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A review by thedinginator
Cocaine Nights by J.G. Ballard
2.0
Considering I picked up this novel as a 14 year old, thinking I was really edgy for owning a book about drugs, I'm glad that I had read and adored other Ballard before finally completing it, 16 years later. This book is in no way his best, but it still - just about - held my interest until the end.
I think where this booked failed for me was that the philosophies and description of the book's dystopia was delivered via the mouthpiece of Bobby Crawford. They were the coked up rants of a mad man, easy to dismiss. Why so many characters, including the protagonist, fell under his spell (or did they?) was quite shocking to me.
Compared to High Rise or Crash, where the dystopia doesn't have to be explained by a character and instead just is - leaving the reader sickened and dizzy at the alienation - Cocaine Nights fell really far short. If I want to debate the future of retirement homes in the sun with an evangelical drug pusher and pimp, I'll start hanging out in Ibiza more.
I think where this booked failed for me was that the philosophies and description of the book's dystopia was delivered via the mouthpiece of Bobby Crawford. They were the coked up rants of a mad man, easy to dismiss. Why so many characters, including the protagonist, fell under his spell (or did they?) was quite shocking to me.
Compared to High Rise or Crash, where the dystopia doesn't have to be explained by a character and instead just is - leaving the reader sickened and dizzy at the alienation - Cocaine Nights fell really far short. If I want to debate the future of retirement homes in the sun with an evangelical drug pusher and pimp, I'll start hanging out in Ibiza more.