A review by p_t_b
Vernon Subutex 1 by Virginie Despentes

3.0

the cover art had me hoping that vernon might actually turn out to be some kind of monstrous french bulldog-french person hybrid. if that's going to happen it's going to happen in book 2 or 3 of the trilogy. i vaguely enjoyed this but it's not really in my aesthetic erogenous zones or whatever. although also i have no idea whether to take it seriously or not or how seriously, much like the comic relief skinhead who shows up at the very end, who is despised by the other skinhead for being too cynical. i think one vernon subutex is enough for me but i see why people dig this. scuzzy sprawling satire with great energy and a sincere glee in its embrace of the profane. a slightly less acrid houllebecq that manages to invoke the same Social Issues without leaving you wondering if the author is recruiting you for some kind of wounded white male cult