Tangled Web UK Review June 2007
Donkey Punch by
Ray Banks
pbk out July 07
(Polygon)
at £8.99
Nearly three-quarters of a century after James M. Cain and Jim Thompson pioneered
a new style of crime fiction, Noir has become a subcategory much like any other. As
such, conventions that were once innovative have become formulaic: the novel is
narrated in the first person by the protagonist, usually male; the protagonist is an ex-
convict, an alcoholic, and/or a drug addict; he is victimised by evil parole/police
officers or social workers who should know better; despite being an 'outsider', he is
not a racist or a homophobe, and thus not despicable; and sentences are written as
thoughts, often predicate only, as in: "Haven't seen Mo Tiernan since Newcastle"
instead of "I haven't seen Mo Tiernan since Newcastle".
At first glance, Donkey Punch is all of the above, more Brit Noir with nothing
to distinguish it from hundreds – perhaps thousands, now – of others. Transgressive
fiction is all very well, but readers still need a protagonist they can root for. They
might nod sagely when he receives his just desserts, but if they don't actually want
him to get away with it, then they're unlikely to continue past the first chapter. And
that's where Donkey Punch is different. In Callum 'Cal' Innes, Mr Banks has opted
for a hero rather than an anti-hero – honourable, flawed, all too human, but a hero
nonetheless – and created a character with whom readers can empathise, if not
sympathise.
Following appearances in Saturday's Child, eight short stories, and a spell in
jail, Innes is working for his friend Paulo at a boxing club in Salford (Manchester).
Innes has various personal problems, including a past that won't leave him alone, but
it is a refreshing change to see Noir with such a strong anti-drug message. Paulo's
club is all about instilling discipline and a sense of self-respect in the local young
offenders, and he asks Innes to baby-sit one of them for a competition in Los Angeles.
Liam is an apparently borderline psychopathic seventeen-year-old, and the sparks are
already flying between him and Innes before they even board the plane. The plot
bobs and weaves as fast as the bouts, and Innes adds a touch of humour as an amusing
'fish out of water' in L.A. There is also plenty of character development, particularly
where Liam is concerned – another indication of the novel's literary merit.
Most impressive, however, is the twist at the very end: subtle and very
original. Like most Noir, the story concludes on a bitter note, with Innes having
suffered something of a reversal of fortune. But the genius of Mr Banks' take on a
conventional conclusion is when the reader realises that Innes has in fact brought all
his troubles on himself. Bad luck he has had aplenty, but his own responses to this
luck propel the narrative from start to finish. The result is quite brilliant, showing
Innes at his best and worst: not merely a character in a novel, but an astonishingly real
individual – complete with strengths and weaknesses – that demands attention.
This is Noir for all seasons, and an excellent place to begin for those who
haven't yet tried the subgenre.
(
Rafe McGregor
)
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