The Wasp Factory

This is a very different book on re-reading. The first time around I was gripped by a desperate desire to understand the mysteries; the deaths, the ‘accident', the Factory, and of course what was in the study. I enjoyed it, the ending was suitably climatic, and the twist suitably satisfying.

I can still appreciate the clever touches, the call backs to Frankenstein et al. and the slightly demented humour of it all, but a second read shows how much is dependent on that mystery. Without the suspense, the meandering summer days and repetitive descriptions of violence quickly start to feel redundant. I still think it's a good book and well constructed, but it isn't one that rewards re-reading.