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Growing up on a housing estate in Muirhouse, Edinburgh, Roy unavoidably gets into scrapes with other kids and, as his crimes eventually become more serious, the police. Welsh expertly interweaves into this base reality Roy's surreal hallucination of his time spent in South Africa with "Sandy Jamieson"--the fearless hunter (a figment of his troubled mind) with whom he goes in search of the vicious but elusive Marabou Stork, a beast that isn't what it seems to be. Roy trains his mind to shut out the present and finds comfort in his African escapism--anything to avoid dealing with the consequences of his actions in real life, and his mother's singing.
The Strangs move out to South Africa in the hope of making a better life for themselves and to raise their "prospects", but they are disillusioned when, in a country where white skin is considered superior, they still fail to achieve their desires. Back in Muirhouse Roy works his way up to systems analyst from a trainee, but in his own time gets his kicks from football hooliganism; he gets involved with a bad crowd whom he finds himself joining in the docks before long.
The exercise and abuse of power is a consistent theme throughout the book: it's depicted between the hunters and animals, nurse Patricia Devine and Roy, Roy and the family dog, uncle Gordon and Roy, Lochart Dawson and the black South Africans, rapists and their female victim. Having been abused in his early years--physically, verbally and sexually--Roy, in a comatose state, is unable to fight anymore and is rendered a victim as well as a perpetrator in his state of limbo.
Using style nuances now familiar in his work, such as writing in dialect and eschewing quote marks, Welsh presents a modern-day Kafka-esque tale of exaggerated realism, told with dark humour and making sure to blunt any polished edges. --Angela Boodoo
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Book Description Condition: New. Seller Inventory # 1377069-n
Book Description Paperback. Condition: new. Paperback. 'Extremely funny. As clever as Alasdair Gray, as elegant as Jeff Torrington, as passionate as James Kelman, Welsh has got it all' Tibor FischerRoy Strang is engaged in a strange quest in a surrealist South Africa. His mission is to eradicate an evil predator-scavenger bird, the marabou stork, before it drives away the peace-loving flamingo from the picturesque Lake Torto.But behind this world lies another- the world of Roy's bizarre family, the Scottish housing scheme in which he grew up, his mundane job, a disastrous emigration to Africa, and his youthful life of brutality with a gang of soccer casuals. As one world crashes into the other, this potentially charming story of ornithological goodwill mutates into a filthy tale of violence, abuse and redemption. A novel set in surrealist South Africa, where the hero's mission to eradicate an evil predator-scavenger bird from Lake Torto clashes with the world of his bizarre family, resulting in a tale of violence, abuse and redemption. Shipping may be from multiple locations in the US or from the UK, depending on stock availability. Seller Inventory # 9780099435112
Book Description paperback. Condition: New. Language: ENG. Seller Inventory # 9780099435112
Book Description Paperback. Condition: Brand New. 288 pages. 7.76x5.08x0.71 inches. In Stock. Seller Inventory # __009943511X
Book Description Soft Cover. Condition: new. Seller Inventory # 9780099435112
Book Description Condition: New. pp. [xvi] + 264. Seller Inventory # 6356797
Book Description Paperback / softback. Condition: New. New copy - Usually dispatched within 4 working days. Roy Strang is engaged in a strange quest in a surrealist South Africa. But behind this world lies another: the world of Roy's bizarre family, the Scottish housing scheme in which he grew up, his mundane job, a disastrous emigration to Africa, and his youthful life of brutality with a gang of soccer casuals. Seller Inventory # B9780099435112
Book Description Condition: New. Roy Strang is engaged in a strange quest in a surrealist South Africa. His mission is to eradicate the evil marabou stork before it drives away the flamingo from picturesque Lake Torto. Part of the 1995 Scottish Book Fortnight promotion. Num Pages: 288 pages. BIC Classification: FA; WH. Category: (G) General (US: Trade). Dimension: 197 x 130 x 19. Weight in Grams: 208. 1996. New Ed. Paperback. . . . . Books ship from the US and Ireland. Seller Inventory # 9780099435112
Book Description Condition: New. Roy Strang is engaged in a strange quest in a surrealist South Africa. His mission is to eradicate the evil marabou stork before it drives away the flamingo from picturesque Lake Torto. Part of the 1995 Scottish Book Fortnight promotion. Num Pages: 288 pages. BIC Classification: FA; WH. Category: (G) General (US: Trade). Dimension: 197 x 130 x 19. Weight in Grams: 208. 1996. New Ed. Paperback. . . . . Seller Inventory # 9780099435112
Book Description Paperback. Condition: New. BRAND NEW ** SUPER FAST SHIPPING FROM UK WAREHOUSE ** 30 DAY MONEY BACK GUARANTEE. Seller Inventory # 9780099435112-GDR