Johnstone

My review of Stuart Neville’s excellent RATLINES ran in yesterday’s Independent on Sunday. Click on through for the details. The thing that struck me most about it, is that I never really appreciated Ireland’s thorny relationship with the Second World … Continue reading →

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