The Wasp Factory, by Iain Banks, is one of the weirdest books I have ever read

Submitted by [deleted] t3_11bfvig in books

The Wasp Factory is Iain’s bank expertly written masterwork about a boy isolated from the rest of the world. Unlike American Psycho, where we see mental isolation, this book is about physical isolation and how it has affected the boy, his brother, and his dad. I’ve read Iain Bank’s other writings, first being The Crow Road but this book is the one that has always weirded me out by it’s cover.

I mean I am only fifteen and have read American Psycho, The Fight Club, Trainspotting, etc, but this book is the one that has made the most impact on me. I don’t have words for why this book has impacted me so much. I mean I am quite desensitised to gore and all but here the protagonist is a teenager. And that, has made all the difference. I can’t relate to a psychopathic nepotistic boy who looks perfect, neither do I care about a man who dislikes capitalism. Those were good books, but this one, where a boy is not desensitized but rather so isolated that he has lost his morals. That has a lot of impact on my young psyche.

This boy is a symbol for people who are suffering from life’s meaninglessness, but his actions are symbol of a mind who is in so much agony that he cannot do anything but pass on that agony to others. This book is well written but it’s subject matter is anything but for well minds. This book has a convincing premise and background characters that are worse than our protagonist. This convincing premise mixed with the character choice causes a paranoia to build up inside the reader that is never fully extinguished as whatever acts the protagonist does, they both resolve the previous paranoia and build up more. The reason that this book affected me was because maybe, someday, I might meet a person like this guy, rage fuelled maniacs who despite not being possessed by a demon, is nothing less than one.

All in all, this book is terrifying but addicting. I have read this book a lot and if you haven’t read it, I ask you to read this book.

Because I don’t want to suffer alone…

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macroscian t1_j9y3154 wrote

It's such a short read too! Great stuff. Not his best but certainly the most shock value.

Dammit but I wish Iain Banks was still with us. Every year I'd check if he'd put out a new novel and sure enough, more often than not there was a fresh great read waiting.

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Akoites t1_j9zi7jl wrote

He had an amazing process as a writer, to produce about one book a year (alternating mainstream novels as Iain Banks and science fiction as Iain M. Banks).

He’d spend nine months of the year not writing. He’d think about the next novel, but not write anything, instead driving around Scotland to distilleries, making music, whatever. Then, having heavily thought through the book, he’d sit down and write it in three months. Then back to nine months off. Pretty much a dream schedule!

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rdtthoughtpolice t1_j9xonui wrote

Interesting take!

I've read a lot of his books but not this one. I think Use of Weapons had the most effect on me because the subject matter is also pretty extreme. He was a brilliant writer, one of my favourites, but he certainly got into some dark places in his writing, especially when it came to the human mind.

Have you read much else of his work?

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[deleted] OP t1_j9xowk3 wrote

I have read like alot of books by him. However this one is the one that has stuck with me because of the reasons in my post. I love Use of Weapons but it just doesnt scare that much as it's science fiction and uses supernatural instead of being a close analysis of the mind of a young psychopathic teen boy. What did you like about Use of Weapon's subject matter? It was similar to his other novels...

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rdtthoughtpolice t1_j9xp630 wrote

Oh it's not my favourite of his books, that one goes to Excession for the great depiction of the culture Minds, but use of weapons is about the horrific things people do during war and the story about zakalwe and the chair is just so dark, especially when you finally realise who is who...also I am 40 so no doubt I emphasise more with older characters

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[deleted] OP t1_j9xqac4 wrote

I have read Excession and yeah, it's quite good. It's like Good Omens level good. And I think you have a really amazing sense of liking books. We are quite alike!

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rdtthoughtpolice t1_j9xqy72 wrote

Oh you like Terry Pratchett. You sir are clearly a person of taste. Have you read the discworld books?

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[deleted] OP t1_j9xr7ih wrote

Read em. Love em. Keep em by my bedside

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rdtthoughtpolice t1_j9xwx1n wrote

Hmm let's see what else you might like. Have you read Hyperion by Dan Simmons? That's well regarded.

I've been reading Peter F Hamilton lately, which are not perfect but they are a good read still. Particularly the Nights Dawn trilogy, but I've also enjoyed Pandora's star and Judas

You might try William Gibson if you haven't already. Starting with neuromancer and working your way through. I think those have a charm of their own reading them these days.

Do you read fantasy? The wheel of time is a classic worth reading.

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GrudaAplam t1_j9xwupc wrote

Yeah, great book. Banks is one of my favourite authors.

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herissonberserk t1_j9xy6pj wrote

Fun fact, it was one of the very first book I read as a non English speaker, when I was a teenager. (my parents had grabbed a few second hand books at random, not knowing what it was). I spent a good half of the book going "what the... What the... I mean.. Am I reading what I think I'm reading?" it was absolute confusion for me because I knew I was reading correctly, yet I wasn't sure I was understanding what I was reading. Left it on a shelf for a few years, and grabbed it again much later. Loved it.

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Fabulous-County5870 t1_j9ybzzk wrote

I read Wasp Factory about 20 years ago. Can’t recall too much - but vividly remember it fucking me up. Read Banks ‘The Bridge’ a couple times. Brilliant book. Less young teenage emotional scarring.

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boxer_dogs_dance t1_j9yk1yf wrote

Interesting review. Thank you. If you like excellent books with outsider perspective and brutal content you might like the Sympathizer by Viet Thanh Nguyen

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Snoo57923 t1_ja1nxl3 wrote

You're 15 and you write like this? I haven't read the Wasp Factory, but have to say you write extremely well. You have some skills!

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JWNS t1_j9yfm4y wrote

I read this for the first time when I was about your age. It's stuck with me all this time.

Have you read The Stranger by Camus? Nowhere near as gory in its violence, but just as stark. The character is instead surrounded by civilisation. An interesting book to read in contrast. I would also recommend Man's Fate by Malraux. All studies in isolation, in varying degrees of social involvement.

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Immediate_Area9178 t1_j9yypqs wrote

I’m definitely gonna pic this up and give it a read. I can’t take to much extreme stuff, but I’m kind of curious about the extreme isolation stuff.

Edit; Looked the book up and found it for $3 online, immediately bought it and started reading it.

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NittyGrittyDiscutant t1_j9zefwo wrote

Do you think physical vs mental isolation makes huge difference in described symptoms? Do you find it realistic?

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Ok-Respond-81 t1_ja053q8 wrote

I read this one in high school too soo good and weird

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Jack-Campin t1_ja0myeb wrote

A lot of it is fairly realistic. Highland weirdos who never talk to their neighbours are a stereotype. Can't remember if the house in the book is surrounded with piles of tyres and Irn Bru bottles.

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sleepingwiththefishs t1_ja295g5 wrote

Banks is a head trip - this is odd indeed; Iain M. Banks tells crazy SF stories.

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Available_Remove452 t1_ja1e3vq wrote

It's his 'dislike' of capitalism, that is the source of his alienation.

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