Glue by Irvine Welsh – Reviewed by Guy Portman
Glue is about four friends who hail from Scotland’s capital, Edinburgh. It begins with them as infants in the 1970s, and ends at the dawn of the new millennium. From a young age, these ‘schemies’ participate in football violence, boozing and drug use. There is future DJ Carl, the sensitive Gally, talented boxer Birrell, and ‘Juice’ Terry; a liability and incessant womaniser, obsessed with gettin’ his hole. The swearing is relentless; c*&% being a particular favourite, and not merely as an insult, but also as a term of endearment. Themes include music, trade unions, social class and peer pressure.
Set in the author’s customary stomping ground, this episodic tome (556 pages) is in essence about growing up. As is often case with iconic Transgressive author Welsh’s novels, this is an experimental work. The text vacillates constantly between the first and third person; the effect being that the reader sees the four main characters from different perspectives.
Glue adeptly captures the zeitgeists of the various eras it encapsulates. While this darkly humorous and at times depressing novel is somewhat meandering, its sharp Leith-vernacular-heavy dialogue, entertaining scenes and scabrous descriptions will appeal to all fans of the Transgressive Fiction genre.
