David Peace’s Red Riding Quartet: 1974
April 19, 20111974 is the first of Red Riding Quartet by David Peace. The quartet is presently in production and will be packaged as 3 feature length films.
The book is nihilistic, stomach churning and emotionally wretched. That barely comes across as eulogy, but it takes seriously powerful writing to subjugate a happy young person like me. Peace is a gloomy prince doling out melancholy and ill-ease. 1974 contains scenes, which stick with me for a long time. Edward Dunford, the protagonist, continues one of the most pain-filled and bleakest character journey’s that I have ever encountered. Sometimes I was not sure I wanted to read the whole book. Will I read another part of Red Riding Quartet?
You see, the book may seem depressing, but the writing quality is very impressive. David Peace uses a great style throughout; many of short, smart sentences, realistic dialogue as well as unashamed usage of the F-word on each page. The 1974 characters are complete bastards, though they act like real persons. Is this Yorkshire Noir? Yes, I think so. Until there is a term describing something that is darker than black.
The novel is not for faint-hearted people and may cause mood swings amid the emotionally stable. Actually, Peace’s 1974 should come with a warning. You should read the book and even writing research paper and custom term paper writing about it. Maybe add to your drink habit that you have been worrying about, take smoking dope, and kill your goldfish. But remember; it is just a story.
