The Yips

A very odd novel, but entertaining and occasionally also quite thought-provoking. It's about 90% dialogue, and the format of short intercut scenes with quasi-random encounters between determinedly oddball characters makes it feel very much like a design for a "characteristically eccentric" product of British independent cinema (Bill Nighy would be a natural for the washed-up golf pro with the hair...). But it's more than that. Quite what, I'm not sure, but there does seem to be a serious intention behind it somewhere. Probably to do with the challenge of facing the outside world, but there's also a lot about the inherent randomness of life, and its resistance to narrative structure.

I read it on Scribd, so I can't really comment on the show more typographic oddities that a lot of people, including the Guardian reviewer, saw as an important element of the book. show less

Surprised at some of the reviews on here. If you think about the cast list of this book you would think that there would be no way that a story could be created that linked them all together. Barker haas done this and done it well. It's a snapshot of modern Britain in a way albeit one in which people seem to be a little bit more literate than the ones I generally encounter on a daily basis myself. If you have read barker before then you know what to expect. It isn't as good as darkmans but it is still a spectacular read. Oh and if you want a story that has some sort of ending then you will be disappointed.

Described as comedic in the British reviews, but certainly there's a type of humor that doesn't always work well in other cultures. The book is not for everyone: it's definitely odd, and it's very long. I found it disappointing, but I concede that the fault may be mine. At least it's different.

Difficult one to score. It's a good book and a great example of how you can use dialogue tags other than "said" and get away with it; the characters, for the most part, hooked me, but there are a lot of them and, at times, I had difficulties keeping them and their complex inter-relationships straight (but it's also worth mentioning that I am inept). It's three stars, but it's a high three stars - definitely one to try yourself.

Very very rarely I come across a book which I just cant finish, but that happened with this one. After 113 pages I thought "That's enough". The characters were completely unlikeable and as for the dialogue ugh!!!