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Abide With Me
3rd May, 1975. Eight year old John watches his beloved West Ham win the cup, whilst at the same time, Kenny tumbles out the front door of the house opposite, blood all over his face.Fourteen years later, both boys' childhoods ripped apart in the broken streets of London's East End, John and Kenny find themselves frontin up local gangster, Ronnie Swordfish.John's got a lifetime of hurt to put right - for him and for Kenny.But with John layin on the ground half unconscious and Ronnie with a sword to Kenny's head, whatever way you look at it, it don't look good . . .ABIDE WITH ME is the story of two boys forced to walk blind into the darkness of their shattered lives . . .. . . and their struggle to emerge as men.
162 pages, Paperback
First published March 1, 2012
15 people are currently reading
124 people want to read
About the author
Ian Ayris
16 books59 followersIan Ayris is the author of two novels and a novella, as well as forty short stories published online and in print. His debut novel - Abide With Me - was published in 2012 by Caffeine Nights Publishing and his novella - One Day in the Life of Jason Dean - was published later that year by Byker Books, and reissued in Feb 2016 by Near to the Knuckle.
The sequel to Abide With Me - April Skies - was published in April 2016.
Ian is a qualified counsellor, a creative writing tutor and runs his own editing business.
At weekends he works in a care home for adults with learning difficulties and mental health issues, whilst also indulging in his lifelong passion for the Mighty Dagenham and Redbridge Football Club.
The sequel to Abide With Me - April Skies - was published in April 2016.
Ian is a qualified counsellor, a creative writing tutor and runs his own editing business.
At weekends he works in a care home for adults with learning difficulties and mental health issues, whilst also indulging in his lifelong passion for the Mighty Dagenham and Redbridge Football Club.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 59 reviews
March 24, 2012
This is a triumph. Books which you ‘just can’t put down’ come along all too rarely and, for all the pleasure that my other reads this year have given me, I haven’t been able to say that of any until now. If the need to sleep hadn’t intervened, I’d have read it in one sitting. In the event, it took two.
It’s a first person narrative, conveyed by John and featuring the bunch of people around him as he grew up in London’s East End in the 70s and 80s. The voice is haunting and has the power and authenticity that made such huge hits of Catcher in the Rye and Vernon God Little. It establishes right from the start John’s familial and social situation, and the minute to minute shifts in mood that convey the fact that he’s capable (like the rest of us) of loving his parents, sister and friends (including the strange new neighbour Kenny), and hating them at the same time. It’s solipsism without narcissism. What he writes is exactly what he’s feeling at the moment he writes it.
And yet, as the remarkable descriptions of going to and watching football matches with his dad demonstrate, it’s not egotistical. He’s aware of being part of a clan and of the community to which he belongs, its good and bad aspects. He sees his own elations and depressions shared by others.
Arys has done a terrific job of giving his narrator a clear moral perspective and the ability to judge and be compassionate towards others while at the same time showing how his own impulses and the circumstances in which he finds himself turn him into a time-served criminal. And yet, for all that, John is NOT one of the bad guys. Some of the characters are but even then, the moral climate in which they all live can’t be easily reduced to a set of formulae.
And, to make the achievement even more remarkable, the voice not only maintains its consistency (even as the moods of the character shift back and forth), it also ages as the narrator does. In the early pages, he’s at primary school, being thrilled by getting a bike for Christmas, experiencing the pettiness and pains of playground games but, as he grows into manhood, the language and his emotions mature. Which is not to say that the language ever escapes from the lousy grammar which is characteristic of the particular London vernacular he uses. The authenticity of the whole depends on that being maintained. ‘Bad’ English is an essential part of the fabric of the novel. It’s the way Arys conveys mood, setting and, most of all, character.
But all I’ve said so far is ‘reviewer-speak’. It’s the sort of analysis we do when tease out a novel’s component parts to try to explain why it works,. It conveys nothing of the way this book pulls you into itself, makes the world of John and the rest an intense experience and involves you in its tensions, its laughter and its losses. I think the author’s only problem is how on earth he’s going to follow it up.
It’s a first person narrative, conveyed by John and featuring the bunch of people around him as he grew up in London’s East End in the 70s and 80s. The voice is haunting and has the power and authenticity that made such huge hits of Catcher in the Rye and Vernon God Little. It establishes right from the start John’s familial and social situation, and the minute to minute shifts in mood that convey the fact that he’s capable (like the rest of us) of loving his parents, sister and friends (including the strange new neighbour Kenny), and hating them at the same time. It’s solipsism without narcissism. What he writes is exactly what he’s feeling at the moment he writes it.
And yet, as the remarkable descriptions of going to and watching football matches with his dad demonstrate, it’s not egotistical. He’s aware of being part of a clan and of the community to which he belongs, its good and bad aspects. He sees his own elations and depressions shared by others.
Arys has done a terrific job of giving his narrator a clear moral perspective and the ability to judge and be compassionate towards others while at the same time showing how his own impulses and the circumstances in which he finds himself turn him into a time-served criminal. And yet, for all that, John is NOT one of the bad guys. Some of the characters are but even then, the moral climate in which they all live can’t be easily reduced to a set of formulae.
And, to make the achievement even more remarkable, the voice not only maintains its consistency (even as the moods of the character shift back and forth), it also ages as the narrator does. In the early pages, he’s at primary school, being thrilled by getting a bike for Christmas, experiencing the pettiness and pains of playground games but, as he grows into manhood, the language and his emotions mature. Which is not to say that the language ever escapes from the lousy grammar which is characteristic of the particular London vernacular he uses. The authenticity of the whole depends on that being maintained. ‘Bad’ English is an essential part of the fabric of the novel. It’s the way Arys conveys mood, setting and, most of all, character.
But all I’ve said so far is ‘reviewer-speak’. It’s the sort of analysis we do when tease out a novel’s component parts to try to explain why it works,. It conveys nothing of the way this book pulls you into itself, makes the world of John and the rest an intense experience and involves you in its tensions, its laughter and its losses. I think the author’s only problem is how on earth he’s going to follow it up.
March 27, 2012
Right from the start this novel was a delight to read. The author’s razor sharp perception sees all. He relays every little nuance in the lives of his characters and gets to the very core of family life. Ian’s writing is so grounded this could be a biography, it’s so believable and realistic. The novel is written in the East End dialect from the perspective of John Sissons as he grows up. We see how his attitude changes life gives him blow after blow. At times this can be a heartbreaking novel but also totally and utterly compelling, inspiring and hopeful. Alongside John’s own story there is Kenny who lives across the road. To John, and just about everyone else, Kenny is a strange alien creature that he cannot understand. When he finally discovers the truth behind Kenny it shakes him to the very core.
Within the first five chapters I had laughed out loud and come close to tears as the revelations tore at my heartstrings. A coming of age novel about friendship and everyday tragedies. The story is told in such an authentic voice that you feel you are right there with John Sissons. As a child of the seventies I found all the references from the period were absolutely spot on and brought my own nostalgia to the fore. I was reminded just what it was like going to school in the seventies. If you remember the Queen’s Silver Jubilee parties, Choppers, staying out all day, jumpers for goalposts or have ever had a special football away day then this novel is for you.
Ian Ayris puts the reader through the emotional blender with this novel but you’ll hang on his every word. Just when you think the novel can’t get any darker there are hints at redemption and hope. However, they seem impossibly far away and distant. Anyone who has ever felt any passion for football or indeed life will be brushing tears from their eyes. A novel that would make a fantastic film or TV drama but frankly could any director do such a beautiful story justice? I doubt it.
Within the first five chapters I had laughed out loud and come close to tears as the revelations tore at my heartstrings. A coming of age novel about friendship and everyday tragedies. The story is told in such an authentic voice that you feel you are right there with John Sissons. As a child of the seventies I found all the references from the period were absolutely spot on and brought my own nostalgia to the fore. I was reminded just what it was like going to school in the seventies. If you remember the Queen’s Silver Jubilee parties, Choppers, staying out all day, jumpers for goalposts or have ever had a special football away day then this novel is for you.
Ian Ayris puts the reader through the emotional blender with this novel but you’ll hang on his every word. Just when you think the novel can’t get any darker there are hints at redemption and hope. However, they seem impossibly far away and distant. Anyone who has ever felt any passion for football or indeed life will be brushing tears from their eyes. A novel that would make a fantastic film or TV drama but frankly could any director do such a beautiful story justice? I doubt it.
November 6, 2013
A hard book to review in some ways as I personally have never read anything quite like it before. I found the story of Johnny, a real East End London kid, from his time in primary school to his early adult years, enormously powerful. Written in a very colloquial style and containing a large amount of swearing, it seems to capture his life very credibly to me. It took me half a dozen pages to get into it and after that I was completely hooked. The characters were rich, the environment and times came over powerfully. Bleak and dark frequently it still managed to feel quite warm and very human indeed.
I guess it was Johnny who real made it so powerful for me - his time at school, his life, his friends and events after his time at school seemed so credible to me (& moving). For all the fact that he exposes his emotions in the narrative to some degree you still get the strong feeling of not talking about emotions that are often better understood than adults would give credit for. If you object to swearing this is not for you however it is one of the best books I've read this year without question.
I guess it was Johnny who real made it so powerful for me - his time at school, his life, his friends and events after his time at school seemed so credible to me (& moving). For all the fact that he exposes his emotions in the narrative to some degree you still get the strong feeling of not talking about emotions that are often better understood than adults would give credit for. If you object to swearing this is not for you however it is one of the best books I've read this year without question.
June 11, 2012
Ian Ayris is the E.S. Hinton for a new generation. Don't get me wrong, this isn't a YA novel (though I think teens would get so much from the read) It is an adult novel for those of us who came up hard. As young man I never found books or movies or tv shows that in any way related to how it felt to be me. What stunned me about Abide With Me, was how absuluty it connected with me. Separated by a sea and cultural gap, Ayris writes in a honest inornate way that lets his characters speak their truth to us lucky readers. I care nothing for sports, never have, but because his of his characters love of it I found myself cheering for the home team, this is one small example of how good Ayris is. I have seen this book appear in the crime section, and yes it does have criminal acts and certainly criminals in it, but it stands out as a coming of age story. It is about what it takes to become a criminal, and what real honor is, and how to become a man. I suspect nothing I say will do it justice, so I'll say, read it, now. And leave it at that.
February 23, 2016
My original Abide With Me audiobook review and many others can be found at Audiobook Reviewer.
What an emotional rollercoaster ride and what an outstanding book! I went from laughing to tearing up to gasping in shock.
Abide With Me is part coming-of-age story and part crime fiction. Although not a Young Adult book, kids could learn a lot from it. It is advertised as a story of football, friendship, hope and gangsters. But it’s an awful lot more than that. Amongst other things, it is also about family, community, adversity and redemption.
Set in the East End of London in the 1970s and 80s, this is the story of John and Kenny, who live on the same street. It’s a rough place, school is tough, expectations are low, money is tight. But John has a relatively settled family life and, like his Dad, he loves supporting West Ham. Kenny, however, is the odd kid, the overweight boy, the one who gets bullied and hardly ever communicates.
Told entirely in John’s first person perspective, the East End vernacular used throughout may take a little getting used to, and the use of the f-word is pretty standard, but through these means, Ian Ayris creates a flawless representation of the setting and the characters.
Growing up in the seventies and being a devoted football/soccer fan, there was a lot there that automatically resonated with me. But even if you hate sports, the story is so powerful and realistic, you are bound to become fully engaged in these two lads’ lives. I made the mistake of listening while dog walking and failed miserably at trying to not cry in public at a particularly tragic moment.
Due to the first person narrative and John’s East End street-smart character, this needed a narrator who could really purvey John’s personality convincingly, and, as evidenced by my emotional turmoil throughout the nearly six hours of listening, Karl Jenkinson definitely pulled it off. He doesn’t seem to have narrated many other books yet, which makes his performance even more outstanding. I was particularly impressed by how he managed to express emotions and create suspense simply by small changes in pace and tone. It sounded so genuine, you really felt as if grown-up John was providing you with a retrospective of his life.
Nothing I say will probably do this book justice, but it is one hell of a debut novel, and I hope it’ll receive the widespread attention it deserves. Can’t recommend this highly enough, a perfect audio book!
I am very curious to see what Ian Ayris will come up with next (soon, hopefully).
Audiobook provided for review by the audiobookreviewer.com
What an emotional rollercoaster ride and what an outstanding book! I went from laughing to tearing up to gasping in shock.
Abide With Me is part coming-of-age story and part crime fiction. Although not a Young Adult book, kids could learn a lot from it. It is advertised as a story of football, friendship, hope and gangsters. But it’s an awful lot more than that. Amongst other things, it is also about family, community, adversity and redemption.
Set in the East End of London in the 1970s and 80s, this is the story of John and Kenny, who live on the same street. It’s a rough place, school is tough, expectations are low, money is tight. But John has a relatively settled family life and, like his Dad, he loves supporting West Ham. Kenny, however, is the odd kid, the overweight boy, the one who gets bullied and hardly ever communicates.
Told entirely in John’s first person perspective, the East End vernacular used throughout may take a little getting used to, and the use of the f-word is pretty standard, but through these means, Ian Ayris creates a flawless representation of the setting and the characters.
Growing up in the seventies and being a devoted football/soccer fan, there was a lot there that automatically resonated with me. But even if you hate sports, the story is so powerful and realistic, you are bound to become fully engaged in these two lads’ lives. I made the mistake of listening while dog walking and failed miserably at trying to not cry in public at a particularly tragic moment.
Due to the first person narrative and John’s East End street-smart character, this needed a narrator who could really purvey John’s personality convincingly, and, as evidenced by my emotional turmoil throughout the nearly six hours of listening, Karl Jenkinson definitely pulled it off. He doesn’t seem to have narrated many other books yet, which makes his performance even more outstanding. I was particularly impressed by how he managed to express emotions and create suspense simply by small changes in pace and tone. It sounded so genuine, you really felt as if grown-up John was providing you with a retrospective of his life.
Nothing I say will probably do this book justice, but it is one hell of a debut novel, and I hope it’ll receive the widespread attention it deserves. Can’t recommend this highly enough, a perfect audio book!
I am very curious to see what Ian Ayris will come up with next (soon, hopefully).
Audiobook provided for review by the audiobookreviewer.com
April 2, 2012
So now I think I should be sporting a new accent and trying some rhyming slang on my co-workers. I really liked this book. I felt so close to the characters that I really could see myself as Johnny's mum or sister. I really wish I had that sort of family to struggle through life with, or at least like the same football team.
Such great writing. I'm sad that I'm finished with the book. I want to check in on everyone and see how they are doing. :-)
Such great writing. I'm sad that I'm finished with the book. I want to check in on everyone and see how they are doing. :-)
March 3, 2012
I love the writing of Ian Ayris. His short fiction is outstanding, packed with images and always tapping nerve-ends and ripping at heart strings in ways that many don’t even come close to. I like his work so much that when Chris Rhatigan and I had to think of Deringer nominations from the Pulp Ink anthology, we came to immediate agreement that his story, Surf Rider, should be one of them.
Little wonder, then, that I had high expectations for his debut novel ‘Abide With Me’.
High expectation's probably not a good think for anyone to hold for too long, whether that be in sport, books, art, exams or whatever it is you’re hoping for; there’s always the possibility that things will end in disappointment. Tears and heartache.
The good news for me on this occasion is that Ian has earned every one of the five stars I’m giving him for the book at least twice over.
It has a density to it that is slightly unusual. Everything is packed tight. It took me almost two weeks to read the 150 pages. My slow pace is for a couple of reasons, I think. First off, for much of the book there are no end-of-chapter hooks that forced me to read just that one more chapter before moving on. Secondly, the level of emotional reaction I was experiencing at each visit meant that I needed a break after a short while to catch my breath.
So here’s an idea of the book, but not too much as it’s far too good to spoil.
Johnny and Kenny are lads who grow up on the same East London street. They’re pals, but not in any ordinary way, as Kenny is unable to communicate effectively using words. Kenny is the Lenny Small in ‘Of Mice And Men’ or To Kill A Mockingbird’s Boo Radley of this book. He’s terrorised at home and he seems to find little comfort in life other than from what he sees in the street-light outside his window or from the writing he does in his notebook.
Johnny, on the other hand, has street-smarts, charm and a settled family life, part of which involves supporting the Hammers through their footballing highs and lows. It’s claret and blue blood that runs through the veins of Johnny and his dad, that’s for sure.
They live in a tough place, Kenny and John. Money’s tight, expectations low, teachers rough and playgrounds brutal.
Ayris takes a journey inside the capsule that is Johnny’s mind. He’s our filter. We get to feel what he feels and see what he sees. It’s a recipe for the best of Ayris – Johnny witnesses horrible events and feels terrible pain and confusion – and as I reader I felt every moment of hurt, misery, pain, hope and happiness that came along, sometimes sent by Santa Claus and others by Satan.
The first half of the book follows the school days. Shows the roots of the damage to the people in Johnny’s life. It’s dense. It’s very internal. It would be difficult to film as so much of it is thought and emotion.
The next quarter isn’t dissimilar in style and follows Johnny into early adulthood. Suffice to say, he’s harvesting the fruits of earlier misfortunes. It’s powerful. Begins to suggest that the ending might just be something special.
And it is.
The last 20 pages or so of the book take on a completely different quality. They rattle along full of tension and a real need to find out what the climax of the book is no matter how scary the prospects for our duo seem. Truly brilliant.
OK. So, Ian Ayris has written an amazingly good debut novel. 5 stars, no problem.
But could it be better still? Can his second blow even this out of the water?
I think yes to both of those.
As I came to the end and relaxed my white knuckles, tried to stop myself crying in pubic and fell back into my seat to take it all in, I decided that all my thoughts regarding improvements must be wrong, that it could only be this way or I’d not have had such an atom-bomb of a reaction at the end.
Now I’m writing about it, I’d like to share those thoughts. Keep in mind that sense that maybe the book needs to be just as it is as you proceed.
There’s credit due to Caffeine Nights for snapping this up and taking a chance on such a talent. I think they’re on to a winner and deserve every success for that.
I’d like them to consider a few things.
The cover blurb. ‘A story about friendship, community, football, hope and biscuits...oh, and gangsters.’ I wasn’t keen on it when I read it and I’m less keen now. It’s a far better book that the sentence suggests. There’s no need to by coy – this is dynamite.
Swearing. I mentioned ‘Surf Rider’ being a gem of a story. It is. And it has lots of swearing. The swearing adds. Here, I’m not sure it’s the same. There’s a lot of it and I found it distracting. My edit would have taken most of it out to leave it with power when used and also to help the book to sell to a wider audience. I know it might be said that the artist’s purity is of paramount importance, but this is the first time I’ve ever felt less swearing would be a bonus. It’s also going to limit the audience for the book and that’s just not right. ‘Abide With Me’ deserves to have a really high profile. A less sweary book will have a far bigger chance of strong circulation.
They’re the easy points.
The next one isn’t so straightforward.
As I said, the book has a very intense, moving, powerful and emotional opening as we get to know about these kids. And then we have the climax – all energy and action and magical tension. It’s like ascending a big mountain in a good way – it’s a steady climb, great views along the way, challenging and satisfying and then as soon as you get to the top there’s a sprint down the other side full of exhilaration and acceleration.
I guess there are possibilities. One might be to shorten the build up. Another might be to start the book at the action at the end and maybe leave it as a novella. A further option might be to start at the adult stage and put in the childhood as back-story.
In the end, I think it’s called right. Leave it as it is and let the people come, for they should.
It’s a cracking book. A book that deserves every success. I hope that you’ll read this and go straight over to buy it – if I haven’t at least made it seem interesting to you, then I’ve failed in my intention.
Ian Ayris – this boy’s going far.
Little wonder, then, that I had high expectations for his debut novel ‘Abide With Me’.
High expectation's probably not a good think for anyone to hold for too long, whether that be in sport, books, art, exams or whatever it is you’re hoping for; there’s always the possibility that things will end in disappointment. Tears and heartache.
The good news for me on this occasion is that Ian has earned every one of the five stars I’m giving him for the book at least twice over.
It has a density to it that is slightly unusual. Everything is packed tight. It took me almost two weeks to read the 150 pages. My slow pace is for a couple of reasons, I think. First off, for much of the book there are no end-of-chapter hooks that forced me to read just that one more chapter before moving on. Secondly, the level of emotional reaction I was experiencing at each visit meant that I needed a break after a short while to catch my breath.
So here’s an idea of the book, but not too much as it’s far too good to spoil.
Johnny and Kenny are lads who grow up on the same East London street. They’re pals, but not in any ordinary way, as Kenny is unable to communicate effectively using words. Kenny is the Lenny Small in ‘Of Mice And Men’ or To Kill A Mockingbird’s Boo Radley of this book. He’s terrorised at home and he seems to find little comfort in life other than from what he sees in the street-light outside his window or from the writing he does in his notebook.
Johnny, on the other hand, has street-smarts, charm and a settled family life, part of which involves supporting the Hammers through their footballing highs and lows. It’s claret and blue blood that runs through the veins of Johnny and his dad, that’s for sure.
They live in a tough place, Kenny and John. Money’s tight, expectations low, teachers rough and playgrounds brutal.
Ayris takes a journey inside the capsule that is Johnny’s mind. He’s our filter. We get to feel what he feels and see what he sees. It’s a recipe for the best of Ayris – Johnny witnesses horrible events and feels terrible pain and confusion – and as I reader I felt every moment of hurt, misery, pain, hope and happiness that came along, sometimes sent by Santa Claus and others by Satan.
The first half of the book follows the school days. Shows the roots of the damage to the people in Johnny’s life. It’s dense. It’s very internal. It would be difficult to film as so much of it is thought and emotion.
The next quarter isn’t dissimilar in style and follows Johnny into early adulthood. Suffice to say, he’s harvesting the fruits of earlier misfortunes. It’s powerful. Begins to suggest that the ending might just be something special.
And it is.
The last 20 pages or so of the book take on a completely different quality. They rattle along full of tension and a real need to find out what the climax of the book is no matter how scary the prospects for our duo seem. Truly brilliant.
OK. So, Ian Ayris has written an amazingly good debut novel. 5 stars, no problem.
But could it be better still? Can his second blow even this out of the water?
I think yes to both of those.
As I came to the end and relaxed my white knuckles, tried to stop myself crying in pubic and fell back into my seat to take it all in, I decided that all my thoughts regarding improvements must be wrong, that it could only be this way or I’d not have had such an atom-bomb of a reaction at the end.
Now I’m writing about it, I’d like to share those thoughts. Keep in mind that sense that maybe the book needs to be just as it is as you proceed.
There’s credit due to Caffeine Nights for snapping this up and taking a chance on such a talent. I think they’re on to a winner and deserve every success for that.
I’d like them to consider a few things.
The cover blurb. ‘A story about friendship, community, football, hope and biscuits...oh, and gangsters.’ I wasn’t keen on it when I read it and I’m less keen now. It’s a far better book that the sentence suggests. There’s no need to by coy – this is dynamite.
Swearing. I mentioned ‘Surf Rider’ being a gem of a story. It is. And it has lots of swearing. The swearing adds. Here, I’m not sure it’s the same. There’s a lot of it and I found it distracting. My edit would have taken most of it out to leave it with power when used and also to help the book to sell to a wider audience. I know it might be said that the artist’s purity is of paramount importance, but this is the first time I’ve ever felt less swearing would be a bonus. It’s also going to limit the audience for the book and that’s just not right. ‘Abide With Me’ deserves to have a really high profile. A less sweary book will have a far bigger chance of strong circulation.
They’re the easy points.
The next one isn’t so straightforward.
As I said, the book has a very intense, moving, powerful and emotional opening as we get to know about these kids. And then we have the climax – all energy and action and magical tension. It’s like ascending a big mountain in a good way – it’s a steady climb, great views along the way, challenging and satisfying and then as soon as you get to the top there’s a sprint down the other side full of exhilaration and acceleration.
I guess there are possibilities. One might be to shorten the build up. Another might be to start the book at the action at the end and maybe leave it as a novella. A further option might be to start at the adult stage and put in the childhood as back-story.
In the end, I think it’s called right. Leave it as it is and let the people come, for they should.
It’s a cracking book. A book that deserves every success. I hope that you’ll read this and go straight over to buy it – if I haven’t at least made it seem interesting to you, then I’ve failed in my intention.
Ian Ayris – this boy’s going far.
March 27, 2012
John Sissons is a working class kid growing up in London’s East End during the mid 1970’s. His family doesn’t have a lot, but they do have tremendous love for each other and an undying passion for football (that’s soccer for the American crowd).
Kenny Montgomery is the strange kid who lives across the street. Overweight, socially awkward, and uncommunicative to the point one could mistake him for mute, it seems to be Kenny’s lot in life to be the butt of jokes and target of bullies.
Turns out Kenny’s abuse doesn’t end when he gets home from school. As John learns firsthand one frightening afternoon when he stops in for tea, both Kenny and his mum are the victims of physical and psychological abuse at the hands of Kenny’s alcoholic father.
A good kid at heart, John takes Kenny under his wing and the two form an unlikely friendship, one that grows for several years until their lives are irrevocably changed by two outbursts of violence.
The first finds all the pain Kenny has suffered and repressed throughout his life erupting in spectacular fashion, while the second results when John, now a dropout, and some friends plan a holdup that goes decidedly sideways. The fallout from those events sends John and Kenny down separate paths in life for the better part of a decade. When they’re finally reunited they discover that the more things change, the more they stay the same.
Written from John’s point of view and in the rough-edged vernacular of London’s East End, Abide With Me is as immersive and atmospheric as a novel can get. There’s nothing pretty or sugarcoated about the lives John and Kenny lead, and therein is actually where the true beauty of Abide With Me lies. Author Ian Ayris has an uncanny talent for exquisitely expressing and bringing to life the type of small details and everyday triumphs and tragedies that define our lives. Be it John and his father sharing the joy of their favorite football club’s success or Kenny finding solace in staring at the streetlight outside his window at night, Ayris realizes it’s the little things in life that ultimately make the biggest difference.
And while the plot of Abide With Me is fiction, Ayris has said that the setting and many of the memories and emotions were indeed mined from his own life. That willingness of Ayris to tap directly into his own childhood hopes and dreams, pain and confusion gives John’s voice a clarity and rawness that rings undeniably true. This boy, and later young man, is as real as any person you’ll ever meet. More so, actually, as Ayris takes us into the darkest corners of John’s mind, allowing the reader to share and experience every triumph and humiliation, every ambition and sacrifice in a way one rarely, if ever, gets to share with another person in reality.
That Abide With Me is a debut novel is, quite frankly, stunning. Ayris brings a depth and level of emotion to his writing that most authors strive their entire career to achieve, and which many never do. Never is that more apparent than in the ending Ayris crafts for John and Kenny, one so powerful, poignant, and heartbreaking it actually brought tears to my eyes. If there is even a shred of justice in this world Abide With Me will garner the kind of widespread attention it so richly deserves.
Kenny Montgomery is the strange kid who lives across the street. Overweight, socially awkward, and uncommunicative to the point one could mistake him for mute, it seems to be Kenny’s lot in life to be the butt of jokes and target of bullies.
Turns out Kenny’s abuse doesn’t end when he gets home from school. As John learns firsthand one frightening afternoon when he stops in for tea, both Kenny and his mum are the victims of physical and psychological abuse at the hands of Kenny’s alcoholic father.
A good kid at heart, John takes Kenny under his wing and the two form an unlikely friendship, one that grows for several years until their lives are irrevocably changed by two outbursts of violence.
The first finds all the pain Kenny has suffered and repressed throughout his life erupting in spectacular fashion, while the second results when John, now a dropout, and some friends plan a holdup that goes decidedly sideways. The fallout from those events sends John and Kenny down separate paths in life for the better part of a decade. When they’re finally reunited they discover that the more things change, the more they stay the same.
Written from John’s point of view and in the rough-edged vernacular of London’s East End, Abide With Me is as immersive and atmospheric as a novel can get. There’s nothing pretty or sugarcoated about the lives John and Kenny lead, and therein is actually where the true beauty of Abide With Me lies. Author Ian Ayris has an uncanny talent for exquisitely expressing and bringing to life the type of small details and everyday triumphs and tragedies that define our lives. Be it John and his father sharing the joy of their favorite football club’s success or Kenny finding solace in staring at the streetlight outside his window at night, Ayris realizes it’s the little things in life that ultimately make the biggest difference.
And while the plot of Abide With Me is fiction, Ayris has said that the setting and many of the memories and emotions were indeed mined from his own life. That willingness of Ayris to tap directly into his own childhood hopes and dreams, pain and confusion gives John’s voice a clarity and rawness that rings undeniably true. This boy, and later young man, is as real as any person you’ll ever meet. More so, actually, as Ayris takes us into the darkest corners of John’s mind, allowing the reader to share and experience every triumph and humiliation, every ambition and sacrifice in a way one rarely, if ever, gets to share with another person in reality.
That Abide With Me is a debut novel is, quite frankly, stunning. Ayris brings a depth and level of emotion to his writing that most authors strive their entire career to achieve, and which many never do. Never is that more apparent than in the ending Ayris crafts for John and Kenny, one so powerful, poignant, and heartbreaking it actually brought tears to my eyes. If there is even a shred of justice in this world Abide With Me will garner the kind of widespread attention it so richly deserves.
September 29, 2016
This novel was short in length, but in no way lacking in drama or intensity - a tale of lads growing up in difficult circumstances in the East End of London, pulling no punches and sparing nothing in the grimness and brutality that some suffer. The first person (and cockney dialect) point of view did grate a little at the start.. but the narrator's voice quickly became one telling a story which you were interested in hearing. Far from pleasant in places, it was an upsetting read, but a well-written piece, and very much one which will stick with me for some time.
February 6, 2012
The voice is compelling and totally real from the opening word to the final emotionally charged paragraph.
Abide With Me, short story writer Ian Ayris's debut novel, is an astoundingly simple yet brilliantly written first novel. Ayris writes in the first person narrative vernacular, one of the hardest narrative voices to master. And he has mastered it. The story revolves around two boys growing up in the East End during the seventies and eighties. It is full of memorabilia from that era, artfully recreated by Ayris with a touch of humour and a lot of heart, but not a tinge of sentiment. For although Abide With Me is a moving book it is never self-indulgent. Football is a key theme, since much of the novel centres on West Ham, a symbolic heartland of struggle and victory. Even to a reader who doesn't like sport these passages will resonate. Ayris captures this with great dexterity and psychological insight. He etches in family detail with subtlety. He keeps you turning the page.
Few writers can write idiomatic dialogue in a readable way and Ayris does with great skill.
I loved this novel. The voice is intimate, compelling, and you wait. You wait to hear what happens. Because you want to. Because the author makes you care.
John, the voice of the narrative, is a complex and humane man. If you enjoy accomplished storytelling and a book that speaks from the heart read this, it comes highly recommended.
Abide With Me, short story writer Ian Ayris's debut novel, is an astoundingly simple yet brilliantly written first novel. Ayris writes in the first person narrative vernacular, one of the hardest narrative voices to master. And he has mastered it. The story revolves around two boys growing up in the East End during the seventies and eighties. It is full of memorabilia from that era, artfully recreated by Ayris with a touch of humour and a lot of heart, but not a tinge of sentiment. For although Abide With Me is a moving book it is never self-indulgent. Football is a key theme, since much of the novel centres on West Ham, a symbolic heartland of struggle and victory. Even to a reader who doesn't like sport these passages will resonate. Ayris captures this with great dexterity and psychological insight. He etches in family detail with subtlety. He keeps you turning the page.
Few writers can write idiomatic dialogue in a readable way and Ayris does with great skill.
I loved this novel. The voice is intimate, compelling, and you wait. You wait to hear what happens. Because you want to. Because the author makes you care.
John, the voice of the narrative, is a complex and humane man. If you enjoy accomplished storytelling and a book that speaks from the heart read this, it comes highly recommended.
February 4, 2016
Fast-paced, emotional rollercoaster that is so very hard to put down. In fact at times if it wasn't that it was nearly 1am or I had things to do I definitely would have read it in one go cover-to-cover.
If I'm honest, not something I would normally pick up or think of reading but I'm so glad I did. The 'voice' of the main character was so clear in my head he could have been sitting opposite me.
Highly recommend this book.
If I'm honest, not something I would normally pick up or think of reading but I'm so glad I did. The 'voice' of the main character was so clear in my head he could have been sitting opposite me.
Highly recommend this book.
June 25, 2017
This novel was a real discovery – it had gone under my radar despite doing this blog post for 3 years.
It makes me mad that the broadsheets and the literary world rave about a novel like A Natural and overlooked this novel – one with a much stronger story, really important messages about family and belonging, and social breakdown – a novel that is much more skilfully crafted. But perhaps they can’t see beyond their prejudices and the fact that it contains dialect and colloquialisms – and a lot of effing and jeffing – that it was written by someone so obviously working class. It is too easy to dismiss it as soon as they start reading: “There’s things happen in your life what go clean out of your head. They don’t mean nothing see. Most of your life’s like that.” That is not badly written – it is superbly written – you just have to put aside your literary snobbishness and see things for what they are. This novel is carefully crafted prose, without wasted words – every word pulling its weight (possibly with the slight exception of use of the f-word – but there you should see that for what it is – punctuation).
There are some great observations on growing up in the 70s and 80s and moving accounts of family relationships and the struggles faced by people to make ends meet; a depiction of how easy it is to slip into crime. The plot is also very strong. The football is an important theme – especially in what it says about father-son relationships. It is really nicely integrated into the plot – doing what football does best: providing a metaphor for life.
The second book April Skies is worth a read but is not quite so strong – suffering the way many sequels to superb works do: how on earth do you follow that. It has a lesser football theme, and a slightly more contrived plot, and is not quite so well crafted.
43 football fiction books now reviewed on my blog at: http://stevek1889.blogspot.co.uk/2014...
It makes me mad that the broadsheets and the literary world rave about a novel like A Natural and overlooked this novel – one with a much stronger story, really important messages about family and belonging, and social breakdown – a novel that is much more skilfully crafted. But perhaps they can’t see beyond their prejudices and the fact that it contains dialect and colloquialisms – and a lot of effing and jeffing – that it was written by someone so obviously working class. It is too easy to dismiss it as soon as they start reading: “There’s things happen in your life what go clean out of your head. They don’t mean nothing see. Most of your life’s like that.” That is not badly written – it is superbly written – you just have to put aside your literary snobbishness and see things for what they are. This novel is carefully crafted prose, without wasted words – every word pulling its weight (possibly with the slight exception of use of the f-word – but there you should see that for what it is – punctuation).
There are some great observations on growing up in the 70s and 80s and moving accounts of family relationships and the struggles faced by people to make ends meet; a depiction of how easy it is to slip into crime. The plot is also very strong. The football is an important theme – especially in what it says about father-son relationships. It is really nicely integrated into the plot – doing what football does best: providing a metaphor for life.
The second book April Skies is worth a read but is not quite so strong – suffering the way many sequels to superb works do: how on earth do you follow that. It has a lesser football theme, and a slightly more contrived plot, and is not quite so well crafted.
43 football fiction books now reviewed on my blog at: http://stevek1889.blogspot.co.uk/2014...
July 4, 2022
Had it in the pile for years because of the way I choose the next read, but as I loved Ian Ayris' classic One Day in the Life of Jason Dean, I should have come to this a lot sooner.
I've confirmed that view now I've finally read it, because this is great. Set in London's working class East End, it's initially a coming-of-age yarn I can relate to. Kids playing football, parents struggling to make ends meet, coming to terms with the weirdness of growing up. The protagonist, John Sissons, lives for his friends, his little sister, his mum and dad, and West Ham United. Hardly keeping the household finances together, his mum manages to get him and dad a cup final ticket for the team they bond over.
And from there it all goes south.
From a beautifully rendered tale of growing up, showing heartbreaking darkness among the light, the book turns into a very dark tale of transition to adulthood, featuring prison, gangsters, and all kinds of parasites - and does it without breaking the book's spell. All the buildup gathers pace at the end, rolling into a mass of pain, and makes you ache for all that's gone before.
It's a brilliant book, made better by Ayris' use of local dialect. The constant f-bombing adds to the flavour. If you like crash, bang, wallop, you might struggle with the patient build-up, but I loved the characters, and the seemingly small stakes are still intense and do build-up to an epic showdown. I can't wait to read the sequels.
I've confirmed that view now I've finally read it, because this is great. Set in London's working class East End, it's initially a coming-of-age yarn I can relate to. Kids playing football, parents struggling to make ends meet, coming to terms with the weirdness of growing up. The protagonist, John Sissons, lives for his friends, his little sister, his mum and dad, and West Ham United. Hardly keeping the household finances together, his mum manages to get him and dad a cup final ticket for the team they bond over.
And from there it all goes south.
From a beautifully rendered tale of growing up, showing heartbreaking darkness among the light, the book turns into a very dark tale of transition to adulthood, featuring prison, gangsters, and all kinds of parasites - and does it without breaking the book's spell. All the buildup gathers pace at the end, rolling into a mass of pain, and makes you ache for all that's gone before.
It's a brilliant book, made better by Ayris' use of local dialect. The constant f-bombing adds to the flavour. If you like crash, bang, wallop, you might struggle with the patient build-up, but I loved the characters, and the seemingly small stakes are still intense and do build-up to an epic showdown. I can't wait to read the sequels.
September 19, 2022
The story of Johnny, London East End working class kid, is a bumpy ride. Bleak at times, irrepressible at others, carried forward on the rolling waves of West Ham football supporters waving their claret and blue scarves. The period, the early years of the Thatcher government, is captured to perfection. The writing is superb and Ian Ayris shoots from the heart.
September 29, 2018
rips your heart out.
if you are into that,
i can assure you ian ayris is a professional !
if you are into that,
i can assure you ian ayris is a professional !
February 20, 2012
This book is written in the first person and wholly in East End vernacular and boy does it work well. Reading the book you can actually hear John Sissons' voice and at times it is like you are sat with him in a pub and he is telling the story just to you. The enthusiasm for the things he is interested in comes through in the writing which also makes it very easy to empathise with all the bad stuff. The book itself is gritty and pulls no punches. Yes it does contain some colourful language, but this is wholly in keeping with both the story and the characters and not overly gratuitous.
The story follows John from primary school until adulthood and, being of a similar age myself, there is a lot for me to relate to having lived through some of the events described. For me also, there were several memory links to be had, although in my case, it was window boxes planted out in claret and blue rather than icing on fairy cakes!
The story is credible and well delivered, the characterisation is spot on. There are twists and turns and build ups and let downs throughout the book which gives it a true-life feel and makes me wonder how much is autobiographical. It had me laughing out loud in parts and also bawling my eyes out in others. There are some sensitive issues that are handled very well, and there is a strong underlying message of hope through adversity throughout the book.
One thing I did notice was that even a few days after finishing the book, I keep thinking back to certain things that I have read and I don't often reflect back on a book once I have completed it.
I will certainly keep Mr Ayris on my watch list.
The story follows John from primary school until adulthood and, being of a similar age myself, there is a lot for me to relate to having lived through some of the events described. For me also, there were several memory links to be had, although in my case, it was window boxes planted out in claret and blue rather than icing on fairy cakes!
The story is credible and well delivered, the characterisation is spot on. There are twists and turns and build ups and let downs throughout the book which gives it a true-life feel and makes me wonder how much is autobiographical. It had me laughing out loud in parts and also bawling my eyes out in others. There are some sensitive issues that are handled very well, and there is a strong underlying message of hope through adversity throughout the book.
One thing I did notice was that even a few days after finishing the book, I keep thinking back to certain things that I have read and I don't often reflect back on a book once I have completed it.
I will certainly keep Mr Ayris on my watch list.
May 8, 2017
I read ‘April Skies’ (the second book in this East End story) some time ago and was blown away with the story and the writing. John Sissons was so wonderfully depicted it was easy to become immersed in his life. I needed to know how his story began, so jumped on the emotional rollercoaster that is ‘Abide with Me’, and got to know the child who became the man.
Wow, What a story! From the first page the punchy dialogue and colourful language contrast with breathtaking prose that grabs hold and won’t let go. So many times I paused to re-read and savour sentences that were breathtaking in originality and insight.
This author’s overwhelming skill at creating believable characters is one I’ve not witnessed anywhere else (and I read an awful lot!) John, his family and the ensemble cast are whole people living real lives where things are more often down than up, but despite that there is an ongoing sense of ‘better things to come’ that engages the reader to the point that you hold your breath ...and hope. Hopes, dreams and loyalty are the fuel that drives this story through John’s school days and turbulent adolescence into adulthood. Throughout, John’s voice remains constant; his boyhood loyalty to bullied classmate Kenny mirrors that of the adult and is a heart-warming contrast to the bedrock of violence, criminality and revenge that underpins this journey. These characters will get inside your head and your heart and remain there long after the last page is read.
Make no mistake, this is a gut-wrenching read, but one that you’ll be all the better for and one that I wholly recommend.
Wow, What a story! From the first page the punchy dialogue and colourful language contrast with breathtaking prose that grabs hold and won’t let go. So many times I paused to re-read and savour sentences that were breathtaking in originality and insight.
This author’s overwhelming skill at creating believable characters is one I’ve not witnessed anywhere else (and I read an awful lot!) John, his family and the ensemble cast are whole people living real lives where things are more often down than up, but despite that there is an ongoing sense of ‘better things to come’ that engages the reader to the point that you hold your breath ...and hope. Hopes, dreams and loyalty are the fuel that drives this story through John’s school days and turbulent adolescence into adulthood. Throughout, John’s voice remains constant; his boyhood loyalty to bullied classmate Kenny mirrors that of the adult and is a heart-warming contrast to the bedrock of violence, criminality and revenge that underpins this journey. These characters will get inside your head and your heart and remain there long after the last page is read.
Make no mistake, this is a gut-wrenching read, but one that you’ll be all the better for and one that I wholly recommend.
February 7, 2012
On the surface I shouldn't like this book at all. I do like my correct English, spelling and grammar and this book is written in East End vernacular. It also heavily features football, which is of no interest to me at all. I began reading with trepidation but after a page or two I found that instead of reading 'incorrect English' I was listening to Johnny Sissons' voice in my head. It was excellently done and 'hearing' it like that made you feel you were sharing his thoughts.
It's a tale told in the first person by a lad from a caring family who grows up with their values. We start with him in the top end of his primary school where he looks out for his neighbour, a fat and intellectually challenged boy who is the target of bullies. He discovers that Kenny is also a target at home for his own father. John shows deep emotions; he really loves his little sister, he respects his parents and loves The Hammers. Even a non-footie person could pick up the excitement and cameraderie of the football matches, especially the final, which has such final results for his family.
Over the next few years we see influences on John which result in his imprisonment. He still lives by his own moral compass though, except that it gradually becomes flawed. His 'lightbulb moment' when he sees what he has become and what it means for his mother and sister is brilliantly done. The ending is fast, exciting, inevitable. This is a surprising and wonderful book. It will challenge you, make you think, pull at your emotions. I highly recommend it.
It's a tale told in the first person by a lad from a caring family who grows up with their values. We start with him in the top end of his primary school where he looks out for his neighbour, a fat and intellectually challenged boy who is the target of bullies. He discovers that Kenny is also a target at home for his own father. John shows deep emotions; he really loves his little sister, he respects his parents and loves The Hammers. Even a non-footie person could pick up the excitement and cameraderie of the football matches, especially the final, which has such final results for his family.
Over the next few years we see influences on John which result in his imprisonment. He still lives by his own moral compass though, except that it gradually becomes flawed. His 'lightbulb moment' when he sees what he has become and what it means for his mother and sister is brilliantly done. The ending is fast, exciting, inevitable. This is a surprising and wonderful book. It will challenge you, make you think, pull at your emotions. I highly recommend it.
August 27, 2014
What a fantastic book! The first thing that hits you is the east end vernacular that the author uses throughout. Once you get used to this you hardly notice it, but its a cracker of a strategy because reading it this way, really helps you get into the mindset of the central character, John.
Its a story of family, love, friendship, depression, alcoholism, revenge and West Ham! John comes from a working class family, who don't have much money, but have a whole wealth of love for each other that really shines through in the book. Kenny, on the other hand, really struck out with regard to his family, and in fact it's John's family and especially his mother that show Kenny the only love he has ever seen in his life.
The story starts with the boys at school. John likes going to school but doesnt like working, he only goes to play footie with his mates and as he gets older bunks off as much as possible. Kenny is "different" to every one else and has the most horrendous time at school with John as his only friend. It is this part of the book that really sets the scene for when the boys grow up and their paths cross again after years apart.
It is a wonderful book, I was in tears quite a few times - something which doesn't happen that often at all! The ending is great, completely floored me - I never saw that one coming at all!
Can't wait to read more of the author's work.
Its a story of family, love, friendship, depression, alcoholism, revenge and West Ham! John comes from a working class family, who don't have much money, but have a whole wealth of love for each other that really shines through in the book. Kenny, on the other hand, really struck out with regard to his family, and in fact it's John's family and especially his mother that show Kenny the only love he has ever seen in his life.
The story starts with the boys at school. John likes going to school but doesnt like working, he only goes to play footie with his mates and as he gets older bunks off as much as possible. Kenny is "different" to every one else and has the most horrendous time at school with John as his only friend. It is this part of the book that really sets the scene for when the boys grow up and their paths cross again after years apart.
It is a wonderful book, I was in tears quite a few times - something which doesn't happen that often at all! The ending is great, completely floored me - I never saw that one coming at all!
Can't wait to read more of the author's work.
March 3, 2012
I am not sure I have the words to describe how I feel about this book. For starters I read it in pretty much one sitting as I could not put it down. I immersed myself so thoroughly I almost forgot to stop for lunch! And only then did i stop as i had to walk away from it while I battled with the emotions being evoked!
The characterisation is so special that I really cared for the characters in this book. The 'voice' of John could be clearly heard through the use of East End vernacular (which included a lot of swearing, but, for me, this did not deter but in fact added to the character!) Oh! and how my heart went out to Kenny throughout the book.
The journey is an incredible, but believable, one and will stay with me for a long long time to come. This could so easily be someone's memoirs.
It was a roller coaster of emotions from sheer joy and excitement to devastation and grief. I got caught up in the excitement and enthusiasm of the football final and was crying hard in the darker more tragic moments.
I would highly recommend 'Abide With Me' and look forward to more from Ian Ayris
The characterisation is so special that I really cared for the characters in this book. The 'voice' of John could be clearly heard through the use of East End vernacular (which included a lot of swearing, but, for me, this did not deter but in fact added to the character!) Oh! and how my heart went out to Kenny throughout the book.
The journey is an incredible, but believable, one and will stay with me for a long long time to come. This could so easily be someone's memoirs.
It was a roller coaster of emotions from sheer joy and excitement to devastation and grief. I got caught up in the excitement and enthusiasm of the football final and was crying hard in the darker more tragic moments.
I would highly recommend 'Abide With Me' and look forward to more from Ian Ayris
March 23, 2012
I don't like awarding stars to books, especially when I had some personal contact with the author prior to reading it. It became apparent we also share some similar tastes and ideals about writing. But Abide With Me is certainly worth four stars in any company. It gets full marks for a first novel and because Ayris dares to be different, rather than following a more established blueprint for genre fiction. Those qualities come from not setting out to gain mass appeal or trying too hard to corner a certain market. That said, I am sure AWM will do very well because it has a fine balance of drama, suspense and poignancy, which is far from easy to achieve. In addition, it has a cinematic quality that reminds me of some of the work of other Londoners such as Gary Oldman or Mike Leigh. In short, a very fine debut novel.
See http://stevenjporter.wordpress.com/ for a more comprehensive review and an interview I did with Ian Ayris last month. We chewed the fat over the role of football in fiction and the life defining events of May 1975, among other things.
See http://stevenjporter.wordpress.com/ for a more comprehensive review and an interview I did with Ian Ayris last month. We chewed the fat over the role of football in fiction and the life defining events of May 1975, among other things.
March 23, 2012
Wow, powerful stuff indeed! Written in East End vernacular, peppered throughout with swear words which I normally find off putting, but work in this context. Yes, there is quite a lot of football, which I also hate normally, but hardly noticed as I was reading because I felt so involved with the characters. I would have liked to read more from 'the diary', but in retrospect that would have made the book less tightly constructed.
As I was reading, I was reminded of some of Roddy Doyle's work and also felt that it packs the punch of a modern day 'Of Mice and Men'. This would be a wonderful book for adolescent boys to read on several levels, not least of which would be that it should kindle a life long love of reading.
Truly excellent literary fiction, in my humble opinion!
As I was reading, I was reminded of some of Roddy Doyle's work and also felt that it packs the punch of a modern day 'Of Mice and Men'. This would be a wonderful book for adolescent boys to read on several levels, not least of which would be that it should kindle a life long love of reading.
Truly excellent literary fiction, in my humble opinion!
June 8, 2012
I read this book a few weeks ago and have found myself thinking about it a lot since. I read it in one go as it had me hooked from the start, great evocations of time and place and superb characterisation. And speaking as someone who has no interest at all in football, the writing was so good that it totally drew me in and conveyed perhaps what real football fans feel at important matches. You will laugh and you will cry, it would be hard to find a more affecting tale of love and redemption - brilliant book.
May 20, 2016
'Abide With Me' is a real emotional rollercoaster. Written in full on East End patter, which flows beautifully, it immerses you in the world of the narrator. The swearing is not for the faint-hearted, but is totally authentic and exactly how the characters would communicate. The pace is relentlessly fast, which meant I read this in only two sittings. Genuinely emotional, I'd recommend this wholeheartedly to anyone looking for a gritty, gripping London-based story to read.
May 13, 2012
Mind-blowing! Packed with such energy and sheer fuckin honesty and gets you instantly into the heart and head of John and how he feels about his family and friends so you care and forget to breathe as you read and squeeze your eyes tight shut so you don't cry and fear to see what's coming next.
Wow.
May 27, 2012
Such a brilliant read. I think Abide With Me is a story about love. Sometimes life throws a load of crap at you, but if you've been loved, if you know deep inside that you're worth something, you find a way to conquer your demons. I hate football, but I loved this book.
February 23, 2016
An amazing book - the authenticity shines out of every word. For myself the constant bad language became a little obtrusive (even though I'm sure the people concerned would really have thought and spoken like that). Otherwise this is excellent writing - unique, powerful and moving.
December 14, 2019
I’ve seen this novel getting quite a bit of attention on my Twitter feed from the Fahrenheit Press site and thought I’d give it a try without really knowing much about it or the author.
I found it to be more a ‘coming of age’ story with a crime element added to the mix. John Sissons is the protagonist of the novel and he tells the story of his life from boyhood through to a young adult in the Bethnal Green area of London. He tells of his family life, school days and his love of West Ham United from the mid 1970’s to the late 1980’s. They aren’t well off and John and his young sister have kind and loving parents but his father works a dead end factory job, drinks too much and also finds it difficult to cope with life following the death of his parents. However John is ‘forced’ into an unwanted friendship with an overweight, strange, near mute boy Kenny, who lives across the road and whose life is made he’ll by an abusive father. The author tells of the unusual relationship between the two and after losing touch when John is sent to prison, on release, he must try and help Kenny evade the clutches of local gang boss, Johnny Swordfish.
I’ve kind of got mixed feelings about this novel as there were elements that I really enjoyed, such as the tale of John’s early family and school life which all seemed really authentic. I must admit it took me a little while to get into the author’s style of writing, as he writes it through the authentic East End vernacular of the protagonist Johnny. I also wasn’t really convinced by the criminal element and especially how someone as obviously mentally challenged could end up in the employ of a crime gang. There is another couple of ‘John Sissons’ novels in the series but I’m not totally sure If I’m going to follow up on them yet.
I found it to be more a ‘coming of age’ story with a crime element added to the mix. John Sissons is the protagonist of the novel and he tells the story of his life from boyhood through to a young adult in the Bethnal Green area of London. He tells of his family life, school days and his love of West Ham United from the mid 1970’s to the late 1980’s. They aren’t well off and John and his young sister have kind and loving parents but his father works a dead end factory job, drinks too much and also finds it difficult to cope with life following the death of his parents. However John is ‘forced’ into an unwanted friendship with an overweight, strange, near mute boy Kenny, who lives across the road and whose life is made he’ll by an abusive father. The author tells of the unusual relationship between the two and after losing touch when John is sent to prison, on release, he must try and help Kenny evade the clutches of local gang boss, Johnny Swordfish.
I’ve kind of got mixed feelings about this novel as there were elements that I really enjoyed, such as the tale of John’s early family and school life which all seemed really authentic. I must admit it took me a little while to get into the author’s style of writing, as he writes it through the authentic East End vernacular of the protagonist Johnny. I also wasn’t really convinced by the criminal element and especially how someone as obviously mentally challenged could end up in the employ of a crime gang. There is another couple of ‘John Sissons’ novels in the series but I’m not totally sure If I’m going to follow up on them yet.
September 9, 2022
Well f*ck me sideways! It’s a story about yer actual Eastenders, some are wrong ‘uns, some have got hearts of gold and some are out and out c*nts. Oh yeah, and to be orfentic the word c*nt is on every page and the word f*ck is on every line, ‘cos that’s the way we speak round ‘ere. And yer ‘Ammers are in there, ‘course they are. Bonzo and Psycho and Devo, f*cking mental it is.
And the main bloke in it gets in the shit and does a f*ckin seven stretch and it f*cks up his mum and his sister but he comes out and sorts everyfing aaht.
Seriously? And people are giving it five stars? Every soppy cliché in the book and enough plot holes you could drive an iffy Transit van through. The best thing I can say about it is that it’s short, not that it felt that way the further I got into it. And the other good thing that happened is that I was going to buy a new copy but checked on ebay first and it only cost me two quid.
Sad in a way because one senses that Ayris can write. He has a knack for a quip (Alvin Martin is a scouser and probably doesn’t know what day of the week it is anyway), and he can make the brutality of life work for him. The grimness of circumstance and it’s victims is portrayed well. But seriously? On the whole this was weak, unpleasant, puerile dross. And apparently this is part one of a series. Would you f*cking Adam and Eve that?!?!
And the main bloke in it gets in the shit and does a f*ckin seven stretch and it f*cks up his mum and his sister but he comes out and sorts everyfing aaht.
Seriously? And people are giving it five stars? Every soppy cliché in the book and enough plot holes you could drive an iffy Transit van through. The best thing I can say about it is that it’s short, not that it felt that way the further I got into it. And the other good thing that happened is that I was going to buy a new copy but checked on ebay first and it only cost me two quid.
Sad in a way because one senses that Ayris can write. He has a knack for a quip (Alvin Martin is a scouser and probably doesn’t know what day of the week it is anyway), and he can make the brutality of life work for him. The grimness of circumstance and it’s victims is portrayed well. But seriously? On the whole this was weak, unpleasant, puerile dross. And apparently this is part one of a series. Would you f*cking Adam and Eve that?!?!
August 26, 2019
ABIDE WITH ME is a total knockout and John Sissons's voice that will live inside your head long after you finish the book.
This funny, touching, heartbreaking, heart-lifting finely calibrated first-person narrative of one London East End boy's joys, losses, friends, family--of his street, his neighborhood, his team, his school, his failures and the love and hope that flicker and flame in his heart will make you weep and make you cheer. This brave and beautiful book is as sharp as a wound and as delicate as a rainbow.
This funny, touching, heartbreaking, heart-lifting finely calibrated first-person narrative of one London East End boy's joys, losses, friends, family--of his street, his neighborhood, his team, his school, his failures and the love and hope that flicker and flame in his heart will make you weep and make you cheer. This brave and beautiful book is as sharp as a wound and as delicate as a rainbow.
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