''The Dwarves of Death'' is a hilarious black comedy
by Jonathan Coe. William has a lot on his mind. Firstly,
there's The Alaska Factory, the band he plays in.
They're no good, and they make his songs sound about as
groovy as an unimpressed record. In fact they're so bad
he's seriously thinking of leaving to join a group
called The Unfortunates. Secondly, there's Madeline, his
high-maintenance girlfriend whose idea of a night of
passion is an Andrew Lloyd Webber musical followed by a
doorstep peck on the cheek. Maybe they're not soulmates
after all? Lastly, there's the bizarre murder he's just
witnessed. The guiding force behind The Unfortunates
lies bludgeoned to death at his feet and, unfortunately
for William, there aren't too many other suspects
standing nearby...''It's about being young, poor,
confused and in love. It's also very funny ...sharp,
lucid and witty''. (''Guardian''). ''Notable for its
fresh, contemporary flavour and its bristling
intellectual energy. Coe has huge powers of observation
and enormous literary panache''. (''Sunday
Times'').Jonathan Coe's novels are filled with biting
political satire, moving and astute observations of life
and hilarious set pieces that have made him one of the
most popular writers of his generation. His other
titles, ''The Accidental Woman'', ''The Closed Circle'',
''The Terrible Privacy of Maxwell Sim'', ''The House of
Sleep'' (winner of the 1998 Prix Medicis Etranger), ''A
Touch of Love'', and ''The Rain Before it Falls'', are
all available in Penguin paperback. |
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