Electricity [Paperback]

Ray Robinson (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: August 10, 2007

Ray Robinson’s visceral, ambitious debut novelElectricityis a tour de force portrayal of a heroine you will not soon forget. Thirty-year-old Lily O’Connor lives with epilepsy, uncontrollable surges of electricity that leave her in a constant state of edginess. Prickly, up-front-honest and down-to-earth practical, Lily has learned to make do, to make the most of things, to look after — and out for — herself. Then her mother — whom Lily has not seen for years — dies, and Lily is drawn back into a world she thought she’d long since left behind. Reunited with her brother, a charismatic poker player, Lily pursues her own high-stakes gamble, leaving for London to track down her other, missing brother Mikey. In the pandemonium of the city, Lily’s seizures only intensify. As her journey takes her from her comfort zone, it leads her into the question of what her life is meant to be.

Editorial Reviews

Review

"'An eviscerating debut novel... Its fast, furious plot, kaleidoscopic imagery, blunt observations and a wry, ingenuous, hugely compassionate heroine make Electricity a breathtaking assault on the senses' Guardian 'An energetic debut, bristling with talent... It's black, savage, funny and rather uncomfortably haunting' The Times 'Ray Robinson's Electricity is a thorny, uncompromising novel, with attitude. It is also -- thanks to Lily O'Connor, its sharp-edged, hard-living, tough-talking narrator -- mesmerising, uplifting and unexpectedly tender' JIM CRACE" --This text refers to an alternate Paperback edition.

About the Author

Ray Robinson was born in North Yorkshire in 1971. He trained as a graphic designer and spent many years living in Eastern Europe and Scandinavia. An award-winning short story writer, he is currently writing his second novel. He lives in London. --This text refers to an alternate Paperback edition.

Product Details

• Paperback: 368 pages
• Publisher: Grove Press, Black Cat (August 10, 2007)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0802170358
• ISBN-13: 978-0802170354
• Product Dimensions: 8.2 x 5.8 x 0.9 inches
• Shipping Weight: 13.6 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (1 customer review)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #2,395,941 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A Brilliant Novel By An Amazing Author, August 22, 2007

By 

Anna (Seattle, WA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Electricity (Paperback)

Ray Robinson's "Electricity" is a beautifully crafted novel that takes the reader deep into the head and heart of a compellingly genuine narrator, Lily, who is living with epilepsy.

Lily's voice is authentic and direct. Her no-nonsense attitude enables the reader to take a first-hand look at living with epilepsy, without making the disease the center of the narration or plot. Lily is blunt, sometimes almost brutally so, but she is also undeniably honest about her experiences and world. This, combined with her complex and at times conflicting emotions, makes Lily a convincing and completely lovable character.

In Lily, and in her (also intriguing) companions, Robinson gracefully treads the fine line between compelling characterization and caricature without falling prey to the temptation to resort to melodrama, stereotype, or self-pity.

I loved "Electricity." Ray Robinson has done a brilliant job with his first novel, and I look forward to reading his next novel(s), hopefully soon.