B.Monkey

by Andrew Davies

Read her name! B. Monkey. You can still see it, emblazoned on the cars, the trains, the writing on the wall. Now she's Beatrice. Steady job, steady man, off the drugs, on the level. But going straight can't compare with the heady thrill of life on the edge. Not when the past keeps hooking in to the present. Not when Alan, her love, her rescuer, her future, can never hope to understand...

Genres: Crime, British Literature, Fiction

Paperback

First published August 20, 1997

About the author

Andrew Wynford Davies is a British author and screenwriter.

Reviews

[Adrian White · Rating 5 out of 5]

Ah, B. Monkey - I dream one day you will be mine. I also dream that one day I will write a book as good as this. The ultimate relationship book. Love - when it's right it's right but when it's wrong it's so very, very wrong.

[Bookend McGee · Rating 5 out of 5]

Andrew Davies is the man. He can do no wrong.

[Alex Ankarr · Rating 4 out of 5]

Aw I useta love this so much. I was proper skint at the time, I'd stand in Borders and read it like ALL THE WAY THROUGH. Then put it back on the shelf.

Frequently.

I love the guy in it, he's a stand-up guy, he's warm, he feels things. Does the right thing. He does need a bit of a kicking at a certain point near the end though.

[Russ King · Rating 4 out of 5]

A bitter, sexy and violent look at the pros and cons of love and what happens if you take on more than you can handle. Don't expect the kind of story where boy meets girl and there is a dark secret somewhere. This is so much better and different to that and is exactly why it is such a different read. Possibly influenced by Lolita, the plot keeps one step ahead until the last page.
By the way the film is sexier and has a happier ending, but you know I'm going to urge you read the book!

[Brendan · Rating 4 out of 5]

A London school teacher falls for a young woman with a mysterious criminal past.

I've seen the movie, with Asia Argento in the title role. And I enjoyed noticing the differences and samenesses. Each little chapter alternates between the guy and B. Monkey narrating. So you get both perspectives on the relationship. It's a fun read, sort of a romance for cynics.

[Descending Angel · Rating 3 out of 5]

I can't help liking this book, love the film and iam glad it doesn't follow the book completely.

[Michele Lynn · Rating 2 out of 5]

B. Monkey is an odd book. It's told told by the two main characters Beatrice (aka B. Monkey) and her boyfriend/husband Alan. Each chapter starts with either B or A (they do alternate every chapter) so you know who is speaking. Alan is a man from a well to do English family. His father is a professor and his mother a famous author. Even his older brother Nick is a well known author. Alan is a primary grade teacher, kinda the black sheep of the family according to his parents (mainly his mother). He enjoys his life and job despite being a "disappointment" to his family. Beatrice had a rough childhood and has a criminal past that sometimes still carries over into her current life. She just can't seem to stop being a bad girl even after meeting Alan who is slowly helping her change though he is mainly unaware of the fact. This book has been made into a movie and even though I didn't really enjoy the book itself, just not really my taste I guess, I would like to see the movie, see if it helps understand the book better. I felt there was more that could be told, seen or understood. It took me 4 months to read this book because I just couldn't really get into it and fully enjoy it. It has a full 5 star (or had since after this review that will change that rating) review on Amazon. I finally just sat down to get it finished. Other reviews are right this is not your normal love story and I'm fine with that. I also don't mind that each chapters changes who is telling the story, like I said it just seemed to be lacking. Give it a read for yourself and see.

[Ricardo · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5