White Trash

by John King

Ruby James lives life to the full, the state-run hospital where she works as a nurse a microcosm of the community in which she was born and bred. While some outsiders might label the people of this town “white trash,” she knows different, reveling in a vibrant society that values people over money, actions above words. For Ruby, every person is unique and has a story to tell, whether it is skinhead taxi driver Steve, retired teacher and rocker Pearl, magic-mushroom expert Danny Wax Cap, or former merchant seaman Ron Dawes. She encourages people to tell their tales, thrilled by the images created. Outside of work she drinks, dances, and has fun with her friends, at the same time dealing with her mother’s Alzheimer’s and a vision from the past, aware that physical and mental health are precious and easily lost. The epitome of positive thinking, Ruby sees the best in everyone—until the day true evil comes to call. A mystery figure roams the corridors of Ruby’s state-run hospital. He carries special medicine and a very different set of values. He tells himself that he wants to help, increase efficiency, but cost-cutting leads to social cleansing as humans are judged according to that white-trash agenda. Excuses and justifications flow as notions of heaven and hell are distorted. Set against a background of pirate radio stations, pink Cadillacs, and freeway dreams, White Trash insists there is no such thing as white trash.

Genres: Fiction, British Literature, Novels, Thriller, Roman

288 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 2002

About the author

John King is the author of eight novels – The Football Factory, Headhunters, England Away, Human Punk, White Trash, The Prison House, Skinheads and The Liberal Politics Of Adolf Hitler. The Football Factory was turned into a high-profile film. A new novel – Slaughterhouse Prayer – was published on 8 November 2018.

King has written short stories and non-fiction for a number of publications, with articles appearing in the likes of The New Statesman, Le Monde and La Repubblica. His books have been widely translated abroad. He edits the fiction fanzine Verbal and lives in London.

Reviews

[Tony · Rating 2 out of 5]

I loved King's "hooligan trilogy" (The Football Factory, Headhunters, and England Away) as well as his last book (Human Punk), but this is a sub-par effort. After a confusing and overwritten fifteen-page prologue, the book begins in earnest, introducing Ruby, a nurse at a London hospital. She's kind of a millennial salt-of-the-earth type, waking up to pirate radio, young and comfortable with herself and her body, and always up for a night out clubbing with pals, and a few tokes. Chapters about her alternate with chapters about Mr. Jeffrey, who is a operations consultant working at the same hospital. He's a precise single man of precise upper-class tastes-the embodiment of establishment efficiency with a caring face.

For a hundred pages, not a lot happens, as the reader is given a greater sense of the duo's work at the hospital and their worldviews. Then there's a strange chapter in italics whose stream of consciousness appears to tell the life story of someone who is a patient at the hospital. Three more of these appear roughly every fifty pages, and each brings to life a regular person who's had ups and downs before arriving in the hospital. Meanwhile, as the chapters roll on, it becomes clearer and clearer that Ruby and Mr. Jeffrey have strongly divergent perspectives on life. Ruby is a good person, always finding the good in people, striving to maintain a smile on her face in spite of life's injustices and ugliness. Mr. Jeffery, on the other hand, gets gradually more and more sinister. His thoughts about society and observations of people get more and more cynical and judgmental until they become hateful. Through this semi-straw man, King none too subtlety attacks the worship of money and efficiency, as well as the role of the government in shaping modern society.

For about three-quarters of the book, not much happens beyond the above, making for a rather tedious read. A somewhat predictable but sweet love interest arrives on the scene for Ruby, but that's about it. Then suddenly, the plodding buildup reveals a nasty secret at the heart of the story. It's an over-the-top and completely awkward revelation that unfortunately catapults the book into lame thriller territory. And be warned, there is some extremely graphic and unpleasant violence lurking at the end. It's a disappointing, because while King's championing of everyday human decency and goodness is certainly welcome, it's not done with any subtlety whatsoever. There are some great characters, especially Ruby and her coworkers, but it's not a great book.

[Clare · Rating 1 out of 5]

The book I hated most of all I've read, until I read Kill Your Friends.

[Pynk Moon · Rating 2 out of 5]

Wow. I am kind of blown away by the way that this book concludes in the final 100 pages or so. Up to that point I had no idea really where it was going and what some of the stylistic choices that were being made meant. All of my questions were answered though in the final part.

I do think the book is quite interesting, even if some of the topics discussed seem inserted for nothing more than to create shock value. I also feel as if the writing could have been slightly more advanced at points.

Overall I think that this is a decent book. The two stars means 2.5 in this case and I am a notably harsh reviewer of books.

[Josef · Rating 5 out of 5]

An important book, and especially in this year of 2020 with everything what's going on. It's a book in defense of public health care, in particular the NHS. There aren't too many writers like John King who can write so vividly about the lives of ordinary people in the UK, mainly in the satellite towns around London. King is a gifted writer who can tell a story with great imagination but no exaggeration, and so often you find yourself relating to what his stories entail.

[Azathoth · Rating 3 out of 5]

Un peu de mal à voir où tout ça allait mener, jusqu'à la dernière partie qui remet tout en perspective. Bref, je m'attendais à une histoire complètement différente, mais ça valait le coup quand même d'aller jusqu'à la fin.

[Colin · Rating 4 out of 5]

A tale of everyday folk, with a nasty twist. It questions the normality of social values and the moral compass.