Or Seventy Two Virgins to give the book it’s proper name.Underneath the amiable bumbling buffoon exterior that Boris Johnson radiates like some sort of impenetrable armour is another amiable bumbling buffoon. He’s that clever. Somewhere underneath it all though is a thoroughly erudite and intelligent author.
Tom Sharpe is getting on a bit, and I must say his last novel, Wilt in Nowhere probably proved his 20 year hiatus shouldn’t have been un-hiatus’ed (wait and see if the Wilt Inheritance changes my mind) but Johnson’s first fictional read reminds me of the heady days of Sharpe’s finest, sans the ruder parts. When I was growing up I don’t think either Porterhouse Blue or Grantchester Grind were suppased for their laugh out loud moments, expect possibly by Wilt. Johnson hasn’t quite achieved these heady heights but the fact 72 Virgins put me in mind of it has to be promising.
72 Virgins is a book of two halves really and whilst the writing is consistent between the two halves, the 2nd half that hinges on the main conceit of the book, is definitely the weaker of the two. Personally, I enjoyed reading about Roger the MP bumbling along, getting picked on by his children and being generally vague to his assistant in preference to the terrorist drama that was promised from early on. Is it carried out convincingly? Probably not entirely but the book chugs along at a merry old rate and you’ll find it in yourself to forgive it for seeming a little implausible in places.
To my mind however it’s when the action shifts away from Roger to the supporting cast that things begin to suffer a little. It’s still an interesting read and certainly doesn’t over stay its welcome but it left me looking forward to his next novel more than enjoying his current one.
Boris has shown with his championing of the traditional arts that their is still room for heritage in our great nations museums and galleries, that it doesn’t have to be all one armed lesbian mime shows that fill our theatres, and above all that it’s okay to like things that are highbrow. Lets hope his writing keeps up the high standard Seventy Two Virgins has set.
