The Good Book

An unrelentingly grim read. Fifteen-year-old Ross, the leader of a gang of thugs who follow their local non-league football team almost solely for the aggro, gains his inspiration and battle plans from intensive study of the Old Testament (and if you can believe that, you can believe anything). We get constant references to Jepthah and the Gileadites, the Israelites against the Benjamites and Samson smiting the Philistines. Along with this comes Ross's thoughts on the Gulf War and the ideas of Stormin' Norman Schwarzkopf. The arrival in town of a Youth Peace Mission seems an ideal opportunity for Ross and the Judges to have some more fun but Ross is strangely drawn to these people, particularly the quiet, calm, good-looking, Morgan. The love of a good woman seems to be having some effect as does a viewing of the film Gandhi, but the return of Ross's drunken, violent father undoes everything. The fights are described in graphic detail, there's much discussion of the relative values of revenge and forgiveness and Ross agonises over his motives and what has made him the person he is. Ultimately, though it's unconvincing.