The Beginning of the End

by Ian Parkinson

Visiting Thailand to marry a sex worker, Raymond is informed that his father's body has been discovered in an isolated villa on the Belgian coast. While his bride embarks on a career in the Dutch and German porn industries, Raymond moves into the villa with the intention of renovating the property.

Life by the sea, however, does not go according to plan.

The Beginning of the End marks the arrival of a bold new talent.

206 pages, Kindle Edition

First published May 15, 2015

Reviews

[Jim Coughenour · Rating 4 out of 5]

If Gregor Samsa had survived and written a novel, this would be it. Maybe the most unflattering portrait of male sexuality I've ever read, as mordant and hilarious as Edward St. Aubyn's Patrick Melrose novels – at least at first. I admire Ian Parkinson's bravado. An impressive debut.

[Judith · Rating 4 out of 5]

Really enjoyed reading this - the main character's narrative is so matter-of-fact (even when he discusses porn, which is fairly often!) as we witness his downwards spiral due to pill addiction, depression and the mirroring decline in his father's villa.

Well worth a read (it's not at all depressing! Deadpan is the best way I can describe it) - it's an excellent debut novel.

[Bookread2day · Rating 4 out of 5]

The story about Raymond's life is delicious, reckless and deeply disturbing venture if you dare.

[Hugo · Rating 3 out of 5]

A mix of clinical and compelling prose, whether describing environment or pornography, or the superficial glide across a deteriorating mental landscape, analysing grief as an impelling force towards apathy, as the protagonist's mental and physical state aligns with his inherited seaside villa, with its encroaching sea and sand, victim to the forces of erosion and entropy.

A compulsive read, satisfying and irritating in equal measure, lacking the sly humour and character of Iain Banks, or the underlying themes and transformative nature of J.G. Ballard.

[Des Lewis · Rating 4 out of 5]

A curious book; a curious debut. And to be called curious is I think the ultimate accolade, and that is how I mean it. Better than merely being entertaining and provocative, both of which it also is.
I’m left with a question: where does a wave on the Belgian coast begin and where does it end? Here, perhaps, where I am, on the coast opposite – in Essex – whether it indeed ever begins or ends anywhere at all.

The detailed review of this book posted elsewhere under my name is too long or impractical to post here.
Above is one of its observations at the time of the review.

[Mike Joyce · Rating 2 out of 5]

This book was a mess. Although moments of prose descriptions of beauty juxtaposed with the developing disaster of raymomds life, the rest of the story lacked. There was no development of characters. The end came so fast it felt forced and rushed. I wanted to like this but there was more not to like. It was at least an easy read.

[Kirundo · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was a weird book. I totally enjoyed the character and the way he just did nothing and described it, the depression and such. What I did not like was the abrupt changes in place without transitioning, I think I'd have been interesting to see how he got whereever he got.