Nina

by Blag Dahlia

Nina West hasn’t quite crossed the line into adulthood yet, but that’s the only line she hasn’t crossed. Left to her own devices after the untimely death of her parents, Nina is a young girl coming of age with no apologies or conscience. Too cool for school, too hot for television, and too scandalous to be believed, Nina is the twisted and surreal tale of an object of desire that gives as good as she gets, wreaking havoc from her quiet hometown to the glittering shores of California, she’s a cross between Terry Southern’s Candy and Jim Thompson’s The Killer Inside Me. Written by underground idol Blag Dahlia, with a cover by Detroit pop artist Niagara, this ambitious comedy entertains and outrages with each turn of the page.

111 pages, Paperback

First published August 15, 2006

Reviews

[Richard Thompson · Rating 4 out of 5]

It reads like a 1960s porn novel. The writing style borders on illiteracy. But that's the point. Whether it's intentional or the only way Mr. Dahlia can write, it works well for this character and this story. Nina is a nihilist and a sociopath, and, though she's a minor, she's got a strong appetite for sex that doesn't stop. Every few pages she has a new victim who she casually screws in the literal sense and then casually screws in the metaphorical sense. Her victims all get what they deserve, but wait a minute, nobody deserves that. She's an unstoppable force for vigilante justice against the world of men, rules and conforming society. The writing is clever enough that it carries us along. No matter how heinous her motivations and no matter how sticky a situation she gets herself into, we always know that she will do something clever to punish the bad guys, get off scot-free herself (usually with a large pile of cash) and leave the bodies of multiple victims in her wake. I was ashamed of myself for liking it.

[Nina · Rating 5 out of 5]

Approach with caution — but approach. Nina is not for the faint of heart. If you can handle it you won’t be disappointed by Blag’s wonderfully debauched sense of humor. Some may argue that it’s exploitative but in reality it’s feminism at its rawest. Looking forward to the sequel.

[Franklin Lolly · Rating 5 out of 5]

Favorite book of all time. Blag is my hero. Legion! Someone try to punch me in the head at a dwarfs concert and he started a full on bar fight in Green Bay. Cassidy J Snyder was obviously involves in the ass kicking that ensued .

[Camille · Rating 2 out of 5]

The second one is better

[Dana Jerman · Rating 4 out of 5]

The most hilarious and well-written raunchy smut I’ve read in a while. Some good chuckles you’ll get out of these sordid adventures of a lampooned nympho on a cartoonishly wet and wild rampage.

[Jamie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Strange, over-the-top and often times downright disturbing, "Nina" isn't for the faint of heart. But aside from the exploit film-like plot and shocking images and scenes, Dahlia paints an accurate and interesting image of San Francisco and nearby areas. It's his rich use of description and how we view the world through Nina's eyes that makes this more then just a book of smut. Highly recommended, but definitely not for everyone.

[Mark Giddens · Rating 4 out of 5]

written by blag dahlia, lead singer of punk rock band, the dwarves. this is one of the dirtiest books i've ever read.