Stump
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Product Description
Book Description
Black farce from the author of Kelly + Victor and Sheepshagger.
Product Description
A newcomer has arrived in a small Welsh seaside town - a one-armed Liverpudlian. Seeking to rebuild his life, if not his body, he is attempting to lead a life here unlike any he's lived before: a normal one - shopping, gardening, signing on, visiting friends, all the usual diurnal activities. -Over a hundred miles to the north, however, two men in shellsuits are leaving Liverpool, heading south in a rickety old car. They have been sent by their gang-boss to wreak terrible, violent revenge, but have only a rough idea of their quarry: a one-armed man, maybe living somewhere in west Wales, in a small town by the sea.--'He is an epic and, at moments, visionary writer-Griffiths, through this man's gentle but raging voice, gives one of the great depictions of alcoholism' Toby Litt, Guardian--'Niall Griffiths is an actual literary star. He writes with vim and sympathy about the things young people do' Daily Telegraph--'In the top rank of contemporary British authors-He brings tremendous rhythm and energy to his prose' Glasgow Herald--'Stump is the author's gentlest and funniest book by far-He has a prose style as compelling and seductive as any writer in the land' Big Issue--'The range of Griffiths's achievement is as exhilarating as the reach of his ambition' Guardian (20030623)
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Customer Reviews
Most Helpful Customer Reviews
5 of 5 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
'Stump' is a surprisingly gentle novel, despite the harshness of two of the book's characters, and the hardships endured by its narrator. The story unfolds cleverly: each chapter written from Stump's POV is followed by a chapter written in the third person, consisting mainly of dialogue, and concerning two rather unpleasant yet clueless scousers sent on a mission to track down Stump. The narrator himself is a one-armed ex-alcoholic scouser intent on rebuilding his life in the 'softer' surroundings of a small Welsh town. He is both inspired and challenged by the simplicity of his new life and the rural environment in which he has escaped to, and Griffiths tells his story without great apology or pity. There are some scathing attacks on the 12 step programme but recognition also on the narrator's behalf of his own shortcomings and past f*ck-ups, and how they will change his life forever. The plot concludes amusingly but plausibly, and the writing throughout is wonderfully suited to the characters it portrays. This was the first book I've read by Niall Griffiths, and I will be seeking out more in the near future. A very enjoyable read.
1 of 1 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback|Amazon Verified Purchase
It may be a rambling story with not a lot happening, using the classic structure seen in fiction over the last decade of two intertwined story lines but this book's achievement is not in action story telling. Instead what keeps you reading to the end is the depicting of the mindset and thoughts of the one armed main character, his loss of his arm being due to earlier drug abuse days back in Liverpool as vividly recalled and the practical impact of losing a limb as he tries to rebuild his life in Wales all done in the first voice, with the parallel tale told in the third person of the two scousers on his trail who ultimately fail to make contact, all handled in black humour and very similar of the two incompetent hitmen protagonists of the Guy Ritchie movie, "Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels".
Griffiths' covering of life in the lower reaches of society especially the interaction and impact of drugs and criminal culture is very well done and despite other reviewers picking up on the correctness of certain words, having spent 3 years in Liverpool I soon found myself falling into the scouse patois as I read.
Despite its unpleasant storyline, a strangely addictive read.
Griffiths' covering of life in the lower reaches of society especially the interaction and impact of drugs and criminal culture is very well done and despite other reviewers picking up on the correctness of certain words, having spent 3 years in Liverpool I soon found myself falling into the scouse patois as I read.
Despite its unpleasant storyline, a strangely addictive read.
4 of 6 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
The main character 'stump' is a bit of bore, always waffling on about boring stuff like the loss of his arm and birds (the feathered type). I think the book would have read better if 50% of his rambling had been edited out. (I would have awarded 5 stars if this had been done). The book is saved though by 2 colorful characters Darren and Alastair. Both of them are typical shellsuit scalls - funny, corrupt and violent.
The story is about stump leading a dreary life in west Wales away from Liverpool and his drunken drug fuelled days. He wants to lead a normal quiet life but a gangster from Liverpool wants revenge and sends two of his boys Daz & Ali on a mission to seek and destroy.
The dialogue is very cleverly written and is almost perfect except that scousers don't say words like chipper (woolly word) they say chippy. This book will have you laughing out loud. The only downside is it gets a bit tiresome in parts but is still worth a read.
If you like reading about scousers, crime, violence and humor then read 'Outlaws' and 'Clubland' by Kevin Sampson.
The story is about stump leading a dreary life in west Wales away from Liverpool and his drunken drug fuelled days. He wants to lead a normal quiet life but a gangster from Liverpool wants revenge and sends two of his boys Daz & Ali on a mission to seek and destroy.
The dialogue is very cleverly written and is almost perfect except that scousers don't say words like chipper (woolly word) they say chippy. This book will have you laughing out loud. The only downside is it gets a bit tiresome in parts but is still worth a read.
If you like reading about scousers, crime, violence and humor then read 'Outlaws' and 'Clubland' by Kevin Sampson.
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Most Recent Customer Reviews
Comic ramble with great conclusion
It's a ramble but if you make it, with the characters, to the end, its a fantastic climax. And the characters are so well-drawn; the guy escaping the horrors of addiction by... Read more
Published on 2 Jan 2004 by J. Davies
armless fun
The main character ‘stump’ is a bit of bore, always waffling on about boring stuff like the loss of his arm and birds (the feathered type). Read more
Published on 15 Sep 2003 by "prestige4u"
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