Little Green Man - Hardcover

Armitage, Simon

Hardcover

ISBN 10: 0753166224 ISBN 13: 9780753166222

Publisher: ISIS Large Print Books, 2002

Synopsis

Thirty-something, out of work, separated from his wife and alienated from his autistic son, Barney retreats into the fantasy world of his past. He harks back to the do-or-dare days with his mates, Winkie, Pompus, Stubbs and Tony Football. Nearly twenty years later, rummaging in the attic, Barney unearths a priceless possession, one that reunites his old circle of friends. As the men get involved in the re-creation of their childhood game--this time with very grown-up stakes--jealousies, rivalries and enmities test their friendship to breaking-point and even threaten their lives. Now, everyone is willing to do or die for the little green man...except this time it's for keeps.

About this title

Review:

Little Green Man, Simon Armitage's first novel, draws on the author's gritty Yorkshire upbringing to produce a vivid story of childhood nostalgia and adult disillusionment. Armitage's protagonist is the feckless Barney, thirtysomething, divorced, and alienated from his autistic son. His only passion are his mates, "the old friends, the ones you were brought up with, who go further back than you remember, who've been there since the beginning. You didn't choose them--they're like family. Like blood." When Barney unearths what turns out to be a priceless relic from his childhood days--the "little green man" of the novel's title--he gets back in touch with his old gang: Winkie, Pompus, Stubbs and Tony Football. Desperate to "turn back the clock" and relive their childhood escapades, Barney proposes a game of truth or dare. Each member of the gang "dares" another. Failure to complete a dare leads to disqualification. The winner walks away with the priceless little green man. As the stakes get higher, friendships begin to dissolve as hairy women are seduced, sheep are slaughtered and excrement eaten. In the process the gang reveal some of their deepest secrets, from abuse to impotence, and as the game begins to get out of hand, Barney himself has to confront the responsibilities of adulthood. The problem is that the novel's brutally frank portrayal of both Barney and his gang is so convincing that it becomes difficult to feel any sympathy for anyone. Little Green Man is a tough, uncompromising debut novel, but many fans of Armitage may feel it lacks the originality of his highly acclaimed poetry. --Jerry Brotton

Review:

'Sensitive not sentimental... real humour, horror, tension and tenderness' Mirror

About this edition

• Publisher: ISIS Large Print Books
• Publication date: 2002
• ISBN 10: 0753166224
• ISBN 13: 9780753166222
• Binding: Hardcover
• Number of pages: 336