The Cutting Room (book)
Encyclopedia
The Cutting Room is the debut novel
of Scottish author Louise Welsh
. The book was first published in 2002 by Edinburgh
-based publisher Canongate
. It has won several awards including the 2002 Saltire Society
First Book Award.
, revolves around the central character, Rilke, an auctioneer who has agreed to quickly process and sell an inventory of largely valuable contents belonging to a recently deceased old man in exchange for a considerable fee. While sorting through some of the possessions in an attic, he comes across a collection of violent and potentially snuff
pornography that appears to document the death of a mysterious young woman.
Starting with local pornography trade contacts, Rilke sets out to discover this woman's identity and uncover the story behind her appearance in the disturbing photographs.
described it as a "gleefully black, knowing first novel", also noting that it "effortlessly glides [from a detective novel] into literary fiction". For The Independent
, the novel presented a "hugely commendable debut, assured and memorable" and "a genuinely creepy, grisly little tale".
The Sunday Times
described The Cutting Room as: "one of the most intriguing, assured and unputdownable debuts to come out of Scotland in recent years". The List was particularly impressed by Welsh's portrayal of Glasgow: "...the city becomes a character in its own right; Gothic, dismal, decaying and frightening in equal measure".
The novel won several awards, including the Saltire Society
First Book Award 2002, the Crime Writers’ Association John Creasey Memorial Dagger Award
2002 and the BBC
Underground Award 2003.
Plans to produce a film version of the novel were at an advanced stage in 2004. The film was set to star Robert Carlyle
as Rilke with a screenplay from Andrea Gibb
, and was due to be filmed on location in the West End of Glasgow, but the project failed to materialise. Carlyle did, however, contribute to an audiobook version of the novel in 2006.
Novel
A novel is a book of long narrative in literary prose. The genre has historical roots both in the fields of the medieval and early modern romance and in the tradition of the novella. The latter supplied the present generic term in the late 18th century....
of Scottish author Louise Welsh
Louise Welsh
Louise Welsh is an author of short stories and novels, based in Glasgow, Scotland.Welsh studied History at Glasgow University and traded in second-hand books for several years before publishing her first novel....
. The book was first published in 2002 by Edinburgh
Edinburgh
Edinburgh is the capital city of Scotland, the second largest city in Scotland, and the eighth most populous in the United Kingdom. The City of Edinburgh Council governs one of Scotland's 32 local government council areas. The council area includes urban Edinburgh and a rural area...
-based publisher Canongate
Canongate Books
Canongate Books is a Scottish independent publishing firm based in Edinburgh; it is named for The Canongate, an area of the city. It is most recognised for publishing the Booker Prizewinner Life of Pi...
. It has won several awards including the 2002 Saltire Society
Saltire Society
The Saltire Society was established in 1936 to encourage everything that might improve the quality of life in Scotland and restore the country to its proper place as a creative force in European civilisation....
First Book Award.
Plot summary
The novel, set in GlasgowGlasgow
Glasgow is the largest city in Scotland and third most populous in the United Kingdom. The city is situated on the River Clyde in the country's west central lowlands...
, revolves around the central character, Rilke, an auctioneer who has agreed to quickly process and sell an inventory of largely valuable contents belonging to a recently deceased old man in exchange for a considerable fee. While sorting through some of the possessions in an attic, he comes across a collection of violent and potentially snuff
Snuff film
A snuff film is a motion picture genre that depicts the actual death or murder of a person or people, without the aid of special effects, for the express purpose of distribution and entertainment or financial exploitation. For-profit snuff films are generally regarded as an urban legend, whose...
pornography that appears to document the death of a mysterious young woman.
Starting with local pornography trade contacts, Rilke sets out to discover this woman's identity and uncover the story behind her appearance in the disturbing photographs.
Critical reception
The novel received a highly positive reception from critics. The GuardianThe Guardian
The Guardian, formerly known as The Manchester Guardian , is a British national daily newspaper in the Berliner format...
described it as a "gleefully black, knowing first novel", also noting that it "effortlessly glides [from a detective novel] into literary fiction". For The Independent
The Independent
The Independent is a British national morning newspaper published in London by Independent Print Limited, owned by Alexander Lebedev since 2010. It is nicknamed the Indy, while the Sunday edition, The Independent on Sunday, is the Sindy. Launched in 1986, it is one of the youngest UK national daily...
, the novel presented a "hugely commendable debut, assured and memorable" and "a genuinely creepy, grisly little tale".
The Sunday Times
The Sunday Times
The Sunday Times is a British Sunday newspaper.The Sunday Times may also refer to:*The Sunday Times *The Sunday Times *The Sunday Times *The Sunday Times...
described The Cutting Room as: "one of the most intriguing, assured and unputdownable debuts to come out of Scotland in recent years". The List was particularly impressed by Welsh's portrayal of Glasgow: "...the city becomes a character in its own right; Gothic, dismal, decaying and frightening in equal measure".
The novel won several awards, including the Saltire Society
Saltire Society
The Saltire Society was established in 1936 to encourage everything that might improve the quality of life in Scotland and restore the country to its proper place as a creative force in European civilisation....
First Book Award 2002, the Crime Writers’ Association John Creasey Memorial Dagger Award
CWA New Blood Dagger
The CWA New Blood Dagger is an annual award given by the British Crime Writers' Association for first books by previously unpublished writers. It is given in memory of CWA founder John Creasey and was previously known as The John Creasey Memorial Award. The award is voted on by past winners and...
2002 and the BBC
BBC
The British Broadcasting Corporation is a British public service broadcaster. Its headquarters is at Broadcasting House in the City of Westminster, London. It is the largest broadcaster in the world, with about 23,000 staff...
Underground Award 2003.
Adaptations
The novel was adapted for the stage a year after publication, the world premiere taking place in the Citizens Theatre in Glasgow in October 2003.Plans to produce a film version of the novel were at an advanced stage in 2004. The film was set to star Robert Carlyle
Robert Carlyle
Robert Carlyle, OBE is a Scottish film and television actor. He is known for a variety of roles including those in Trainspotting, Hamish Macbeth, The Full Monty, The World Is Not Enough, Angela's Ashes, The 51st State, and 28 Weeks Later...
as Rilke with a screenplay from Andrea Gibb
Andrea Gibb
Andrea Gibb, born in Greenock, Scotland, is a Scottish screenwriter and actress.She studied drama and sociology at Glasgow University and then did a post-graduate teaching degree at Manchester Polytechnic before going on to do an acting course at the Drama Studio in London.Gibb acted regularly in...
, and was due to be filmed on location in the West End of Glasgow, but the project failed to materialise. Carlyle did, however, contribute to an audiobook version of the novel in 2006.