Customer Reviews

Bleeding London

5 star:		(4)
4 star:		(5)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

Bleeding London is one of the quirkiest, darkest and funniest novels I have ever read! (That says a lot, for I have read thousands of novels.) It focuses on various characters whose experiences in London are both sinister and funny. Mick, Judy and Stuart are quite different, but are somehow brought together in strange ways. They all have a different take on London -- Londoners feeling foreign in their natural habitat while out-of-towners see it as an exciting and daring challenge.

Nicholson does a great job with the description of a big city. As a New York City native, I am able to identify with the story line and the dark message the author is sending. The backdrop of London is different from all of the other British novels I have read -- it shows a more realistic view of the city.

Thought provoking and darkly funny, Bleeding London should be read by those who enjoy a unique literary experience.

I have never been to London nor am I interested in the city. However, I don't feel lost at all when reading this superb fiction. This isn't a book about London per se. It doesn't feel like a travel book at all. The stories could easily take place elsewhere in the world, New York, Los Angeles, Paris... I've read Footsucker by Nicholson which, by the way, is also a highly enjoyable book. Bleeding London, in comparison with Footsucker, is more complex and more involved. Three seemingly unrelated eccentric characters are manifesting their eccentricities in parallel, and sometimes their path are crossed. Nicholson is quite skillful in writing black comedies. If you're interested in his books, this is a good starting point.

I just finished an uncorrected proof of this book. I had a hard time putting it down. Mr. Nicholson's writing is very visual. The characters were so well written (even the minor ones) that I not only could picture them in my mind I felt that I have actually met a few of them in my lifetime. I could not say that the book was wickedly funny. But I did found myself reacting out loud on the subway. I would recommend this book to anyone who loves cities. This book doesn't only describe people's love and or hate of London but touches upon emotions felt by anyone who has spent some time if not all their lives in a large city. I have never heard of Geoff Nicholson before but look forward to running into (maybe seeking out) his work again.

I had severe reservations about buying this book. Although being disuaded by the photo of the author on the cover is not reason enough, the thought of another book wrapped up in romantic idealism about any city, let alone London, is enough to make anyone reconsider the purchase. Fortunately I was clearly destined to read it. As a Londoner I was desperate to find a reason to dislike this book, yet I could not. The characters are totally original, easy to relate to and incredibley funny. They would probably carry the weakest of story lines anyway, yet Nicholsons dark, paranoid and twisting story makes this a book even better I ever hoped, even the most cynical reader would totally love it. Personally I think that London is probably the greatest city in world, and this book does nothing to negate that. Only in London could the dangerous, brooding situations that arise seem so ridiculously hilarious. Even a Londoner looking for something a little bit different will love it - just don`t judge a book by the picture of the author.

I read this on my return from my first trip to London, so much of the geography meant something to me. The premise behind this book, assorted individuals taking on London on their own for their own reasons, is great. The switching between and intermingling of characters is well-done. There's some dark comedy here. Mick is quite a charcter, in both the literary and comedic sense. The ending was a shocker...who would've thought! If you find it, pick it up...Bleeding London is thoroughly entertaining.

This wonderful novel is ideally enjoyed while living in or visiting London, seeing as how the city is a central character in it. With his typical offbeat humor, Nicholson weaves together the lives and stories of three of its denizens. Stuart is the owner of a company that does walking tours of London; burned out, he has decided to walk every single street in London in a quest for fulfillment and meaning. Julie is a native Londoner, although half-Japanese and thus is constantly being forced to prove herself a native. She keeps detailed maps of the locations of all her sexual encounters, as well as those of her partners. Mick is a Sheffielder whose stripper girlfriend was gang-raped by six well-to-do Londoners. He's come down to the unfamiliar city he hates in order to mete out some revenge. Both these and the supporting cast are wonderfully drawn characters, their paths through London are a treat.

This book is a love letter to the city of London, from several points of view. I normally don't like the books and movies that shift between several people, as one story usually is stronger than the others. (See my intense dislike of _Infinite Jest_ in spite of liking Foster Wallace's nonfiction.) However, here the main character is the city, not its inhabitants. The characters are just transients on the surface of the dynamic city. Nicholson has a character say it better than I just did, but when I wanted to make a not to myself about the central theme of the work, I had no pencil close. It was worth while, but remember my views are idiosyncratic and subjective. Read it and we might have something to to talk about.

I really enjoyed this book and loved learning about the sides of a great city that I didn't know about...very entertaining.

Surprisingly meaty and captivating enough to engage this London fan...the character of Mick is exceptional and there are some very funny moments. Wouldn't have seen that ending coming either...yes, read it, all of you! Definately entertaining.

I was attracted to this book by a magazine's reference to it as a book capturing the feel of London. Nah. What a waste. Dumb and dry fiction with cardboard characters shuffled chaotically by the pretending but never delivering author.

Like the main hero's plan to visit each and every London's street this book idea may have sounded cool, but the book itself plain and unfunny.

The only laughing matter here is author's constant helpless trying to imitate Martin Amis-style cool wit. It never ever comes close to it, being barely amusing at its best.

Half a star for the good title. Let it be the only part you happen to read.