Review: The Vagabond King by James Conway

The Vagabond King 
By James Conway

Published: 2011

Synopsis:When his mother dies and he discovers the man he believed was his father is not, sixteen year old Chris is haunted by a mysterious apparition that forces him to question his pampered existence and embark upon a quest to find himself. Hoping she will “make a man of him”, he seeks sanctuary in the home of Magda, a middle aged waitress with a penchant for sex, only to discover she lives with her father, a cigarette smoking, beer swilling immigrant.


The Vagabond King is a coming of age (COA) story by author James Conway. When I was approached to review this book, I read the synopsis and automatically accepted. I really enjoy COA stories and the inclusion of a "mysterious apparition" suggested this was potentially a COA story unlike any I've previously read. The mysterious apparition didn't lead into the story I was expecting, but I thoroughly enjoying this book none-the-less.

So to expand on the synopsis, Chris is a 16 year old spoiled brat who is struck hard when his mother dies of cancer. Drowning in grief and missing his only friend (or so it appears, no one else is ever mentioned) Chris finds himself in the grips of an existential crisis, confused as to what he did to deserve losing his mum, and struggling with now being alone and without his support network. When his father, a business minded money-grabbing weiner, reveals that he isn't Chris's biological father, their strained relationship is stretched to the breaking limit and Chris runs away from home. He turns to the only person he can think of, Magda, a middle aged waitress who taught him about ancient myths when he stopped in after visiting his mother in the hospital.

Put in a tough spot, Magda offers Chris the chance to stay for the night, but as you can imagine, one day becomes two, becomes four, becomes several weeks... Once at the house though, things quickly grow more complicated. Magda is clearly uncomfortable with Chris's appearance and their relationship is further strained when Chris snootily looks down at everything in the house. The food, the furniture, the improvised bedroom they provide him, and perhaps most obnoxiously, her father. The rest of the book charts Chris's slow transformation away from the boy who turned up uninvited on Magda's front step.

Before I tackle some of the other aspects of the book I really want to discuss Christopher. My god, did I hate him. He's spoiled, shallow and self-indulgent and completely ungrateful for the effort Magda and her father make to keep Chris safe and fed and warm. He's also completely unable to live in the real world. He's constantly creating these bigger than life situations in his head, romanticising every minute detail to such an extreme that real life could never compare. For example, he wishes to travel to Europe because he sees it as a place of,

 "not only of kings and queens, but of rosy cheeked peasants. The street urchins wore ragged but well patched clothes and the chimney sweeps and beggars were smudged but clean. Everything was like the set of a play" (page 119)

While he tries to act like he's an adult with these big, huge adult thoughts his romanticism of everything around him, and his complete inability to adjust to new or strange environments and people really emphasise that he's a little kid thrust into an adult world he's completely unprepared for. Rather justly then, he tends to react like a child. He's unable to grasp why Magda's father would still be upset about his wife's passing because she was ugly, and when he's out of his comfort zone his automatic reaction is to throw a tantrum and blame it on someone else. There were times when I wished he'd materialise in front of me so I could punch him in the face, but it's so blatantly clear that he's a scared little kid reacting in the only way a spoiled rich kid with very few relationships (even with the mother he adored) knows how to.

Chris's salvation begins with Magda, but it's really her father that is responsible for pulling Chris back down to earth and teaching him how life actually is. At a time when Chris believed that he was the only person in the whole world who has truly felt grief or pain, Llaszlo Mihali (often referred to simply as The Old Man) made it pointedly clear that he not only understands pain, but he's felt it at much deeper levels. Still pained by the loss of his wife, The Old Man is a Hungarian migrant who lived through the horrific torment that rocked his home country. Initially, his stories seem to have little effect on Chris, at least not on any lasting level. Even after being told about some horrific crime against an entire village, he still thinks his suffering is more extreme, or more pure. But the old man doesn't give up. He recognises the good buried deep in Chris, and he works hard to help Chris recognise it.

The COA story is blended with poetry, blues music and mythology to create a rich and textured tale quite unlike most stories I've read of this sort. In particular, the mythology is used to emphasise the cyclic nature of life and belief and in regards to Chris's story, does a wonderful job of explaining his pain and where he fits in the world. There are a couple of parts of the novel which progress from regular prose into short prose poetry that is not only gorgeous to read but takes on shapes across the page, reflecting the story not only through the meaning of the text, but through the visual also. Though Chris's behaviour was so extreme that I almost blacked out with rage at times, the story is wonderfully paced and beautifully written, and the journey is interesting enough to encourage a reader to stick with it. A real pleasure to read, I can't wait to read more work by Conway.

My rating: 4/5

Top 10 Tuesday: Books I hope Santa brings.

Top Ten Tuesday is an original feature/weekly meme created here at The Broke and the Bookish. This feature was created because we are particularly fond of lists here at The Broke and the Bookish. We'd love to share our lists with other bookish folks and would LOVE to see your top ten lists!

This week: Books I hope Santa brings this Christmas!



1. 1Q84 - Haruki Murakami

2. The Left Hand of Darkness - Ursula K. Le Guin

3. Haroun and the sea of stories - Salman Rushdie

4. Big Fish - Daniel Wallace

5. The Sea is my brother - Jack Kerouac (OH PLEASE SANTA PLEASE!)

6. Pnin- Vladimir Nabokov

7. How it feels - Brendan Cowell

8. Nightmare Japan, Contemporary Japanese Horror Cinema - Jay Mcroy

9. House of leaves - Mark Z. Danielewski

10. The Stand - graphic novel adaptation (minus book 1-3)

Monday Links

*An interview with Haruki Murakami in The Paris Review.

*A statement by Louis CK about his adventurous choice to sell his comedy special direct to the public (for a teeny $5) and what this means for the future (and right now).

*A short piece about the young boy, Thomas Horn, who'll be playing the lead role of Oskar in the cinematic adaptation of Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close. 

*A piece by Christopher Hitchens for Vanity Fair. I believe it's the last piece he wrote before passing away last week. It's the first writing of his I've ever read, and I think reading the man's take on mortality and the "trial of the will" was a poignant place to start.

*I haven't been on twitter for long, so other than the passing of Steve Jobs I've rarely witnessed the outpouring of tweets dedicated to a single person. The Guardian posted an article that amassed many of the twitter/news/tv/interview tributes that were made by writers/politicians/etc after Hitchens passing.

Film Review: The Great Gatsby

The Great Gatsby 

Released: 1974

Directed by: Jack Clayton

Starring: Robert Redford
Mia Farrow
Sam Waterston

For the synopsis please read my book review.


I've long been one of those people who look back on the past and grow a little obsessed with bygone eras. In my early teens I was addicted to the 1960s, it was the decade that gave us The Beatles after all. After I began reading the works of the beat authors I added the 1940s and 1950s to my growing  "when I have a time-machine I'm definitely visiting" list. But right now, as 24 year old me, I would do anything to visit the 1920s. It was a visually stunning era, the architecture and design is bold and gorgeous, the hairstyles are to die for (and way to difficult to replicate...I've tried) and their fashion is unbelievably stylish, lady-like and luxurious. Add to that the smashing parties, dazzling music and inspiring authors and you have a decade I'd give my left foot to visit!

The Great Gatsby definitely manages to capture the visual gorgeousness of the time. The cast are all unbelievably attractive and look as though they've been transported mid-glamorous 1920s party. The women are all tall and slight, with cheekbones and jaw-lines that perfectly set off the finger curls in their hair and the haunts perched precariously on their perfectly coiffed hair. They radiate wealth and health and are completely at ease with several kilos worth of beads weighing them down on each outfit. The men look strong and stable, in their immaculate 3 piece suits, carefully gelled and curled hair, and jaunty stance with one hand in a pocket. The houses are grand and large and perfectly demonstrate their wealth and social standing, and make the perfect backdrop to the extravagant parties thrown with their champagne fountains and Charleston dancing. I came to the film (the first time) as an 18 year old longing for a time with some integrity and glamour, and even though the film is technically 50 years too late to the party, it captured the visuals as well as the spirit of the age to me.

Visually spectacular as it is, the film follows in the book's footsteps and creates a story not about the glamour of the age, but of the rampant hedonistic lifestyle and the isolation that author Fitzgerald recognised going on around him. Life appears so wonderful, there are parties, shiny dresses, abundant wealth (at least with this crowd) and twinkly lights aplenty, but none of the characters seem truly happy. Though some are obvious, such as Gatsby's heavy love for his old flame Daisy, most of them seem unable to truly verbalise what's missing from their life. Perhaps it's their preoccupation with wealth and decadent behaviours at the expense of true and lasting relationships, perhaps it's that their life hasn't panned out how they expected, or maybe they simply have expectations so high they could never come close to meeting them. Regardless of the cause, their distance from one another and from true happiness is clear in their expressions even as they dance wildly or talk a mile a minute. This is one of those films where, if you were to turn off the sound completely, you'd see a completely different story. By which I mean the subliminal would be markedly clear without their disingenuous words muddying the expressions on their faces.

This is the result of fantastic acting. The entire cast perform magnificently in their respective parts. They are so perfect for their roles, in fact, that I'm struggling to imagine the new cast (in the film to be released next year) looking anything other than clunky and fake. Mia Farrow is an absolute doll and a favourite actress of mine, and she manages to portray the shallow and slightly frail Daisy to perfection. It's not hard to imagine her being completely dominated by the men in her life, or cracking under the pressure and snapping like a twig (whoops, mixing my metaphors!). Opposite her, Robert Redford portrays the mysterious Gatsby wonderfully. He's strong and devilishly handsome, but there is this genuine calmness and quiet to him that makes it hard not to fall in love with him. He perfectly depicts the poor boy who worked his ass off (whether legally or no) to become the man his true love could marry. He's so sweet as he panics over Daisy's visit to Nick (her cousin, played by Sam Waterston) and then proudly shows off his house and possessions like a kid with his toys. The chemistry between these two is palpable, but there is a sadness through their entire reunion. Though Gatsby is the man (financially and socially) that Daisy could marry, he's too late. And even though they wax lyrical about their future together, you can see that both know that Daisy will never leave her (cheating) husband, and that their reunion has an expiry date.

The remaining cast that surrounds them perform beautifully and embody the characters Fitzgerald created with  nuanced and elegant performances. Nothing feels like anyone isn't giving it 100% and no-one feels miscast. There are so many different characters that grace the screen during this film, most for a very short period of time, but they all impact it in their own way. The short glimpses at the socialites, professional conmen, businessmen, lower class men and women and party-goers adds a depth and sparkle to this film that makes it shine past other films set during the same period.

I think it's fairly clear that I absolutely adore this film. It moves me to tears every single time and I never grow bored. It's fairly consistent in representing the book, making only the slightest alterations, and never where it demeans or changes the text's original intent. This is a fantastic film for almost all audiences. There's a love story, a plethora of parties, a leading man with a mysterious past, adultery, and a damning critique on consumerism, wealth and decadent lifestyles. And if none of that sounds good to you, watch it for the yummy actors and actresses and beautiful costumes!

My rating: 5/5

Fanart Friday: Randall Flagg from The Stand

There are a few characters, both in film and literature, that just stick around. Some are like Dumbledore, physical and emotional embodiments of the words on the page that are strong and fixed in my mind. Others are more ambiguous, they're a pervasive reminder of an emotion that was evoked when I read the book or watched the film. Randall Flagg, the dark man, is one such character. If you've read Stephen King's phenomenal book The Stand you'll know what I mean. If you haven't, well, it might be hard to explain. Randall Flagg may have a corporeal form but he's far more insidious than that. He's like black smoke, a chill on the wind, the shadows that stir in your bedroom. He's everything you fear and hate and despair of. He's terrifying and one of the single most evocative characters I've ever read. These artists have done amazings jobs capturing the darkness and shiftiness of his character, be sure to check out the full size pictures at the link, as well as the rest of their work.

The Dark Man by LynxGriffin

Randall Flagg by Clayman 84

The Stand by Chris (Mooneyham)

Graphic Novel mini-reviews

Girls (#1 - Conception)
By Joshua and Jonathan Luna

Synopsis:Ethan Daniels is a typical bachelor who suffers from one, infallible truth: dealing with the opposite sex can be complicated. One night, he bumps into a mysterious woman who will change his life... and maybe even the world.

My thoughts: This is part one in a three part series. It does a great job of setting up what I imagine is going to be a rather surreal series. After raging against the female townsfolk one night, Ethan finds a young, hurt naked girl in the middle of the road and takes her home to help her. The next day things get really, really weird. Murder, duplicates and giant sperm weird (bet that got your attention!). It starts rather teen drama-ish, but it moves into sci-fi/fantasy territory very quickly. This series is obviously a (not so subtle) allegory about gender/gender anxiety, but at this early stage it's hard to tell exactly what the Luna brothers are trying to say. The artwork is great, reminiscent of Paul Duffield (Freakangels) but dialled down, a little more simplistic and without the detailed textures. I'll definitely be checking out the rest of the series, more due to curiosity about the story than as a result of a particularly high level of writing.

The Goon (#1 - Nothin' But Misery)
By Eric Powell

Synopsis: Bones will be broken and heads will roll! The Goon is a laugh-out-loud action-packed romp through the streets of a town infested with zombies. An insane priest is building himself an army of the undead, and there's only one man who can put them is their place: the man they call Goon.

My thoughts: The synopsis really says it all. This comic is a huge amount of fun, the writing, art and characters are all hyperactive and larger than life. It's a whole lot of fun, it doesn't take itself seriously and spends much of it's time poking fun at the stereotypes that were popular in comics that were produced during the era it is set it (1930s-1950s ish). For instance, the final comic is a three page sci-fi tale about a gangster alien coming to Earth to take it over only to be foiled by a barrel full of water. As our hero, The Goon, suggests water is like acid to the alien, a little Albert Einstein pops up and notes the inconsistencies this concept has. I couldn't help but think about the film, Signs, when I read that, which only made it more awesome! A definite must read for anyone with a sense of humour and a love for comics.

A History of Violence
By John Wagner and Vince Locke

Synopsis: In this suspenseful crime story, Tom McKenna is a family man who becomes an instant media celebrity when he thwarts a robbery at his own diner – a robbery attempted by wanted murderers. McKenna’s newfound fame draws the attention of a group of merciless mobsters who have been looking to settle a score with him for over 20 years. Now, as the killers descend upon his small town in Middle America, the Brooklyn native must face the actions of his youth and relive his past history of violence as he attempts to salvage the life he has built and keep his family out of harm’s way.

My thoughts: This is the graphic novel that the 2005 film of the same name was based on. I thought the initial idea of mistaken identity was far more interesting than where the story actually went.  I found it interesting, but after the initial "is he, isn't he" first chapter it just descends into your typical mob revenge story. Being a graphic novel that makes it a quick read, but I still think the author really missed out on an interesting story here, because let's face it, it's far more interesting to watch an average Joe plunged into extraordinary events, than an old street hoodlum return to his roots. While I respected the art style and think the sketchy style of black and white drawing suited the frenetic pacing, it was really difficult to distinguish one character from another. I just gave up by the end and concentrated on the writing, which defeats the point of a graphic novel if you ask me.