Bertie Plays the Blues by Alexander McCall-Smith

Bertie Plays the Blues
by Alexander McCall-Smith

This is the seventh book in the 44 Scotland Street series. It takes place in Edinburgh Scotland and follows the lives of some of the city's residents who are all interrelated in someway. There are about five main stories going on at once and the book bounces between them every couple of chapters, which are only a few pages long. I find it to be a very quick read and difficult to put down. In this book newlyweds Matthew and Elspeth become parents of triplets boys, who in a sleep deprived daze snip off the babies' ID bracelets and then can't tell which baby is which. Angus and Domenica, who have recently become engaged, try to decide whose flat they'll be living in after the wedding. Domenica's neighbor Antonia decides to sell her place so as to become a nun in Italy. Domenica's downstairs neighbor Bertie, age 7, decides to put himself up for adoption to escape his over bearing mother. Pat, a college student, returns to work for Matthew in the art gallery so he c an be at home with the triplets more often. Some readers may find switching characters and stories so frequently to be a bit choppy. However if you think about the city itself as being the main character and notice how the places the characters visit overlap, the transitions don't feel jarring. Recommended for those who enjoy international fiction or interesting characters. -- recommended by Kristen A. - Gere Branch Library [ See Kristen's Reviewer Profile ]

[If you enjoy this, you may also wish to try the rest of the 44 Scotland Street series. The Corduroy Mansions series by this author is very similar and is set in London.]

[Also available in book-on-cd and Large Print formats.]

[ official 44 Scotland Street series page on the official Alexander McCall-Smith web site ]

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