The Runaway Bribe (Vernon God Little - DBC Pierre)

Name: Matt_Roberts

Hello doyoo user, You have to be logged in to use these functions... Login or register Close window

Send message to member

Product:	Vernon God Little - DBC Pierre
Date:	18/09/04 (387 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: Pierre is wonderful, many funny one-liners

Disadvantages: Plot was rather pathetic, dissapointing ending

I have literally, just this moment finished reading the 2003 Man Booker Prize winner Vernon God Little. Was it a worthy winner? You'll just have to wait to find out...

After reading the first ever review on Vernon God Little I made my mind up that I wasn't going to read it. I don't tend to go for comedy, and although everyone praised it to the hills I just could not be bothered with reading it. When it came out in paperback I pondered over reading it once again. At first I (again!) decided against it, but whilst looking in Tesco and seeing it for just under £4 I picked it up, put all my doubt to the back of my mind and went home and began to read it.

Within the first few pages I laughed. I don't usually laugh whilst reading a book. Even if it is a comedy. I may giggle, perhaps, give a little titter, but I'm definitely not a rolling-on-the-floor laughing kind of guy. But, Vernon God Little, I must admit did have me on the floor laughing. DBC Pierre's witty writing and one-liners were both so true and amusing. Within a couple of pages I got hooked on Vernon's story, and I carried on reading.

So, what was the story that put me off, then? Well, Vernon Little lives in a little town called Martirio in Texas. It's not a very popular town, but when Vernon's friend Jesus shoots 17 of his fellow students, the town is swarming with the media. Then, the finger points to Vernon Little. As the police begin to investigate the crime, they are lead to believe that Vernon Little is, in actual fact, the murderer of the 17 students and his friend Jesus. So, what do you do when you are accused of a murder you didn't commit? I think we all know the answer to that question; and that's just what Vernon does.

It doesn't sound too good like that, does it? To be honest, the plot isn't too good. It's probably the weakest part of the book, but there are parts that will leave you pretty amused. Vernon God Little has been described as a man's book. I'd probably agree with that statement, as well. It's a book that most adolescent boys can probably relate to. Relate to Vernon in the way he feels, but still, it does rather class boys of that age in a certain way. I could relate to some things he said, but they didn't necessarily have anything to do with me being a man. I hate people who try and say that certain books are aimed at certain people. It's not always true. Different novels appeal to different people. Is it a man's book? Yes. Can women enjoy it as well? Most definitely! There are references to things that men and women can enjoy, laugh and relate to, so just because you're a woman don't think you won't enjoy it.

Of course, if you're easily offended by swearing, do not read Vernon God Little. He uses the word "fucken" about three times a page (if not more). Some people have said that they find the swearing "irrelevant" and they'd have enjoyed the book that bit more if there hadn't have been so much swearing. 50 pages into the book the swearing does becomes very tedious, but it's totally necessary. We have to remember that Vernon is our narrator. This is how he talks. This is his way. If there wasn't any swearing, then it wouldn't be as realistic. Something I really did like about Vernon God Little was the way that Pierre made Vernon 100% believable as a character. Ok, the plot might not have been believable, but Vernon's expressions, ways and use of words was - you could tell - wonderfully thought out and Pierre has a talent for creating the greatest of characters. Vernon's grumpy teenager who develops as the story goes on; Pierre handles his character with great care and deals with him so well and just shows DBC Pierre's talent clearly to his readers.

You really do love his characters. Even if they're horrible ones. Why? Well, because they're so believable that you just can't help but love them, because you know so many people like that. If I lived in Texas I think I'd love them even more than I do, because you can tell that what Pierre is saying is obviously so true and realistic for people who live in Texas. He delves into their lives and you can imagine absolutely everything he describes. I'm not that familiar with Texas, but after reading Vernon God Little I do feel that I've visited there. Pierre does have a way of pulling you into Vernon God Little. At some points I couldn't put it down. I read about 150 pages in one sitting not because I loved the plot, but the writing. To be honest, I didn't really carry on reading it because I wanted to know what happened, but I wanted to see what excellent, witty one liner Pierre would come up with next. And that is what kept me hooked. I was often hooked, which I can't always say after reading a book.

But, even with all these good things I still didn't enjoy it. I found the story too tiresome. At the beginning it was a tad unbelievable but that was ok because with it's witty writing it somehow worked. You could put up with it because it sort of fitted. But, after a while, as Pierre started to write less witty and more seriously, the story got too much. As I neared the end, I wasn't laughing at the one-liners anymore but the plot. I don't know if this is what Pierre intended and he turned it all around just to show us how clever he is, but for me it just didn't work any way it was intended. It left me feeling disappointed and cheated because I wasn't that satisfied with the ending.

Something else I really didn't like - and I found irritating whilst reading - was, as I've already mentioned, the plot. It turned into something completely unrealistic and pathetic, I found. Was it supposed to be funny? Amusing? Well, if it was, I'm afraid I missed out. Without DBC Pierre's fresh writing I don't think Vernon God Little would have been a success at all. Its plot was boring and really, I was right in feeling put off at first. There were many ways DBC Pierre could have gone, but he insisted on going the other, pathetic, way instead. It left me disappointed and rather angered, because I know that Vernon God Little could have been good. It had potential. But to me, it just seemed that Pierre fell off the track big time in the end and instead of making Vernon God Little an outrageous tale, for me he just made it outrageous.

So, was it a worthy winner? I think you know the answer to that by now! Whilst reading I compared Vernon God Little to other nominations such as Notes On A Scandal and Brick Lane and there was just no competition at all. Brick Lane was much more emotionally fired with love and passion, in both it's writing and it's story, as was Notes On A Scandal. Vernon God Little has wonderful writing it just lacks in the plot department.

Vernon God Little does hold something though - the beginnings of a fresh new writer. I will most definitely read his next work, because I really do think that DBC Pierre is an exciting new novelist who'll go down as one of the greats. Will Vernon God Little go down as one of the greats? Perhaps the greatest mistake for the man booker prizewinner!

So, will you enjoy it? I didn't, but I do recommend it just for DBC Pierre's writing style. It's fresh, new and filled with witty comments. I may not have fallen in love with Vernon, but I did with DBC Pierre. Read it, but try to get through it pretty quickly because it's not worth a load of your time.

ISBN: 0571216420





© Matt Roberts 2004.




Th

Summary: