Scale

by Will Self

'Some people lose their sense of proportion; I've lost my sense of scale.' The short story 'Scale' was taken from the collection Grey Area.

Genres: Fiction, Short Stories

51 pages, Paperback

First published June 6, 1995

About the author

William Self is an English novelist, reviewer and columnist. He received his education at University College School, Christ's College Finchley, and Exeter College, Oxford. He was married to the late journalist Deborah Orr.

Self is known for his satirical, grotesque and fantastic novels and short stories set in seemingly parallel universes.

Reviews

[Daren · Rating 3 out of 5]

A short story published in full as a Penguin 60. Originally taken from a short story collection called Grey Area.

Not too sure what to make of this one. It was clever in its use of multiple themes related to 'scale', but somehow suffered from being pushed into those multiple themes. That doesn't really make sense when I read it back, but it still says what I mean...

A drug addicted divorcee living next door to a model village (ie a scale model of a village), who has 'lost his sense of scale'. The story in several chapters explains the difficulties of his life: Drug induced hallucinations, current situations and future visions all mixed together.

Some plot lines spoiled in the spoiler below!
As well as distance perceptions, he also has a limescale problem in his kettle and his bathroom scales are stolen. There is also a description of the scaly sides of the Lizard peninsula, and the frill necked lizard on the cover - but he doesn't mention the scales on this! Other than scale-related issues, there is a whole lot of other loosely connected storylines woven through this.

As I say, not really sure about this book. I don't usually mind a bit of mind-bending-hallucinatory-drug-narrative, and the mildly graphic drug taking in the book is not an issue. I guess I just didn't take this story well...

[Cleo · Rating 2 out of 5]

My first Will Self! Not my cup of tea!

[Zach Leete · Rating 2 out of 5]

My first Will Self story. Will it be my last? TBD. Self is a talented albeit cynical writer whose wit is impressive. “Scale” deals with the concept of ‘scale’ in the life of a drug-addled divorcee living next to a model village. The high point of the story occurs when the protagonist becomes subatomic in a dream sequence that is sharp and clever. His brevity is impressive in this sequence and a lesser writer would’ve dragged the story to a standstill while grasping for the appropriate prose. Outside of this, constant musings about British motorways and mild, punny comedic sequences related to various types of scale(s) make this both a head scratcher and an eye roller for non-British audiences.

[Frank Jacobs · Rating 2 out of 5]

Will Self is a clever writer, but not necessarily an enjoyable one. This Penguin mini book peels off one short story from a larger collection, which is good; because these 60-odd tiny pages about a divorced drug addict with a questionable grasp on reality who gets lost in the different meanings of the word ‘scale’, is about as much grimness as I can take in one sitting.

[Charles Lewis · Rating 1 out of 5]

Pretentious crap

[Rose · Rating 3 out of 5]

I liked the way this strange story circled around its theme. The story was exactly as long as it needed to be.

[Genetic Cuckoo · Rating 1 out of 5]

This mercifully short book felt like a bad drug trip. It jumps round different ideas and images with no cohesion and justifies this with the use of a thesaurus to make it appear clever.

[Jane Glaister · Rating 4 out of 5]

Dark, clever; insighful take on drug addiction...

[Paul Barnes · Rating 1 out of 5]

[Penguin Books] (1995). SB. 50 Pages. Purchased from The British Heart Foundation.

Standard Will Self fare: unfunny, overwritten, tedious rubbish.

[Lizzie Ford · Rating 2 out of 5]

I honestly don’t know what I’ve just read but these penguin 60s mini books are something I 100% want to get into !
In 50 pages we learn about a drugged up dad whose family have left him and he lives next to a model village.
2.5/5 ✨

[Coenraad · Rating 3 out of 5]

Self provides us with a bizarre bit of satire: the first-person narrative of a drug-using divorced dad who lives in a bungalow next to a miniature village and has problems with his sense of scale. The reader needs to distinguish carefully between narcotic dreams, future visions and other strange observations of (un)reality. I should give Self a more fair chance to enchant me.

Self se satire verg konsentrasie van die leser om te onderskei tussen die verteller se dwelmvisioene en ander vorms van toekomssienings. Ek sal dié skrywer 'n meer verteenwoordigende en regverdige kans moet gee.

[Martin Bainbridge · Rating 4 out of 5]

Five short chapters and myriad ideas. I'm tempted to re-read this to see if there were any scales I missed.

Reptile plates;
Model village;
Weighing device;
Libra astrological sign;
Motorway sign intervals;
The kettle's flaky deposit;
Sense of size and proportion;
Passing of time;
"The ascent";
Comparative success as a writer; but not
Anything to do with tartar or teeth (I think).

[Simon · Rating 5 out of 5]

What would you call a book this size, a novelette? Anyway, this was the first story by Will Self that I ever read and probably stands as my favourite of his. An intriguing premise and a touching story about a kettermine addict who one day loses his sense of scale.

[Claire Fuller · Rating 4 out of 5]

The first Will Self I've read. Nicely odd, but not quite nice enough that I'll actively search out more short stories by him. But if someone put one in my hands and said 'Here, read this,' I probably would.

[Susie Anderson · Rating 3 out of 5]

this was fine. could just as easily have been written by DFW, JSF or Nick Hornby or someone else male