First impressions of Black Swan Green
It’s very good for homesickness. I can see all the locations. I know Jason Taylor’s route to school. I remembered that he would have attended the Hill School (it’s called Upton upon Severn Comprehensive in the novel), and not Hanley Castle until he was older.
I’m amused at the way Mitchell has turned place names from the area into names of teachers: Mr Kempsey, Mrs Wyche, Mr Inkberrow. I wonder if I’ll start recognising some of the teachers? I’m also amused by the mention of “the pork scratchings factory in Upton on Severn.” I knew the manager’s son. The gossip was that he was illiterate, and his son certainly was.
I’ll post some notes on its literary qualities shortly, but right now I’m wallowing in the nostalgic smell of ashtrays in the school bus and the fear of being at the bottom of a pile-on on the playing fields.
Suddenly I’m reminded of how a friend of mine got barred from a Worcester music shop owned by one of our ex-teachers. My friend P walked in and was greeted by Mr. C with “Hello P, you’re looking fatter.” P wasn’t too impressed and responded with “Hello Mr. C, you’re looking balder.” And that was the end of that.
Back to the book…
It’s book at bedtime next week on radio 4, so I’ll have a listen.
Yes I remember that! And he got barred from the other music shop in Worcester as well because they sold him a £1400 guitar for £700 by mistake and he had the nerve to come back and ask for a free set up as well!
I sent you an email a while back. Did you get it?
Frog, I think I got it, and could’ve sworn I replied, but I probably didn’t.
I will soon.
Dad, as is true of all decent novels, there are aspects of the book that will come across better when read directly off the page. It’s not as playful with narrative form as his previous books, so I think you’ll find it quite an accessible read.
I’m finishing off J K’s On The Road before I start Cloud Atlas. This one sounds as if I’ll get a lot out of it too. Do you believe we were getting ready to do our GCSE’s ten years ago!! Another lifetime.
Reading Cloud Atlas, I’ve realised that Mitchell very likely took Dave Reason’s Science Fiction class at Kent. It’s a weird feeling.
The manager’s son, is that not the Robot Wars kid?