Not for me:

I tried to give this book more than the chance it demanded. I couldn’t continue: the writing was too abstract and didn’t hold my attention. I felt the story was moving too slowly as well.

Really well written account of a trial and consecutive execution for blasphemy of a young man. It is a shocking story that deserves to be heard today as we consider freedom of speech and what it means to be free.

Unspeakable was an amazing novel based on the true story of the last man to be tried and killed for blasphemy. While the premise is interesting the journey in order to get to the information described in the premise is long-winded and at times boring and the religious connotations are staggering but if you make it through all that it is definitely worth it.

I so much wanted to love this book as it sounded so interesting but I really struggled with the language.

Brilliantly written, and an engaging read. You'll find yourself immediately immersed in the past, with no desire to leave.

I am sure the author knows history and the topic, but the dialect made the book very difficult to read, especially to a non-native speaker. I am afraid I had to put it down and could not finish it because it was nearly impossible to get interested in a story where you have to try really hard to understand what the characters are saying.
But I do think that people who have experience with the dialect could enjoy the book much more than I did.

Unspeakable tells the story of Thomas Aikenhead, the last person in Britain to be executed for blasphemy. It's such an interesting story! Unfortunately, I could not finish this book, but I did think it was worth 3 stars. I will explain in the next paragraphs.

The writing is really amusing and authentic and the author has such talent. It is so well done it's easy to picture the characters and Scotland back in the late 1600s. The main character Thomas is smart, inquisitive and curious. I was particularly fond of the not-so-subtle criticism to the church and law. It made me smirk many times as I read.

However, my problem with this book is that the Scottish accent is translated into the dialogues, which, especially for non-native English speakers like me, can make it hard to follow. I simply could not finish this book. It was an exhaustive mental exercise to translate something twice and try to guess what those words could possibly mean ("Nocht", "ken", etc...), which took away my pleasure for reading it. If not for that, it would have been a really, really good and interesting book, which is why I decided to give it 3 stars. If it wasn't for my trouble reading it, I would have given it 5. It is such an amazing critique of that time, and I hardly ever read stories set in Scotland, which was particularly interesting to me.

Veredict: This is such an interesting story about a young man who ultimately will be hanged for blasphemy. Set in Scotland in the late 1600s, it is written so well the reader feels as if they were there, too. The dialogue as a literal speech transcription, however, made it really hard for me to read this book, and turned an otherwise great read into a laborious exercise for me. If you have no problem reading this type of dialogue, I recommend this book very much.

Unspeakable is about Thomas Aikenhead, the last person to be executed for blasphemy in Britain. I enjoy reading fictional accounts of real life people, especially ones that I'd never previously heard of, but I did struggle with large parts of this.

The use of strong Scottish dialect for every character made it very difficult to read at times. I'm the kind of person who likes when authors use dialect in their writing but this was too much. It was a distraction. It was difficult. It took away rather than enhanced. What made it doubly difficult was that there were no speech marks used. It's a shame because for the non-speech parts, the writing was strong and I really got a feel of the places, especially Edinburgh in parts one and three.

I thought that parts one and two were stronger than part three. Part three I felt was a little rushed. I would have preferred, and was expecting, a bit more in the lead up to Thomas' arrest, trial and execution.

The dialogue in this book is in strong Scottish dialect. Whereas my English is sufficient to read most books I had a very hard time reading this. Hence sadly I dont feel able to give a proper review of the book. This has nothing to do with the writing quality but just with my inability to read the dialect. That is why I didn't write a goodreads review.

What should have been an interesting story on the trial and execution of Thomas Aikenhead for blasphemy on Scotland in 1697 evaporated into an unreadable tome due to the author's insistence on writing in local dialect. After persevering through three chapters with no punctuation to indicate who was speaking when, I went straight to the final chapter.

In the end, I decided my time was better spent going off and reading through the real bones of the case - much easier reading.

An intriguing and wholly paradoxical read, following the true story of Thomas Aikenhead, a 20-year-old Scottish student, who was also the last British person to be hanged for blasphemy in 1697. There are many good aspects to this book, namely the fact that it is based on real events and the introducing of the characters and mystery into the events surrounding the storyline, though the biggest deterrent to the reading is undoubtedly the use of Scottish dialogue attributed to the whole of the speech throughout the book. Although this lends an authenticity to the writing and it places the reader directly in events at the time, there is no denying that use of this as a writing style forces the reader to work hard to understand what they are reading. There is no chance that this story can be rushed through - the reader must slow down to take in what they are reading and listen to the accents filling the mind as characters speak.
Another possible setback is the fact that there are so many things rushed through that we don't get to know, and that includes the characters themselves at times. Time rushes on and we are sent from place to place, without really getting to know how and why events take place. It is hard to fully engage with all the characters are they are not given the time and space to develop fully in parts. The writing style becomes a little dry through this and the reader loses the closeness they seek in order to get into the mind of the characters. We are shown that Aikenhead is a little outspoken and wholly inquisitive, even as a child, but we never really find out much about what he truly thinks. There are clearly issues within the background and growing up in the family, but, again, we are left to wonder and fill in the blanks a little too much - for a reader, this makes for a gap in the understanding, which is a shame in what has the potential to be a really good, intriguing event from history.

<a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/33954794-unspeakable" style="float: left; padding-right: 20px"><img border="0" alt="Unspeakable" src="https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1484929490m/33954794.jpg" /></a><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/33954794-unspeakable">Unspeakable</a> by <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/210452.Dilys_Rose">Dilys Rose</a><br/>
My rating: <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/1955144678">5 of 5 stars</a><br /><br />
There is no mystery about the fate of young Thomas Aikenhead, the protagonist of Dilys Rose's excellent new historical novel, "Unspeakable"; we know, right from the start, that he is destined to die by the noose which hangs so ominously on the front cover. The suspense in the novel lies in why he suffers such a dreadful fate: what is his crime? What factors in his character and in the culture and environment of the time and the place (Edinburgh, in the 1690s) bring him to such an unhappy end? <br />We first meet Thomas as a young boy, son of an Apothecary/Chirurgeon who, as a man of science encourages the boy's garrulousness and his habit of questioning everything he encounters around him. The opening chapter describes the exciting spectacle of the arrival of an elephant in Edinburgh. Young Thomas is, of course, enthralled. The people of the city flock to gaze on the exotic beast, just as at the end of the novel, they will gather to relish the spectacle of Thomas Aikenhead's hanging.<br /> This period of Scottish history, on the cusp of the Enlightenment, is a fascinating one, in which, essentially, two worlds collide: the modern spirit of scientific enquiry, discoveries and new inventions and the older tradition of unquestioning obedience to God epitomised in the dour, Scots Presbytrianism that hangs over the city like a pall, discouraging enquiry and harshly punishing any who offend against the rules imposed by the Presbytery, whether by fornication, Sabbath breaking or in any way challenging the doctrines of the Church. <br />For anyone of enquiring mind and independent thought, the atmosphere is challenging. For one who combines these qualities with an enjoyment of debate and a garrulous habit, like Thomas Aikenhead, it proves deadly. <br /> Dilys Rose's excellent eye for authentic, historical detail, combined with her skills as a storyteller and a creator of convincing characters, vivid scenes and lively, Scots dialogue, make this an outstandingly well written and engaging novel which I highly recommend.

I found this a bit hard to get into due to use of dialect, but once I got my head into the book it was a captivating true life story. Not my usual breed of historical novel but one I am pleased I have read. Great characterisation & brings history back to life

I have complained in the past about books set in Ireland or Scotland that were written without brogue or burr, so I feel ridiculous complaining now about having trouble understanding Dilys Rose's dialog, but alas twas well impossible ta ken. I would recommend this to those who like dark, and like historical fiction, and who can get past unspeakable real life injustice; for this is good but it is harsh. God-abiding, good kids Thomas, his big sister Katharine and little sister Anna cannot catch a break: first debt and drinking kills their apothecary father, then an utter lack of resources and mercy kills their mother and renders them homeless. Distant relatives with money provide them a period of relief, but it's short-lived even though they study hard, never misbehave, and remain uncorrupted by bad influences all around them. Times were hard in 1697, at the tragic end of Unspeakable; but after that times just kept getting harder - what with bloody uprisings, mass exodus and the potato famine, etc.

This thoughtful but ultimately disturbing novel is set in Edinburgh at the latter part of the 17th century and is based on the real life story of Thomas Aikenhead. Thomas's father James was a pharmacist and although ostensibly their life was comfortable compared to the neighbouring poor of the crowded town in reality the business was not doing well and the family was deep in debt. The author by using contemporary events of the time, the visit of an elephant, the appearance of Haley's Comet and the freezing of Edinburgh's nor loch ensures that the story is set in the correct historical time frame.

The use of the Scottish dialect although at first a little hard to get use to also gives it an authenticity which adds to the story. Also one gets a real sense of what living in the City at that time would have been like.

The story progresses as a family drama and when both parents die suddenly the scene shifts to the south shores of the Forth where Thomas and his two sisters are sent to stay with relatives. But it is the turbulent political and religious upheavals of the time that are always a pervasive presence in the background.

Ultimately the intolerance and religious draconianism of the age would prove fatal for Thomas as he is tricked and betrayed and left to pay the ultimate price.

If you enjoy historical fiction and have an interest in the way religion was a dominant force in our society then I would recommend this book

To discover that the subject of this novel young Thomas Aikenhead was a real person whose subsequent trial was an historic turning point in law proved an additional boost to a thoroughly interesting read.
However be prepared to struggle with parts of this book because of the broad Scottish dialect that is used by the author. As young Thomas learns about the consequences of his father's debts and lifestyle, he and his two sisters Katharine and Anna have a hard life to survive in the slums of Edinburgh. Thomas is very inquisitive and our senses are brought into play with the sights and sounds of the periphery of the well heeled parts of the city and the wonders of his father's apothecary shop. The predominance of a dour religious dominance that set the tone of life in 17th century Scotland is always to the fore and very rarely leads to faith or charity for these children.
Deaths and disease are never far away and the novel does at one point dip into a time when all hope seems lost. However a change of fortunes and move to the country revive a further twist in Thomas's life which will lead to further investigation and education as an aspiring student into the world of knowledge and religion. But as we know education can be a dangerous thing.
The author has researched this novel well and it brings forth some very interesting historical areas which made me more intrigued into this period of Scottish life. However the dialogue may prove too much for some south of the border.....

Fictional accounts of real people are really hard to write. There have been few that I've read where I feel that the author does the history justice; the true curse of the history major. My matrilineal descent stems from Edinburgh so I've long been fascinated with its history. This novel is an excellent demonstration of what a well researched book can be. The explanation and portrayal of Scottish culture, the dynamic and enigmatic personality of Thomas Aikenhead, the general uncertainty of whether or not his death was justified, these are only a handful of reasons to love this book. Even in a modern setting the fear and utter hatred that was felt for him and by him, the zeal for knowledge and the almost addictive need he had for it still feel every bit as real now as they must have back then.

The author's attempt to write in an accent completely ruined the book for me. I tried 3 times to read what was written, but it took forever to get through even a few pages.

Unspeakable

This is the story of student Thomas Aikenhead, the last person to be hanged in Britain for blasphemy. It's a fascinating account of his life and times, rich in historical detail and from the first pages, I had a really strong sense of place, people and the repressive and controlling influence of the church. It's set in Edinburgh, a city I'm familiar with, and I found the place references fascinating. Many of the buildings and streets referred to in this tale, set in the late 17th century, are still around, so many of the events are easy to visualise, even in the context of a modern Edinburgh.

The dialogue is written with a distinct Scottish voice and use of language. Those unfamiliar with the dialect may find it a little difficult, at first, but it's so beautifully written, the words soon form their own shape and flow and I found it almost reads audibly with a Scottish accent! I love the way Dilys Rose uses language; it really adds to the richness of the story.

It's one of the best historical fiction books I've read in some time. She really captures the sense of religious authoritarianism, suspicion and fervour. Although Edinburgh University was rich in learning, the liberal ideas of tolerance introduced by the Age of Enlightenment had not yet arrived. Poor old Thomas was hanged at the age of 20, an injustice at the time and one which echoes with current issues around freedom of speech. An outstanding account, albeit imagined, of the life and times, beautifully written and thought provoking.

My thanks to the publisher for an advance review copy via Netgalley.