Checkout 19: ‘A book to shake the world anew’ Sebastian Barry Paperback – 28 July 2022

My favourite book this year : all about reading and living and writing and thinking and being. Yes being. Turning the pages. Turning the pages. Soft ash.

Bennett’s follow-up to her novel in short stories, Pond, is this playful novel in essays. Although more uneven than the earlier work, it retains and develops Bennett’s unique voice; “Repetitive. Minuscule. Painstaking. Devotional. Small as stitches.” Or more harshly; “Byzantine, comical and portending.” The best part is the central section simultaneously critiquing and creating a long short story. But there are also examples of a more traditional style, like the description of an eccentric grandmother. This writer can do anything.

Got this as the review in the Times was good. However, I did not like it at all and have not finished it (which I don't usually do).

Oh dear this was just painful for me unfortunately.A rambling unstructured narrative that waxes lyrical it seems for the sake of it.You know the type of people that can talk til the cows come home without actually saying much but they won’t stop? This is what this felt like.The closest I have ever come to a DNF. I just don’t see the appeal of this 200 plus page of self indulgent unedited feeling nothingness.Obviously not for me.

Check out "Checkout 19" if you enjoy literature and think writing really matters...It's a sort of autobiography, isn't it? Yes, it is. Yes. And we've all been there, smoking too much, yes we have, drinking too much, reading too much. Yes. We have. If it is possible to read too much, I mean, that's a moot point, yes it is. We've been students, haven't we? Some of us have. A long time ago now. We've been broke, right? Yes we have. But have we read anything quite as good as "Checkout 19" recently? No, we haven't...I absolutely loved "Pond" and was waiting to see what Claire Louise Bennett would do next. "Checkout 19" does not disappoint. The texture of her prose is still engaging and strangely intimate, as if she's right there talking to the reader. The form of the novel is unconventional, and some readers may be confused if they are expecting linear narrative, but it takes a lot of effort to write as well as she does, and it isn't unreasonable to expect the reader to put some effort in as well. Thank you, Claire Louise Bennett- "Checkout 19" is a wonderful read.

Chapter 2 starts on p.11. The next paragraph starts on p. 16. Stream of consciousness indeed. It may well be literary, competent, even stylish, but I'm afraid I simply found it tiresome and a touch self indulgent. There is a certain type of Radio 4 listener who will love this, but this type of Radio 4 listener didn't finish it.

Roddy Doyle says of Checkout 19 "It is wonderful....I am not sure why, and that makes it all the more wonderful"Given Roddy Doyle is one of my favourite authors, I was looking forward to reading this novel and, having finished with I couldn't agree with him more. To say you are unsure why a book is so wonderful does not make for a great review so please forgive me for this one - it won't happen again.This, for me, is a book about literature - books about books would ordinarily be somewhat off-putting however here Bennett takes us on a personal journey with her unique prose and I didn't want it to end. She writes in almost a stream of consciousness style which can be challenging to read but skill is so adept you can't help be taken along.Bennett covers topics such as periods, relationships, family amongst others and even as a 38 year old male I couldn't help but be drawn in.This is the type of novel which represents the best of literary fiction but will also be one of the reasons why so many people don't enjoy it given the lack of a clear, definable plot.I would encourage everyone to read this when it is released.Thanks to the publishers and Netgalley for an Advanced Review Copy in exchange for an honest review.

What’s a book? What a book!A slow read for a volume of this length, but in a good way.Frequent pauses for thought as a word, sentence, passage triggered the most unexpected and random memories.Growing up somewhere in the south west, sketches from school days and life as a student flow freely into the fantastical worlds of Tarquin Superbus and the sewing sister in a continuous stream of consciousness hinting that one thing can lead to another, can’t it. Yes, it can.Disturbing, exhilarating and evocative. Powerful, imaginative and humourous.I, we, and she. Turning pages, scribbling stories and books, books, books.“So, I expect you’ve already read Checkout 19, eh?” asked a friend. No, but I have now and chances are I will again (and again).Check it out!