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the complete review - fiction

The Dwarves of Death

by
Jonathan Coe

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Our Assessment:

B : a fun, unusual musical thriller

See our review for fuller assessment.

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The complete review's Review:

       In the The Dwarves of Death -- and beginning with the title -- Coe emphasizes the bizarre, though, as so often, he makes it strangely believable. A musical piece (the sections are headed Theme One and Solo and Key Change and Coda and the like), and with each section headed by lyrics from guiding hand Morrissey (The Smiths), the novel is another of Coe's interesting (and successful) literary experiments.
       William, the narrator of the book, is somewhat at sea. "I find it hard to describe what happened," he tells us in the books first line -- and again later on. Coe does not find it hard to tell at all, it is merely a complex and unusual story. A musician, twenty-three year old William wants to join a new band (promisingly named The Unfortunates) and promptly witnesses one of the members get killed by two dwarves.
       William blames the most obvious and easy target for this and most of his troubles: Andrew Lloyd Webber. Turning back a few pages he explains how he wound up in the middle of this situation. The band William is in wreak havoc with the songs he composes, and the girl he is interested in, Madeline, is both a fan of Lloyd Webber and a by and large unattainable Catholic, and Coe is able to poke fun at various subjects (mainly musical) as he describes William's squirming through life.
       William's musical misadventures and efforts to win over Madeline continue apace. Nothing too exciting, but amusing enough stuff. William also hears about a band called The Dwarves of Death, a punk group that featured two diminutive bass player with a reputation for criminal violence, and the story builds up to the murder with which it opened.
       Coe neatly unravels the strands, with some unexpected twists and explanations. A story about youth and aimless ambition and music and learning from life, Coe has fashioned a nice little entertainment with a few good laughs.
       Certainly a fun read, recommended if the subject matter (music, youth) are of interest.

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Links:

• Penguin publicity page
• Gallimard publicity page

• Lire (French)
• La Plume Noire (French)
• sophiebane
• The Spectator

• IMDb page

• The complete review's Jonathan Coe page
• Official site

• The Accidental Woman
• Bournville
• The Closed Circle
• Expo 58
• The House of Sleep
• Like a Fiery Elephant
• Middle England
• Mr. Wilder and Me
• Number 11
• The Rain before it Falls
• The Rotters' Club
• The Terrible Privacy of Maxwell Sim
• A Touch of Love
• What a Carve Up ! (also: The Winshaw Legacy)

• Geoff Nicholson's musical paean, Flesh Guitar
• Steve Beard's ambient novel, Digital Leatherette, with a cameo by Morrissey
• See Index of Contemporary British fiction at the complete review

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About the Author:

       Born in 1961, Jonathan Coe attended Cambridge and Warwick universities. He is the author of several novels.

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