February 27, 2009

The World According to Bertie - Alexander McCall Smith


I am continuing my reading of the 44 Scotland Street series by Alexander McCall Smith with The World According to Bertie, the 4th book in the series.

It actually pains me to say that I did not enjoy this book as much as the first 3 - I don't think this really has anything to do with the quality of the book - I think it is just an indication that I probably need to move on and read something a little different before I lose my infatuation with all things McCall Smith!

The characters are all still doing their thing in and around Scotland Street and Edinburgh but I just felt that things were a little stuck in this book - not a lot of movement either backwards or forwards really. Poor Bertie still seems caught in the over-bearing, ridiculous world of his mother (I'm really starting to yell at Bertie's dad to get a move on and leave this woman and take Bertie with him!!). I also thought the storyline involving Cyril the dog was a little far fetched and didn't really seem to serve a purpose.

But, as I said, I think it is more the case of me needing to take a Scotland Street break and come back to it well refreshed and ready to go again!

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