The reason the book is a three star is because it just tried to do too much, the plot itself became a little lost and there seemed almost too much to it. If you like a character who has the capacity to surprise and whose laid back exterior actually hides a very deep emotional core, then I think you may well bond with him. Taking readers from the world of drugs, to artificial intelligence, to conspiracy theory through to politics (Like AI without the I part . Throw in a very poignant and touching ending and you will have a read like no other that will bring out all the emotions in you. As leverage, Brond positioned Mount as prime suspect in Marina's murder, and killed the witness Rachael.

The rest of it is just the main character commenting on politics, social ills, general opinions on life, even ramblings like commenting on each track on a Beatle's album. The evolution of the characters works wonderfully, especially Felix: piecing together his personal story is on a par with trying to solve the crime he's investigating. They broke up after Amy cheated on him, but a few months before the Alternative Independence event, they started having sex, pretending they were strangers in a one-night stand. I also live in Glasgow so was clocking the real-life and not-so opaque references to real-life establishments. Frankie Boyle did a brilliant job of making it feel relevant and of its time, whilst still tapping into many of the arguments that still prevail.

With the novel’s protagonist Felix, Frankie has definitely injected him with much of his own sense of humor as well as his often fatalistic view of society. But towards the end, after highlighting my 36th brilliant gag, the writing suddenly turned poignant and heart-breaking and I added another star to my appraisal. Critics largely praised Boyle's comedic dialogue, his descriptions of Glasgow and its inhabitants, and the revelations of what led to Felix's drug dependence. It’s VERY political, extremely satirical and I’m not sure if it’s all just Frankie Boyle writing a massive Parody of life today.

Read, through the prism of what you know about the author, makes you believe that you are getting insights behind the curtain. Frankie Boyle’s first work of fiction is an enjoyably dark and entertaining tranche of Glasgow noir.The Guardian 's Wilson found that Meantime, a "funny and moving" novel, was the "most impressive" celebrity crime fiction of the year. The next day, at Jane Pickford's book signing, Felix bumps into an ex-stalker – Rachael – and convinces Jane to investigate Marina's death. It jumps about and trails away, in ebbs and flows, which keep you engaged without having to pay too much attention. It contains all the deft wordplay you’d expect and a few well-aimed, drive-by satirical shots at political targets along the way. Their quest takes them into the dark heart of Scottish politics, the orbit of drug dealers, and the matrix of AI, encountering Independence activists, the intelligence services, and stalkers, as they seek justice for Marina.

As a recovering addict myself, the drug scenes, though comical, shine a light on how harrowing and chaotic dependence can be. It's dazzingly funny, grappling with big ideas, and is heartbreakingly tinged with personal and political loss. Reviewers found that the novel's plot was of secondary importance to its social and political commentary, including Scotland's role in colonialism and capitalism and the nature of Scottish identity. Another plus was that chapters were often about 10 pages each so it was very easily digestible and not at all difficult to let my tea go cold as I kept telling myself “one more chapter”.Fascism, though… my worry is that we might be heading towards some kind of techo fascism, although it might be just a type of hyper-surveillance that is indistinguishable from actual fascism: where everyone is reduced to a kind of ultra-monitored husk.