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Vernon Subutex One

the International Booker-shortlisted cult novel
By Virginie Despentes
0.0 (0 reviews)
3.91 goodreads logo

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Check link for latest rating. ( 16,650 ratings, 1,473 reviews)
Book Hero Magic crafted this summary to help describe this book. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! Summary
Vernon Subutex One follows the life of Vernon, a once-popular record shop owner in Paris who becomes homeless after his store closes. As Vernon searches for a place to stay, he encounters a vibrant cast of characters from all walks of life, weaving a vivid tapestry of contemporary urban society. The novel explores themes of social change, identity, and the impact of technology, offering both a poignant and edgy commentary on modern life.
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Format: Paperback / softback
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Book Hero Magic created this recommendation. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! IS THIS YOUR NEXT READ?

You might enjoy this book if you are intrigued by gritty urban narratives, complex character studies, and a raw portrayal of contemporary society. It could appeal to readers who appreciate stories that weave themes of friendship, media culture, and social upheaval, all set against the vibrant backdrop of Paris.

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Vernon Subutex: the man, the myth, the punk-lit sensation.

Book Hero Magic formatted this description to make it easier to read. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! Description

SHORTLISTED FOR THE MAN BOOKER INTERNATIONAL 2018

WHO IS VERNON SUBUTEX?

An urban legend.

A fall from grace.

The mirror who reflects us all.

Vernon Subutex One tells the story of Vernon Subutex, who was once the proprietor of Revolver, an infamous music shop in Bastille. His legend spread throughout Paris, but by the 2000s, his shop is struggling. With his savings gone, his unemployment benefit cut, and the friend who had been covering his rent suddenly dead, Vernon finds himself down and out on the Paris streets.

He has one final card up his sleeve. Even as he holds out his hand to beg for the first time, a throwaway comment he once made on Facebook is taking the internet by storm. Vernon does not realise this, but the word is out: he has in his possession the last filmed recordings of Alex Bleach, the famous musician and Vernon's benefactor, who has only just died of a drug overdose. A crowd of people, from record producers to online trolls and porn stars, are now on Vernon's trail.

Translated from the French by Frank Wynne

"Thrilling, magnificently audacious" Irish Times

"Brimming with sex, violence and deviant behaviour" Sunday Times

"Virginie Despentes's Vernon Subutex trilogy is the zeitgeistiest thing I ever read" NELL ZINK

Book Hero Magic summarised reviews for this book. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! HOW HAS THIS BEEN REVIEWED?

Vernon Subutex One is lauded as a powerful depiction of contemporary society, with Virginie Despentes praised for her extraordinary writing style. The novel is described as a fusion of social epic and punk rock thriller, capturing the essence of modern times with its diverse characters and dynamic plots. It is perceived as a provocative work that challenges and disturbs readers, offering a vibrant and intense portrayal of French life.

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Book Details

INFORMATION

ISBN: 9780857055422

Publisher: Quercus Publishing

Format: Paperback / softback

Date Published: 22 March 2018

Country: United Kingdom

Imprint: MacLehose Press

Contributors:

  • Translated by Frank Wynne
  • Translated by Frank Wynne

Audience: General / adult

DIMENSIONS

Spine width: 22.0mm

Width: 201.0mm

Height: 204.0mm

Weight: 248g

Pages: 352

Collections

Fiction General Fiction Literary Fiction Virginie Despentes

About the Author

Virginie Despentes is a writer and filmmaker, and former maid, sex worker, and freelance rock journalist. Her first novel, Baise-Moi, the controversial rape-revenge story, was published in 1992 and adapted for film in 2000. Upon release it became the first film to be banned in France for twenty-eight years. She is the author of over fifteen further works, including Apocalypse Baby (2010) and Bye Bye Blondie (2004), and the autobiographical essay, King Kong Theory (2006).

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  • King Kong Theory
    I write from the realms of the ugly, for the ugly, the frigid, the unfucked and the unfuckables, all those excluded from the great meat market of female flesh, and for all those guys who don't want to be protectors, for those who would like to be but don't know how, for those who are not ambitious, competitive, or well-endowed....
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  • Dear Dickhead
    "The book of the moment" Sunday Times A Guardian Book of the Year "Highly entertaining . . . subtle and complex" Guardian "Despentes at her very best" New European "Full of emotional suspense" FT "Brilliant - funny, wise and completely addictive - a work of angry, outrageous and hilarious genius" VICTORIA HISLOP "Full of energy and blistering rationality" LISA McINERNEY...
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  • Vernon Subutex Two
    Sunday Times Best Books of 2018 "Funny, irreverent and scathing" Guardian "Virginie Despentes is a true original, a punk rock George Eliot" — ALEXANDRA KLEEMAN, author of You Too Could Have a Body Like Mine Rock star Alexandre Bleach might be dead, but he has a secret. It's a secret that concerns several people, but the only person who can...
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  • Dear Dickhead
    "The book of the moment" Sunday Times "Highly entertaining . . . subtle and complex" Guardian "Despentes at her very best" New European "Brilliant - funny, wise and completely addictive" VICTORIA HISLOP "Full of energy and blistering rationality" LISA McINERNEY Dear Dickhead, I read the piece you posted on Insta. You're like a pigeon shitting on my shoulder as you...
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