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E: A Rave Novel
Salford, 1989.
Ricky Croft is seventeen, working ten-hour shifts in a factory that reeks of chemicals and stolen futures, watching his mum grind herself down working two cleaning jobs just to keep the lights on.
Then he feels the bass.
In a sweating warehouse on the edge of Trafford Park, three thousand strangers move as one. The pills hit. The strobes cut through smoke. And for the first time in his life, Ricky experiences something that isn't grey.
But this isn't just about getting off your face on a Saturday night. Something's shifting on the estates of northern England - a generation refusing to accept the life that's been laid out for them.
As Ricky moves deeper into this new revolution, his jouney intertwines with his close circle of freinds, those fighting their own His cousin Becky is battling inner demons that chase her even in daylight. His best mate Waz torn between his Pakistani heritage and the pull of a new identity. Jimmy a traveller boy who's family expect violence; he wants a library card.
And Uncle Jack - a working class philosopher, the man who helped raise Ricky when his dad walked out - keeps saying the same They want sheep, not wolves.
When tragedy strikes, Ricky has a choice. Clock in on Monday morning and accept the forty-year sentence everyone's been handed. Or take a gamble at the biggest illegal rave the north has ever seen, beneath the thundering concrete of the Thelwall Viaduct, and become something else entirely.
E is a raw, thumping love letter to the second summer of love - to the moment when working-class kids discovered they could build their own church out of bass bins and strobe lights.
For those who were there, it's a hit of pure nostalgia. For those who weren't, it's a window into a world that burned bright and fast.
Perfect for fans of Douglas Stuart's Shuggie Bain, the grit of Irvine Welsh and the cultural energy of Tony Wilson.
Ricky Croft is seventeen, working ten-hour shifts in a factory that reeks of chemicals and stolen futures, watching his mum grind herself down working two cleaning jobs just to keep the lights on.
Then he feels the bass.
In a sweating warehouse on the edge of Trafford Park, three thousand strangers move as one. The pills hit. The strobes cut through smoke. And for the first time in his life, Ricky experiences something that isn't grey.
But this isn't just about getting off your face on a Saturday night. Something's shifting on the estates of northern England - a generation refusing to accept the life that's been laid out for them.
As Ricky moves deeper into this new revolution, his jouney intertwines with his close circle of freinds, those fighting their own His cousin Becky is battling inner demons that chase her even in daylight. His best mate Waz torn between his Pakistani heritage and the pull of a new identity. Jimmy a traveller boy who's family expect violence; he wants a library card.
And Uncle Jack - a working class philosopher, the man who helped raise Ricky when his dad walked out - keeps saying the same They want sheep, not wolves.
When tragedy strikes, Ricky has a choice. Clock in on Monday morning and accept the forty-year sentence everyone's been handed. Or take a gamble at the biggest illegal rave the north has ever seen, beneath the thundering concrete of the Thelwall Viaduct, and become something else entirely.
E is a raw, thumping love letter to the second summer of love - to the moment when working-class kids discovered they could build their own church out of bass bins and strobe lights.
For those who were there, it's a hit of pure nostalgia. For those who weren't, it's a window into a world that burned bright and fast.
Perfect for fans of Douglas Stuart's Shuggie Bain, the grit of Irvine Welsh and the cultural energy of Tony Wilson.
317 pages, Kindle Edition
Published August 30, 2025
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Displaying 1 - 2 of 2 reviews
March 26, 2026
E is one of those rare books that feels both deeply personal and culturally significant at the same time. Jonny Fisher captures the rawness of growing up in 1990s Salford with such authenticity that it almost feels like you’re living alongside Ricky. The contrast between the grey, restrictive world of factory life and the explosive freedom of the rave scene is beautifully written. What struck me most was how the music becomes more than just sound. It becomes hope, identity, and escape. Each character brings their own struggles and voice to the story, making it feel layered and real. This is a powerful coming-of-age novel that I would absolutely recommend to readers who enjoy emotionally grounded stories with strong social and cultural themes.
August 17, 2025
The northerners version of trainspotting.
Such a good read, felt like I was actually in the moment
Such a good read, felt like I was actually in the moment
Displaying 1 - 2 of 2 reviews