David Peace’s second book in the Red Riding Quartet “Nineteen Seventy-Seven” follows in its prequel’s footsteps by being a bleak, disturbing and miserable crime fiction novel.
The book follows Bob Fraser, a crooked Chapeltown police officer and Jack Whitehead, a washed-out journalist as they both investigate a series of murders in Leeds, England, all of which are believed to be done by a serial killer dubbed the “Yorkshire Ripper.”
One thing that especially sticks out about this novel is its graphic descriptions of violence and its consequences. The book will often detour into extreme descriptions of barbarity that personally left me confused about how the reader got there in the first place. Although I liked many aspects of the book, it is extremely hard to decipher the implied message of institutional violence and political corruption when the two main protagonists are so deeply flawed and nonsensical it makes the rest of the novel difficult to understand. Combine this with the languid pacing, and “Nineteen Seventy-Seven” is a grueling read for the most readers.
While “Nineteen Seventy-Seven” is an undeniably challenging read, its conclusion is rewarding for those who stick it out to that point. The book is worth checking out if you are interested in historical fiction or crime fiction novels and are fine with graphic depictions of violence.
Rating: I Didn’t Understand What Happened/10