Ten Storey Love Song is set in Middlesbrough in a tower block called Peach House. Full of characters that are both complex, hilarious and scarily violent all at the same time, the book is written in continuous prose. Expect no gaps or breaks in the texts, not even a chapter in sight. Usually I am a fiend for stopping at the start of a new chapter in a book, but trains suddenly arriving at their destination has snapped me out of this habit. So I didn't struggle with this at all. And if anything it reflected real life. Life's continuous journey, never stopping for a break, especially in a tower block where someone is always passing doors or heading out to work.
Now Richard Milward's not only a genius in this continuous flowing form of writing, but the content is absolutely brilliant. Focusing on two misfiring relationships between Bobby the Artist and Georgie as well as Ellen and Johnnie, they both encapsulate the benefit nation, often found out drinking, cheating the system and generally being delinquents. But there is hope for them all in some way, whether it be Bobby's talent attracting attention in London for painting masterpieces whilst under the influence of a multitude of drugs (including sniffing Lynx) or Georgie's job at BHS. Their relationship is full of complex moments, and also some heart warming ones, including Bobby thinking drugs no longer effect him even though he doesn't know Georgie has swapped his drugs for her addiction, sweets. Although you sometimes feel so angry at just how many bad mistakes they make and how much money is wasted, in the end your heart goes out for this couple, something Milward handles to well.
Johnnie and Ellen's relationship on the other hand is less hard to understand. I just want to warn you now, this novel is extremely graphic in its description, but whether you see it as graphic or realistic is up to you. But there are some fantastic descriptions and I loved the way Milward gives voices to inanimate objects whilst Bobby is on drugs including a VCR- yes its an older book- it's just hilarious. But yes I digress. Ellen and Johnnie's relationship always feels a bit doomed, especially when Ellen cheats on him and Johnnie loses his temper and nearly kills Angelo, the man she cheats with. Again, the graphic description here just adds to the intensity and your toes will curl, I guarantee you. I found it hard to like either of these characters, but again I think it is Milward's way of writing, that despite the good moments, there will always be disaster around the block.
There are other characters that Milward is so successful with that are worth a mention, all bringing their own complications and issues to the story. Lewis, the art dealer from London that Bobby thinks is so posh, is if you really look into his character, is just like everyone else. There is also Alan The Blunt Cunt (to give him his full name used throughout) whom is shown to be a pervert during the course of the story, that is right until the end when we learn about his real character. And you start to feel sorry for him.
In a story that is both graphic, realistic, tragic and heart warming, I couldn't help but smile when I finished the book. Milward did something I really respect of authors, taking characters that you should hate and detest for the choices that they make, but it is simply impossible. In a world that I know very little about, people taking drugs and delinquents on benefits, I saw a vein of positivity running from start to finish. Added to all this, one of the funniest books I have read in a long, long while. Go read now!
Ten Story Love Sony by Richard Milward is published by Faber and Faber in the UK.
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