Friday 11 March 2016

Book Review - The Rise & Fall of the Miraculous Vespas by David F. Ross




This is the 2nd book in a trilogy from an author I first knew via @bythemins and for me it's even better than his The Last Day's of Disco.

Now I'm going to make you acutely aware that I'm neither Scottish nor was around going to gigs and disco-ing in the early 1980s.  In fact as a 7 year old when Boy George came on Top of the Pops singing "Karma Chameleon" I asked my parents if he was a man or a lady, I'm not sure they gave me an answer.

However David is such an excellent wordsmith and story-teller that I was transported into an era and place I have no knowledge of, I was there living it.  In fact as David likes to see me as some kind of Cockney barrow boy (I'm actually from Essex!) I thought I may struggle with the dialect in the book....people south of the border don't panic, it's easy to pick up and understand, even for us stupid southerners!

The title says it all.  I won't give too much away, but the Vespas get to the very top of the pop world and then drop away. Pretty much a rise and fall. Oh there you go. Spoiler.

Obviously David goes into more detail than that, and some of the character's despite having some peculiar habits are all very believable.

I cannot recommend this book highly enough, and cannot wait for the 3rd instalment.

David is such an excellent writer, that I'm prepared to let his awful choice of football team to support pass without comment.

Keep up the good work!

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