'The End of Mr. Y' by Scarlett Thomas

Some books just jump out at you. This could be because of the cover, the blurb, the look of the pages but for me, on this occasion, it was the front cover. The seductive red and the black pages made me go 'wow' and want to know what it's about. Some people - as bad as it is - do judge books by the covers. Covers are important and with The End of Mr. Y, the front cover really grabbed me. I remember reading the blurb, being intrigued and thinking I couldn't afford it, only to later ask my mum when she finished work to get me a copy so I could tear it open and read straight away.


Books like this book, ones that stand out in your memories, and become one of your favourites bring with it the memories of what was happening in your life when you read it. I remember I was sitting up in my office back in my parents house and I was either writing Pied Piper or Margo, I don't actually remember which one, but I was writing into the dark night and then the book landed on my desk. I broke the spin - something I appear to only do with books I love - and read and read and read. 

I think what I love most about The End of Mr. Y is the description of the main character - Ariel's - life before the events all begin. The image of a bookaholic, skint student really appealed to me - mainly because that's me right now - but also because I love reading about readers and writers, there's a sort of distant relationship and understanding there. If I can see the reader as me then I'm in! What I also love about the book is that it talks about other books so of course I open up Amazon and bang in the title to try and find out what the book is about. Books about books, writing about writers - it's the world I love.


Not long ago I was talking to my roommate Joe about the future (not in a homoerotic way or even in a science fiction way) more in a where-we-see-ourselves kind of way. The two of us both see ourselves finally leaving the skint student life and becoming successful writers who lecture time-to-time - the dream, eh? I think so. However, in the last couple of days I have seen hope.


Scarlett Thomas is a successful writer and lecturer. Friday just gone I had a work-shop ran by a woman named Katie Stuart who has a BA, MA and is now doing her PGCE. I guess the point of this blog was more to talk about where I hope to see myself, where I hope this blogging and reading and writing will one day take me. And I'm only going to get there if I keep reading, writing and using my imagination. 


But to conclude read, read, read The End of Mr. Y. It's a compelling book, a book that anyone who reads it will take something from it - much like my other favourite books I plan too write about in the coming weeks. But for now, friends, go out and buy Ms. Thomas' wonderful novel.