Apples , Richard Milward
Pills, thrills and more than a few bellyaches are on the road to adulthood for key charcters Adam and Eve in Millward’s stark and involved depiction of teenage life in Middlesborough.
The tale of their temptations and the graphic heartbreak of adolescent poverty on the council estate in which we find them is a gripping piece of genius narrative that makes a wimp out of Irvine Welsh.
Told by babies, butterflies and the main characters themselves this a cocktail of unrequited love, tragic loss and OCD knocked back with a chaser of sex, death and few good beatings from the school of hard knocks.
Millward’s stunning debut brings us the grimy reality of Middlesborough in purest form and is a colourful portrayal of his home stomping ground.
Currently a student at Central Saint Martin’s, the young novelist is adept at speaking from the gritty harshness of urbanity and amazingly in touch with his feminine side, as the female narrative proves.
Not for the faint hearted, this fable of fornication and Class A abandon makes for a tragic albeit poetic and personal insight to Adam, his temptress Eve and the gang.
From the scene setting opener of ‘We got a McDonald’s the night my mam got lung cancer’ the pace is frenetic and the speed at which innocence propells toward adulthood is a white knuckle ride.
The beauty of the teenage world is skilfully brought to life and runs hand in hand with the overwhelming sadness of a future devoid of innocence and hope.
Parents, lock up your children. Teachers and politicians read this to understand youth. Milward’s Britain is harsh, but ignore if it you dare. How do you like them apples?
Apples ( Faber and Faber 2007)
Jo Gifford
