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Richard
Set in the 1980s and 90s, in Cardiff, London and America, Richard tells the story of Richard Edwards as he might have told it. A story of hope and despair in equal measure, it's an account of an unhappy young man who'll try anything and everything to get some peace from the voice in his head that tells him he's useless, that he'd be better off dead. He drinks, takes risks and drugs both, and even cuts himself sometimes, because physical pain can be easier to bear than emotional. He can't play a musical instrument, but that doesn't stop him from joining a band - and as that band becomes more and more successful (record deals and interviews in the music press; national and international tours, and managers who seem to have bottomless pockets), it seems he might just be okay after all. But the demons that nag at him won't be easily assuaged, and ultimately, he has to decide whether or not he has a future. The story of a band looking to make it big and a young, troubled soul looking just to make it through the night, Richard marks the arrival of a dazzling new talent.
419 pages, Kindle Edition
First published October 1, 2010
12 people are currently reading
204 people want to read
About the author
Benjamin Myers
36 books1,222 followersBenjamin Myers was born in Durham, UK, in 1976.
He is an award-winning author and journalist whose recent novel Cuddy (2023) won the Goldsmiths Prize.
His first short story collection, Male Tears, was published by Bloomsbury in 2021.
His novel The Offing was published by Bloomsbury in 2019 and is a best-seller in Germany. It was serialised by Radio 4's Book At Bedtime and Radio 2 Book club choice. It is being developed for stage and has been optioned for film.
The non-fiction book Under The Rock, was shortlisted for The Portico Prize For Literature in 2020.
Recipient of the Roger Deakin Award and first published by Bluemoose Books, Myers' novel The Gallows Pole was published to acclaim in 2017 and was winner of the Walter Scott Prize 2018 - the world's largest prize for historical fiction. It has been published in the US by Third Man Books and in 2023 was adapted by director Shane Meadows for the BBC/A24.
The Gallows Pole was re-issued by Bloomsbury, alongside previous titles Beastings and Pig Iron.
Several of Myers' novels have been released as audiobooks, read by actor Ralph Ineson.
Turning Blue (2016) was described as a "folk crime" novel, and praised by writers including Val McDermid. A sequel These Darkening Days followed in 2017.
His novel Beastings (2014) won the Portico Prize For Literature, was the recipient of the Northern Writers’ Award and longlisted for a Jerwood Fiction Uncovered Award 2015. Widely acclaimed, it featured on several end of year lists, and was chosen by Robert Macfarlane in The Big Issue as one of his books of 2014.
Pig Iron (2012) was the winner of the inaugural Gordon Burn Prize and runner-up in The Guardian’s Not The Booker Prize. A controversial combination of biography and novel, Richard (2010) was a bestseller and chosen as a Sunday Times book of the year.
Myers’ short story ‘The Folk Song Singer’ was awarded the Tom-Gallon Prize in 2014 by the Society Of Authors and published by Galley Beggar Press. His short stories and poetry have appeared in dozens of anthologies.
As a journalist he has written about the arts and nature for publications including New Statesman, The Guardian, The Spectator, NME, Mojo, Time Out, New Scientist, Caught By The River, The Morning Star, Vice, The Quietus, Melody Maker and numerous others.
He currently lives in the Upper Calder Valley, West Yorkshire, UK.
He is an award-winning author and journalist whose recent novel Cuddy (2023) won the Goldsmiths Prize.
His first short story collection, Male Tears, was published by Bloomsbury in 2021.
His novel The Offing was published by Bloomsbury in 2019 and is a best-seller in Germany. It was serialised by Radio 4's Book At Bedtime and Radio 2 Book club choice. It is being developed for stage and has been optioned for film.
The non-fiction book Under The Rock, was shortlisted for The Portico Prize For Literature in 2020.
Recipient of the Roger Deakin Award and first published by Bluemoose Books, Myers' novel The Gallows Pole was published to acclaim in 2017 and was winner of the Walter Scott Prize 2018 - the world's largest prize for historical fiction. It has been published in the US by Third Man Books and in 2023 was adapted by director Shane Meadows for the BBC/A24.
The Gallows Pole was re-issued by Bloomsbury, alongside previous titles Beastings and Pig Iron.
Several of Myers' novels have been released as audiobooks, read by actor Ralph Ineson.
Turning Blue (2016) was described as a "folk crime" novel, and praised by writers including Val McDermid. A sequel These Darkening Days followed in 2017.
His novel Beastings (2014) won the Portico Prize For Literature, was the recipient of the Northern Writers’ Award and longlisted for a Jerwood Fiction Uncovered Award 2015. Widely acclaimed, it featured on several end of year lists, and was chosen by Robert Macfarlane in The Big Issue as one of his books of 2014.
Pig Iron (2012) was the winner of the inaugural Gordon Burn Prize and runner-up in The Guardian’s Not The Booker Prize. A controversial combination of biography and novel, Richard (2010) was a bestseller and chosen as a Sunday Times book of the year.
Myers’ short story ‘The Folk Song Singer’ was awarded the Tom-Gallon Prize in 2014 by the Society Of Authors and published by Galley Beggar Press. His short stories and poetry have appeared in dozens of anthologies.
As a journalist he has written about the arts and nature for publications including New Statesman, The Guardian, The Spectator, NME, Mojo, Time Out, New Scientist, Caught By The River, The Morning Star, Vice, The Quietus, Melody Maker and numerous others.
He currently lives in the Upper Calder Valley, West Yorkshire, UK.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 36 reviews
August 21, 2012
Flawed. Admittedly the author has taken on a difficult task, and certainly the best he could possibly achieve would be to portray one partisan version of Edwards and his disappearance, which would inevitably disappoint as many as it satisfied. But even within these boundaries Myers has significantly failed, as far as I'm concerned, to understand or represent Edwards and the people around him.
The text is further damaged by Myers' fundamental lack of understanding regarding mental illness, a topic which he has understandably but unwisely made the central pillar of this book. His dual-voice device to portray Edwards' mental health problems is so hackneyed as to be laughable, coming across at times more as a sort of Grand Guignol version of Multiple Personality Disorder than as any genuine mental illness. Certainly this theatrical Jekyll-and-Hyde posturing has little in common with any version of depression with which I am familiar.
To add to this the protagonist shows a complete lack of character development, or indeed characteristics other than mental illness. This insultingly one-sided portrayal leaves the reader with no explanation as to why this apparently featureless void of depression and angst is the focus of so many people's lives. Perhaps the author's intention was to show Edwards' personal inability to understand the respect he earned in life by depicting him through his own eyes only as a blank, unlikeable anti-character. However it would have needed a much better writer to carry this off. Instead the reader is presented with a mediocre, self-obsessed non-person almost completely lacking in charisma, who has inexplicably been idolised by thousands.
The text itself is dull and repetitive, so constrained by the reality behind the novel that sometimes it reads like nothing so much as a Manic Street Preachers chronology inexplicably written in first/second person. The events depicted rely strangely on known facts, with very little fleshing-out for literary reasons. Whilst this may be considered to give greater authenticity to the text, it also has the effect of limiting much of it to little more a lazy device to tie together known facts. Surely anyone who wanted to read a series of descriptions of Manics' tours and musical releases, highlighting notable gigs and statements, would pick up any non-fiction book (see Everything A Book About Manic Street Preachers) or fanzine before this supposed novel? Certainly, the protagonist’s narratively inexplicable manner of remembering his life primarily in terms of the quotes and events best depicted in the popular press does little to help the reader understand his psyche or empathise with him as an actual human being.
Ultimately I think this novel has failed to justify Myers' decision to further his career by appropriating an on-going tragedy and condensing it into the story of one unrealistically miserable man and his nondescript friends who somehow manage to form a popular band. Perhaps the limited appearance of Edwards' family, whilst it plays down their importance in his life, is understandable given their private nature combined with the delicate handling of them necessitated by a regard for their feelings at seeing their son/brothers disappearance turned into a paperback novel. However the translation of the Manic Street Preachers from an angry, political, contradictory, intelligent band into basically background noise for Edwards' depression does all four of them a disservice. Neither Edwards nor what little we see of the other Manics traipsing through the novel display any of the wit, intellectualism, self-analysis or social consciousness they were known for. Somehow without Edwards' eloquence the impact of his depression and disappearance are blunted. The lack of depiction of any real bond with his band-mates or family lessens the effect of his decline. The failure to portray him as anything other than depression personified significantly devalues the poignancy of his loss. All-in-all, I would rather have had an eloquent portrayal of someone who I didn’t recognise who happened to be called Richie Edwards than this shallow string of clichés and old magazine articles hiding its hollowness behind Shakespeare epigraphs and real-life pain.
The text is further damaged by Myers' fundamental lack of understanding regarding mental illness, a topic which he has understandably but unwisely made the central pillar of this book. His dual-voice device to portray Edwards' mental health problems is so hackneyed as to be laughable, coming across at times more as a sort of Grand Guignol version of Multiple Personality Disorder than as any genuine mental illness. Certainly this theatrical Jekyll-and-Hyde posturing has little in common with any version of depression with which I am familiar.
To add to this the protagonist shows a complete lack of character development, or indeed characteristics other than mental illness. This insultingly one-sided portrayal leaves the reader with no explanation as to why this apparently featureless void of depression and angst is the focus of so many people's lives. Perhaps the author's intention was to show Edwards' personal inability to understand the respect he earned in life by depicting him through his own eyes only as a blank, unlikeable anti-character. However it would have needed a much better writer to carry this off. Instead the reader is presented with a mediocre, self-obsessed non-person almost completely lacking in charisma, who has inexplicably been idolised by thousands.
The text itself is dull and repetitive, so constrained by the reality behind the novel that sometimes it reads like nothing so much as a Manic Street Preachers chronology inexplicably written in first/second person. The events depicted rely strangely on known facts, with very little fleshing-out for literary reasons. Whilst this may be considered to give greater authenticity to the text, it also has the effect of limiting much of it to little more a lazy device to tie together known facts. Surely anyone who wanted to read a series of descriptions of Manics' tours and musical releases, highlighting notable gigs and statements, would pick up any non-fiction book (see Everything A Book About Manic Street Preachers) or fanzine before this supposed novel? Certainly, the protagonist’s narratively inexplicable manner of remembering his life primarily in terms of the quotes and events best depicted in the popular press does little to help the reader understand his psyche or empathise with him as an actual human being.
Ultimately I think this novel has failed to justify Myers' decision to further his career by appropriating an on-going tragedy and condensing it into the story of one unrealistically miserable man and his nondescript friends who somehow manage to form a popular band. Perhaps the limited appearance of Edwards' family, whilst it plays down their importance in his life, is understandable given their private nature combined with the delicate handling of them necessitated by a regard for their feelings at seeing their son/brothers disappearance turned into a paperback novel. However the translation of the Manic Street Preachers from an angry, political, contradictory, intelligent band into basically background noise for Edwards' depression does all four of them a disservice. Neither Edwards nor what little we see of the other Manics traipsing through the novel display any of the wit, intellectualism, self-analysis or social consciousness they were known for. Somehow without Edwards' eloquence the impact of his depression and disappearance are blunted. The lack of depiction of any real bond with his band-mates or family lessens the effect of his decline. The failure to portray him as anything other than depression personified significantly devalues the poignancy of his loss. All-in-all, I would rather have had an eloquent portrayal of someone who I didn’t recognise who happened to be called Richie Edwards than this shallow string of clichés and old magazine articles hiding its hollowness behind Shakespeare epigraphs and real-life pain.
October 28, 2014
An interesting book but ultimately it seems to fail on its own terms. Anyone who's read Richey's lyrics or- any geeks like me who read with fascination his diary extract in Select, will have a vague idea of how literary, intellectual and fierce his thinking was. In this book he comes across as rather limp, self-disgusted and seemingly schizophrenic (although he had mental health issues this certainly was never on the crib sheet), and he was by all accounts far more complex than that. It's admirable how bold Myer's is in taking on this subject matter, and at times as a piece of fiction it is very engrossing. I particularly liked the sequences where Richey is disappearing into the fabric of society which were very well-written. At these points Myers asks some interesting questions about how easy it would be to vanish and what it would be like to live on the fringes of society. It works well as a piece of pop writing and as an interesting piece of fiction but as a plausible take on Richey's perspective I was a bit less sure.
February 27, 2021
A poignant but disturbing read that lingers long after you finish. A deeply sensitive soul captured perfectly making you wish you could just reach back in time and hug him, although he would probably have hated it. I hope he has peace wherever he is.
July 18, 2012
Difficult subject and I think Myers made a valiant attempt at trying to portray it realistically. Having read it twice with a year inbetween, it's not nearly as bad as I thought it was at first. The prose is a bit too journalistic at times, and the ending was disappointing. But I found myself immersed in the dual settings and I enjoyed reading an alternative version of the story of the band, which I know very well.
May 24, 2012
I should start by saying, I read this book purely because I'm a fan of Manic Street Preachers.
As a story it's pretty good. It uses the time between Richey checking out of the hotel he and James were staying at and his presumed suicide to tell his life story in a series of flashbacks. People who are reading it as a fan probably don't need warning that it's miserable, really depressing also slightly angsty and pretentious, but then it is the Manics! There are lighter moments to be had as well in the, presumably based on truth, flashbacks of life in the band etc.
A little warning, if you're a Manics fan, you will find yourself constantly thinking things like: "I thought Nicky said that not Richey", "Is he referencing Repeat...? Why is he referencing Repeat, it is not all relevant to the situation", "I wonder if that's on Youtube?".
As a story it's pretty good. It uses the time between Richey checking out of the hotel he and James were staying at and his presumed suicide to tell his life story in a series of flashbacks. People who are reading it as a fan probably don't need warning that it's miserable, really depressing also slightly angsty and pretentious, but then it is the Manics! There are lighter moments to be had as well in the, presumably based on truth, flashbacks of life in the band etc.
A little warning, if you're a Manics fan, you will find yourself constantly thinking things like: "I thought Nicky said that not Richey", "Is he referencing Repeat...? Why is he referencing Repeat, it is not all relevant to the situation", "I wonder if that's on Youtube?".
November 26, 2011
An excellent book about the disappearance of the Manic Street Preachers' Richey Edwards, told from the point of view of the man himself. Though it is fiction, the basis is in facts and that makes it all the more fascinating. The narrative is told in alternating passages of the present and the past, with the past leading up to where the book begins - delightfully circular. Myers has many beautiful, powerful sentences worth an immediate re-read before going on to the next. Highly recommended.
December 29, 2010
A fascinating read for Richey Edwards/early Manic fan. My only problem is I wish I knew how real the flashback bits were. They were by far the best bits but how true to life were they? I'm going to have to read the Manics book he got a lot of his research from in order to find out.
March 20, 2020
Dumbest book ever. I have never heard of this band and only picked up the book because someone else recommended it and because the Amazon reviews were so glowing. But it was just utter stream-of-consciousness nonsense with some profanity and smut thrown in to boot. Tried listening to one of the band's songs just to get idea of what their stuff was like before I ever started reading and it simply isn't for me. I cannot fathom why anyone would rate this highly when it made zero sense and explained nothing whatsoever about this guy's life or mysterious disappearance. What a waste of time.
Read
February 12, 2019Once again I find myself getting back to this. A situation that has a habit of emerging once or twice every year, ever since my 'initiation' - a quality that very few books have. "Richard" has its flaws, but then again, it is an interpretation, after all. The highlights outdo the minor blemishes tenfold.
This book is an unusual concept of an unusual subject, a curious mix of fact, fiction and poetry. Considering the difficult premises, it does well. More than anything, "Richard" is a beautiful book, and definitely written with respect; just like the back cover (at least in the edition I have) says, it tells his story 'as he might have told it'.
I relate to Richey's life and story on many levels and I guess that explains the continuous fascination I have upon this book, this view of the subject. It offers me some strange and inexplicable consolation, and for this I want to sincerely thank the skillful author Ben Myers.
This book is an unusual concept of an unusual subject, a curious mix of fact, fiction and poetry. Considering the difficult premises, it does well. More than anything, "Richard" is a beautiful book, and definitely written with respect; just like the back cover (at least in the edition I have) says, it tells his story 'as he might have told it'.
I relate to Richey's life and story on many levels and I guess that explains the continuous fascination I have upon this book, this view of the subject. It offers me some strange and inexplicable consolation, and for this I want to sincerely thank the skillful author Ben Myers.
January 27, 2020
I'm not damning it for being exploitative, insensitive, or overly imaginative - the ideas the author had about how Richey could have gone about disappearing were perfectly valid. It's just that it was not a well written book. The structure wasn't well thought out, and the author relied on preconceived notions of characters. It wasn't terrible, it just wasn't a story.
October 27, 2015
"Richard" was an absolutely amazing read. I'm not sure I've ever read anything I could relate to this much.. Despite the clear differences between my life and Richard's. Myers has composed a spectacular novel that I think deserves so much more attention that it has received. It's perfect.
June 10, 2025
thought id reread this to piss myself off again
January 10, 2022
As a study and insight into the thoughts of someone struggling with mental health it’s an “ok” book. I particularly found some similarities between a similar period about 10 years ago. However as an insight into the mind of Richey it falls flat. I found it difficult to believe it was actually Richey during much of the dialogue and couldn’t imagine him being so self loathing. I’m not sure if it was my interpretation or the way it was written but I also couldn’t imagine the rest of the band acting and speaking in the way the author portrayed. I feel it actually portrayed them in a bad light in some instances particularly during his stint at the priory. Perhaps the author was going for a sense of paranoia and isolation from the rest of the band, but again I found it difficult to accept Richey talking and thinking that way.
I believe if the book was written about fictitious characters but took inspiration from the real life case it would stand on its own two feet a lot more. However as it is, the cynical part of me feels like the author used Richey as a means of generating more interest in his character study as he didn’t feel his own writing could carry it well enough. A pity as there are parts which are really relatable and equally heartbreaking
I believe if the book was written about fictitious characters but took inspiration from the real life case it would stand on its own two feet a lot more. However as it is, the cynical part of me feels like the author used Richey as a means of generating more interest in his character study as he didn’t feel his own writing could carry it well enough. A pity as there are parts which are really relatable and equally heartbreaking
May 4, 2019
This novel was good, though there were a few things that took some getting used to. It jumped from first person to second person a lot, utilising flashbacks to add some context as to how Richard got into the place he’s in. The way the book was written gave me a sense of dread, which seemed to strength the bond between Richard and the emotions that trouble him all through the book.
I wouldn’t recommend anyone read this if they feel like they cannot handle a raw and harsh view of depression, anxiety, and self harm. It can get quite in your face about those topics and I wouldn’t suggest anyone pick up the book if they feel they cannot handle it. Usually I can, but I had some moments where it felt a little too close to home for me and I had to put it down for a breather.
All in all, it’s a book that deals with Richey Edwards and his journey through the 90’s rock scene with his band, the Manic Street Preachers, as well as the trials and tribulations that came with the pressures of fame.
I wouldn’t recommend anyone read this if they feel like they cannot handle a raw and harsh view of depression, anxiety, and self harm. It can get quite in your face about those topics and I wouldn’t suggest anyone pick up the book if they feel they cannot handle it. Usually I can, but I had some moments where it felt a little too close to home for me and I had to put it down for a breather.
All in all, it’s a book that deals with Richey Edwards and his journey through the 90’s rock scene with his band, the Manic Street Preachers, as well as the trials and tribulations that came with the pressures of fame.
March 27, 2023
Did not finish at page 200.
This book is terrible. It's badly researched and badly written. It could have used at least one more pass from a proofreader, but I doubt that would have improved it by much, save for catching the grammatical errors littered throughout the text. The story relies on tired, stereotyped views of mental illness to relate Richey's story (or, rather, what the author thinks the story is because this is all fictionalised, even the stuff based on real events), and it's disgraceful. But I get the feeling this book wasn't written because the author cares about the subject. He clearly doesn't, or he'd have made more of an effort to get things right, and treat his subject with more decency.
Honestly, if you ever feel the urge to pick up this book and read it, don't. It's not worth your time.
This book is terrible. It's badly researched and badly written. It could have used at least one more pass from a proofreader, but I doubt that would have improved it by much, save for catching the grammatical errors littered throughout the text. The story relies on tired, stereotyped views of mental illness to relate Richey's story (or, rather, what the author thinks the story is because this is all fictionalised, even the stuff based on real events), and it's disgraceful. But I get the feeling this book wasn't written because the author cares about the subject. He clearly doesn't, or he'd have made more of an effort to get things right, and treat his subject with more decency.
Honestly, if you ever feel the urge to pick up this book and read it, don't. It's not worth your time.
October 11, 2025
There are things that liked about Richard, and things that I didn’t like quite so much. The writing is great — lyrical, conversational, and the second person pov is a brilliant device as it speaks to young Richard, advising and pressuring; perhaps warning. But I would much rather the book was inspired by Richey Edwards, rather than to be directly based on his character. Because is it then a novel, really? With all of its good intentions and love, I found that it was quite an unrealistic outward view of one man’s mental illness. The Time Out review on the cover says that it’s sympathetic, and I don’t think it’s that. I’m glad that I’ve read it, but it’s a tricky one to recommend.
July 22, 2024
I love the premise, but ultimately agree with other viewers that it doesn’t work. It’s fascinating, and absorbing, but I’m not sure it feels quite like Richey. The ultimate mystery, and a valiant effort, but it doesn’t feel rewarding. I can’t find the source but can see why the author said he didn’t remember writing parts of this as it’s so monotone.
The pacing was interesting- slower at the beginning and then sped past The Holy Bible era. Intentional?
The pacing was interesting- slower at the beginning and then sped past The Holy Bible era. Intentional?
January 2, 2025
Il libro è scritto bene e offre un ritratto inaspettato di Richard, però concordo con le recensioni straniere sul fatto che non parla chiaramente della salute mentale del nostro protagonista (che, spoiler, non stava bene per niente).
Magari con un maggiore focus su quello si avrebbe avuto un libro più bello.
Però è da apprezzare lo sforzo
Magari con un maggiore focus su quello si avrebbe avuto un libro più bello.
Però è da apprezzare lo sforzo
January 19, 2020
Ben Myers is an incredible writer , very sympathetically written , felt like you were in the head of Richie and totally helps understand his fears and self loathing as being a problem that was not addressed properly . A very real description of touring and pressures bands face .
January 18, 2026
There are many things I didn't love about this book, from the fact that it often reads like cheap fanfiction to the questionable characterization of the people involved. But its deadly flaw is how much of a drag it is. It's dull, just dull, sometimes even worse.
January 1, 2019
An interesting take on what happened to Richey Edwards.
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August 24, 2024A great read! If you like the manics it's definitely for you
March 16, 2025
A very difficult subject matter, but well handled I thought. (3.5/5).
June 16, 2021
I really must stop reading Ben Myers. His style of writing makes me angry. Unfortunately, we have similar interests.
Richey annoyed me in this one. While I never met him - what a shame - I have never seen, heard or read an interview where he annoyed me. This doesn't even provide a plausible theory on what happened to him. Argh!
Richey annoyed me in this one. While I never met him - what a shame - I have never seen, heard or read an interview where he annoyed me. This doesn't even provide a plausible theory on what happened to him. Argh!
July 23, 2025
The main problem with this book is that it is just missing something, and that something is Richey himself. Myers is clearly a smart guy, but Richey’s internal monologue just doesn’t capture his real-life intelligence, unfortunately. The sheer volume of lyrics he wrote, and his fan mail-out manifestos show a mind that was thinking at lightning speed and taking in more information than most people can handle (by the end Richey was reading five books a week) and none of this comes through in the book.
Myers himself said that he didn’t consider himself a Manics fan, and this is part of the problem (you can’t just read Everything by Simon Price and think that it’s actually everything because it isn’t). Really, this sort of project could only be pulled off by a hardcore Manics fan, but no fan would’ve ever come up with the idea to write from the perspective of Richey himself because they’d have more respect for him as a person. It is a very, very strange thing to have published a book where you speculate what was going through his head before he (presumably) committed suicide. I don’t even think anyone’s written anything like that about Kurt Cobain. Nobody knows how Richey truly felt, not even his family or the band.
The way that the other characters are portrayed is strange too. While there is a mildly fleshed-out friendship between Richey and James, Nicky and Richey barely interact, and I don’t think Sean and Richey ever have a direct conversation. Richey’s bandmates and best friends are reduced to blank side characters who never get to show real emotional depth. The second-person narrative style of the flashback sequences is effective in some ways, but it stunts parts of the story like this, as it never allows for any real conversations.
Towards the end of the novel, Myers clearly runs out on info/articles regarding the end of ‘94 to the start of ‘95. Okay, so he might’ve not had every single article to work with, but he failed to realise that the interviews where the band talk about this time came much later, as they reflected on Richey’s disappearance. And this book came out in 2010, after the band had just made an album with Richey’s remaining lyrics, and were therefore talking about him in every interview. I really think he could’ve avoided just listing tour dates towards the end. (If you do want to read every single article, go to foreverdelayed.org and click on ‘msppedia’.)
Despite all this, there is still something strangely compelling about this book, and the way it’s written. I read it a while ago, but I still find myself thinking of it (although that might just be because it’s about Richey) and I’d probably read it again. Maybe.
Myers himself said that he didn’t consider himself a Manics fan, and this is part of the problem (you can’t just read Everything by Simon Price and think that it’s actually everything because it isn’t). Really, this sort of project could only be pulled off by a hardcore Manics fan, but no fan would’ve ever come up with the idea to write from the perspective of Richey himself because they’d have more respect for him as a person. It is a very, very strange thing to have published a book where you speculate what was going through his head before he (presumably) committed suicide. I don’t even think anyone’s written anything like that about Kurt Cobain. Nobody knows how Richey truly felt, not even his family or the band.
The way that the other characters are portrayed is strange too. While there is a mildly fleshed-out friendship between Richey and James, Nicky and Richey barely interact, and I don’t think Sean and Richey ever have a direct conversation. Richey’s bandmates and best friends are reduced to blank side characters who never get to show real emotional depth. The second-person narrative style of the flashback sequences is effective in some ways, but it stunts parts of the story like this, as it never allows for any real conversations.
Towards the end of the novel, Myers clearly runs out on info/articles regarding the end of ‘94 to the start of ‘95. Okay, so he might’ve not had every single article to work with, but he failed to realise that the interviews where the band talk about this time came much later, as they reflected on Richey’s disappearance. And this book came out in 2010, after the band had just made an album with Richey’s remaining lyrics, and were therefore talking about him in every interview. I really think he could’ve avoided just listing tour dates towards the end. (If you do want to read every single article, go to foreverdelayed.org and click on ‘msppedia’.)
Despite all this, there is still something strangely compelling about this book, and the way it’s written. I read it a while ago, but I still find myself thinking of it (although that might just be because it’s about Richey) and I’d probably read it again. Maybe.
May 5, 2012
I don't think this book was horrible. Quite simply put, as it says here, it was okay. I really thought that this book was supposed to be someone's interpretation of what happened to Richey Edwards after he disappeared. I... feel like I got to the end and was kind of upset about it--mostly because I'm not sure what the hell the author was suggesting.
And at times, I also felt like he didn't understand that depression is not always (I don't even know if it can be this) a constant nagging voice in your head. I've struggled with depression and have had thoughts of self-harm, constantly belittle myself, wish I had never been born, and doubt my abilities. Never once do I feel as though there is a voice in my head that won't stop. It's just not like that for me. It seems more like someone who was struggling from some sort of multiple personality disorder.
Another complaint with this book is sometimes, I feel that the author chose to make things seemingly more intellectual, and I'm not sure it worked in his favour. I often had to read sentences again and again to understand what he was trying to say or what was being described. I understand that writing from the perspective of Richey Edwards is a daunting task to take on, but a lot of times it didn't come off as sincere nor did it come off as something that Richey would say. Or maybe that's just me.
If nothing else, I did find myself wanting to finish the book, whereas with other books I have picked up over the years and just sort of never finished, I wanted to know what Ben Myers' interpretation of Richey's disappearance was. Perhaps it's because Richey just leaves a giant question mark over the story of Manic Street Preachers, and every fan that I know of wishes that they knew what happened to him; if he's okay, if he's happy, or just if he's at peace now.
I'm not sure if I could recommend this book to anyone. It's not terrible, it's just not exactly particularly informative if you're trying to understand, or get some sort of explanation or interpretation of why Richey disappeared.
And at times, I also felt like he didn't understand that depression is not always (I don't even know if it can be this) a constant nagging voice in your head. I've struggled with depression and have had thoughts of self-harm, constantly belittle myself, wish I had never been born, and doubt my abilities. Never once do I feel as though there is a voice in my head that won't stop. It's just not like that for me. It seems more like someone who was struggling from some sort of multiple personality disorder.
Another complaint with this book is sometimes, I feel that the author chose to make things seemingly more intellectual, and I'm not sure it worked in his favour. I often had to read sentences again and again to understand what he was trying to say or what was being described. I understand that writing from the perspective of Richey Edwards is a daunting task to take on, but a lot of times it didn't come off as sincere nor did it come off as something that Richey would say. Or maybe that's just me.
If nothing else, I did find myself wanting to finish the book, whereas with other books I have picked up over the years and just sort of never finished, I wanted to know what Ben Myers' interpretation of Richey's disappearance was. Perhaps it's because Richey just leaves a giant question mark over the story of Manic Street Preachers, and every fan that I know of wishes that they knew what happened to him; if he's okay, if he's happy, or just if he's at peace now.
I'm not sure if I could recommend this book to anyone. It's not terrible, it's just not exactly particularly informative if you're trying to understand, or get some sort of explanation or interpretation of why Richey disappeared.
November 7, 2014
I'm not much of a fan of The Manics - definitely not enough to hunt out details about the band or Richey Edwards' disappearance in dry non-fiction. I was curious though, and this book gave a sad but entertaining framework to the known facts. It's a shame that the factual parts aren't in some way high-lighted though, so you know what's made up and what isn't.
While the writing was mostly pretty simplistic, and the journey of Richey's disappearance is sometimes drawn-out/laboured, I really developed empathy with the character. We'll probably never know what he was actually thinking/going through, or what really happened, but this novel provides a plausible explanation of the mystery.
If you're already a big Manics fan, I doubt there'll be much in the book that is news to you, but if you're not it does give an interesting view of the band, the record industry, and what the band were about.
Not the greatest book ever, but an absorbing and easy, entertaining read.
While the writing was mostly pretty simplistic, and the journey of Richey's disappearance is sometimes drawn-out/laboured, I really developed empathy with the character. We'll probably never know what he was actually thinking/going through, or what really happened, but this novel provides a plausible explanation of the mystery.
If you're already a big Manics fan, I doubt there'll be much in the book that is news to you, but if you're not it does give an interesting view of the band, the record industry, and what the band were about.
Not the greatest book ever, but an absorbing and easy, entertaining read.
February 20, 2013
A strange book: based on the disappearance of "Richey Manic".
The writer weaves some known facts and biographical details into a fictional account of what may have happened to him.
Quite what his family make of it I wouldn't care to guess. The book feels unrelentingly depressing, but taken from a neutral standpoint it offers an interesting insight into the pressures of growing up in a small town where you feel you don't fit in.
Not being an uber Manics fan I don't feel able to judge the backstory, but the speculation feels a little trite and laboured in places.
I got some bad news while reading this and it suited my mood perfectly. If you're looking for a little light relief steer well clear of this book!
The writer weaves some known facts and biographical details into a fictional account of what may have happened to him.
Quite what his family make of it I wouldn't care to guess. The book feels unrelentingly depressing, but taken from a neutral standpoint it offers an interesting insight into the pressures of growing up in a small town where you feel you don't fit in.
Not being an uber Manics fan I don't feel able to judge the backstory, but the speculation feels a little trite and laboured in places.
I got some bad news while reading this and it suited my mood perfectly. If you're looking for a little light relief steer well clear of this book!
February 22, 2015
I enjoyed the book. It's not great literature but I didn't exactly going into it thinking it would be. I was afraid it would be poorly written or a cliche fan-written account of Richey's life, so my expectations were pretty low. Obviously a lot of what is in the book will already be known by fans of the band but it was told in a way that presented it from Richey's possible POV and the joy in the book is in how it was told. I'm actually surprised how many well-known details were left out of the book, which would have read more like a biography. The book focuses more on how Richey might have felt at the time than on what was happening at the time. I won't give anything away but I appreciated how the book ended, oddly enough. It wasn't an ending I expected.
July 13, 2012
After reading just the first ten or so pages of this, I knew what the rest of the book was going to be like. Richard is a fictional account of Richard Edwards (the troubled songwriter/rhythm gutarist of Manic Street Preachers who went missing in 1995 and his body was never found) during his last days, told through his eyes. Although it wasn't my cup of tea prose-wise, I do think the author did a good job of exploring this concept, though I have no idea who would actually read this if they weren't a Manics/Richey fan.
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