Title: “soon to be a mjor motion picture”

Auth: Warren Dunford

Alyson Publications $12.95 USA / 8.99 UK

This is a funny novel out of the Robert Rodi / Joe Keenan school of wildly camp (but in many ways horribly believable) fiction. There is also an underlying trace of grown-up Canadian sardonicism which gives this first novel a distinctive character. The story is so improbable and baroque (the only word to describe it) that recounting it is pointless. You will enjoy its curliqued, but psychologically rather probable, twists (and I do mean twists).

The three central characters, Ingrid, Ramir, and Mitchell (the person who recounts this set of tales) are in search of success. In painting, acting and film screen-writing (thus the title) respectively. Mitchell eventually produces a best selling novel. Ramir gets a juicy part in a SciFi television series. ASean alien. His handsome featureSeand beautiful body being permanently encased in latex. Ingrid becomes a commercially successful painter, but does get to go to Paris (France) for study. They all live (sort of) happily ever after. There are plenty of other well-drawn characters in the book, and almost too much in the way of incident, anything that can go wrong does go wrong ‘ spectacularly.

I read this book in one sitting, though I am sure it should have been given more breathing space. But I was entertained enough to contemplate reading it again – that’s saying a big deal – given that most modern novels are tossed aside unfinished. I hope Warren Dunford produces more novels (this one is dated 1998) he has a genuinely off-centre view of the world.

Se n McGouran

Link to Amazon (UK) if you wish to buy