[Book Review] Riddley Walker – Russell Hoban (1980)

Bought on a whim while browsing a beer and book venue, I didn’t know what to expect with Riddley Walker. I’m always intrigued by things that are trying something different though, and the opening page sends that message pretty loud and clear. Written entirely in broken English, from the perspective of a post-nuclear citizen, where history and fact evolve through stories, performances and “connexions”, the book is a unique puzzle as much as it is a novel. Gene Wolfe springs to mind as a comparison, but somehow Gene’s legible brand of the enigmatic felt more tedious and obnoxious to me than Hoban’s less accessible approach here; a more apt comparison might be Joyce or Burgess, though this likely sits somewhere in-between the two. One would be forgiven for abandoning Riddley in spite of its short length, although I do think perseverance will have most finding it more readable than they expect, since much of the language involves familiar words spelt oddly, and only a handful of potentially impenetrable terms.

It’s not a book I can recommend to just anyone. The story is inspired by and steeped in specific aspects of British culture, with a particularly heavy theme drawn from Punch and Judy. If you don’t know what ‘Punch and Judy’ is, then I would recommend reading up on it and browsing a show or two on youtube for context before setting foot in this book. I grew up with showings of those mischievous puppets but I still felt out of my depth enough to do some refreshing. I think it also helps to know that understanding everything in Riddley Walker is probably neither possible nor required, and in some ways that’s part of the appeal for me. It gives a greater sense of tangibility to the world and motivates me to return for a reread. Atmosphere and ideas are something I’m a real sucker for and I think that’s why this worked so well for me, despite some occasionally frustrating passages. It’s an entirely unique experience but also probably a jar of Marmite. Consider yourself warned.

Rating: 4/5