Yardie

Yardie Series #1

by Victor Headley

D, a courier carrying cocaine from Jamaica to London, decides to go it alone and disappears into the mean streets of Hackney carrying a kilo of white powder that his erstwhile friends are anxious to recover. But D's treachery will never be forgotten - or forgiven.

Genres: Crime, Fiction, Novels, British Literature

185 pages, Paperback

First published December 31, 1990

Reviews

[Rob · Rating 4 out of 5]

20 or so years ago, Will Self curated a feature in The Observer which listed 20-30 notable cult novels. Among these, established classics such as A Clockwork Orange , Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas and Trainspotting rubbed shoulders with less famous offerings and Victor Headley's book counted among these.

The copy I finally managed to obtain was a second hand one, the book having been out of print for a number of years, and was stamped as 'withdrawn' from the library of a South London school - not surprisingly given that it's a tale with enough freebase Ecuadorian marching powder, casual sexual disloyalty and gangster violence to make even the hardiest of us quail.

But to consign this to 'cult' status would be quite wrong because there is something really impressive here - the use of Jamaican patois, regular nods to that island country's musical heritage, portrait of Hackney before the Nathan Barleys arrived and insistent narrative provide a punchy, 185 novel with a not an ounce of fat on it.

More books in the Yardie series were to follow and this one leaves much unresolved but in 'D.', there is an immoral hero to foreshadow other villains of gangster fiction and celluloid. A TV series based on the book and its sequels would be something to savour.

It's also a great snapshot of the early 1990s and testament to Dotun Adebayo's foundation of the X Press, devoted to highlighting Black culture.

[Paul Westwood · Rating 1 out of 5]

This novel is never going to win any literary or humanitarian awards but despite being pretty terrible on both counts is readable in a morbid kind of way. The writing style is rather naïve as the author often uses too many words to explain a point or explains something with a sentence when one adjective in the previous sentence could have said the same thing. He also has a strange quirk whereby he starts a sentence with the adverb followed by a comma.
I do like his attempts to write the Jamaican patios phonetically but because I'm not familiar enough with the accent I found it hard to imagine exactly how some of the words should sound.
This story is about a cheating, back stabbing, drug smuggling, drug dealing, murdering, rapist and yet it manages to stay on his side through the entire story. Apart from the occasional digression into the negative affects of drugs there's no sense of right and wrong in this story. I appreciate that it's a story about gangsters and I wouldn't want it moralising but the fact that it dealt with a cold blooded rape without the slightest hint of remorse made me feel uncomfortable. The only negative opinions about the rape were from other characters who thought it might get him into trouble with the law. There were situations like that all through the novel, though that was obviously the most extreme, where I was wondering where the moral voice was and I kept on thinking this was done for effect to add weight to the final denouement where D would get his just desserts and we could all say hurray. But even though he did get arrested this didn't offer that final sense of retribution because his girlfriend, who knew about his abandoned children and the rape, was going to wait for him to come out of prison as if he was some kind of hero.
All in all, poorly written and uncomfortable reading with a little interest maintained out of curiosity for what would happen.

[Kenya Wright · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 stars
Found this due to Idris Alba adapting the novel into a movie for a 2018 release.
It was very hood, but well-written. Loved the information on the Yardies, Jamaican immigration into London, and the overall fast-paced ride of D's voyage into the UK.

Very good, but I don't think I'll be reading the next novels.

[Darran Mclaughlin]

I loved this book when I read it when I was 13 or 14.

[Jake · Rating 5 out of 5]

Yardies and East London just seem to go hand in hand its a great book.

[Mad Medico · Rating 3 out of 5]

While the rise-and-fall tale of D., a lowly Yardie fleeing Jamaica to set himself up as a don in Inglan with a pound of stolen cocaine, is pacey and good enough, if a little uninspired and ‘by the numbers’ (alliances are made, revelations about wronged and murdered brethren occur, and D. eventually succumbs to mounting pressure from the police and more powerful gangsters), the appeal of Yardie lies in the cast of characters and situations that encapsulate the life of the Black community of the time; the gangsters are stuck between the advice of peaceable elder Dreads, anxious girlfriends and children and those who have chosen to keep away from the criminal scene through menial jobs or the promise of musical fame. Ultimately the message is a downbeat one - the Black community will get screwed by the system whether they play by the rules or not, and the race for the few spots at the top of the underworld is perilous and ultimately futile. As a final note, I like the elusiveness of the upper echelons of the business, where the leaders of the respective gangs are largely unseen, with the motivations of the enigmatic Tony Chin (who eventually sells D. out the police) always up in the air.

[Tom · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 stars. A bit unsure how to feel about this one overall. The premise of the story - a Jamaican drug-mule who somewhat inadvertently sets up a mini empire in North London - is interesting as are its insights into migrant life (including the slightly tricky to follow dialogue). The book is short, though it covers a decent stretch of time, meaning we sometimes flash forward in time in an instant, while getting some individual scenes depicted in great detail. Headley is able to make these quite vivid, though it could also be argued that they don’t necessarily advance the plot too much.

I didn’t pick up on a moral to the story (though fully acknowledging that I may not have been the intended audience/ demographic). D., despite being charismatic and well-liked is also quick tempered and violent, which (probably) leads to his eventual demise following his arrest for a rape and later murder earlier in the book. Perhaps Headley was looking at covering a ‘slice of life’ or telling a story based in a niche setting (the book was published in 1992), but it didn’t feel like there was a ‘lesson’ or any particular massive social commentary being made.

Glad I read it and not like many books I’ve read before, though I probably won’t be rushing to re-read.

[Tunde Oyebode · Rating 2 out of 5]

Why aren’t drug dealers much cleverer? D. could have been so much more. It starts off good, but he becomes a cliché gangster lacking in morality.

I see why this was a cult favourite. It’s gritty, it’s bloody and it’s unapologetic. Its very gangster. But even gangsters have some sort of moral compass. Some sort of remorse or reaction to heinous acts. The rape scene was simply brushed over like a walk in the park. No one seemed to care. Not even the narrator. D. started up bad and ended up worse and the narration is delivered as if this is ok. It glorifies it.

Further inexcusable is the loose and unpolished writing. So many adjectives that weren’t needed. So many generic/cliche descriptions. Everyone in book wiped sweat of their head the same way, with the back of their hands. Do these people not have handkerchiefs, t shirt? Do they not make different hand movements?

[Morgan Jones · Rating 2 out of 5]

Not the most thrilling book I've read, the whole story, despite moving across from Jamaica to London and the US seemed so closed off, like it was only the characters caring about their own lives, but maybe that was the point?
With so many people having a world wide view and keeping up to date with daily news and politics, it seems so completely alien for a person's whole lift to revolve around only drugs and money, and turf.

It was an interesting viewpoint to try and get into, but nothing about it made me want to know more, or get deeper. All the characters seemed so one-sided and the women in this book are all just floor mats to be walked over.

[Tony · Rating 3 out of 5]

Headley's debut is more interesting for its portrayal of London's Jamaican immigrant criminal subculture than its straightforward tale of the rise and fall of one hood. Basically if you've seen "Scarface," you'll know the story. Headley's authentic vision of the milieu, with vivid descriptions of the role of music and food in the immigrant community, is what makes it worth reading. The thick Jamaican patois gets a little hard to follow at times, but it's no harder than "Trainspotting," once you get used to it. Other than the descriptive element, the writing and plotting is extremely elementary.

[David · Rating 2 out of 5]

The story arc is good and I like the fact there is no moralising, but it's poorly written. I have never thought too much of the 'show don't tell' advice to writers, but this is one novel that really could have benefited from it. His attempts to explain aspects of Jamaican culture are either redundant or inelegant. It's a shame because there is a story underneath it all that could have been told so much more engagingly.

[Bonita · Rating 1 out of 5]

This was a quick read. The story was choppy, unrealistic, and fragmented. They way he just slipped right into the unfamiliar geographic location of London, and just rose to the almost top was not real. The end wasn't a cliff hanger, it was like the author ran out of idea. I watched the movie to see if it was better, it wasn't.

[Zeynep Suner · Rating 3 out of 5]

If I take on the literary pleasure side, it needs improvement but I think it is fairly written for a first book of a writer. Also it’s value for me lies in the authenticity of the story and in that sense it is invaluable to me and by the looks of a little research I did, it is also invaluable to the writer’s community :)

[Gabriel · Rating 5 out of 5]

Quite simply, Headley, as The Voice or one of the reviews puts it, ‘knows what time it is.’ It’s basically Scarface, only superior, for its authenticity, set in London. Enough for 5 stars in my book. The patois, local detail, unflinching and gleeful portrayal (airbrushed out in Elba’s film) make this maybe my favourite of all gangster novels. Unputdownable, I’ve read it maybe 10 times. Nuff said.

[Graham Davies · Rating 4 out of 5]

Saw the film whilst reading this book..... both helped with each other, creating a full overview and scenario in my mind, which has brought me to the conclusion that the life of a drug dealing gangster is not for me. I knew Mr Bilgemuddle ( the school careers advisor) was wrong to point me down that path - I’m not even a very good liar, let alone a ruthless criminal.

[Michelle · Rating 3 out of 5]

The book in it's own right is a decent enough read. I wanted to read it after watching Idris Elba's directorial debut. The characters [mostly D's] were changed to make them more likeable in the film, as I really didn't like him in the book

[Bolan Delange · Rating 4 out of 5]

Ive always been interested Jaimacan culture and i even DJ reggae and this rly hit all those marks. If you’re into sound-system culture there is plenty of dancehall scenery and mentions of music.
If you into gangstas, theres plenty of rivalries and high speed chases and loads of violence!!!!
Love it👌

[Lee Diamond · Rating 4 out of 5]

Good book

I enjoyed the story of this book. i thought the randomness abrupt. I look forward to seeing the film adaptation.

[m. · Rating 3 out of 5]

Promising but needs to be revisited & expanded, with the jumps in time smoothed over and a proper ending.

[Vika Ryabova · Rating 2 out of 5]

Выходцы с Ямайки в Лондоне. Наркодилерство, проституция, стрельба. Увы, мне не покатило. И главный герой не тронул: ни единой симпатичной черты; сочувствия-сопричастности нет.

[P D DeBlasi · Rating 3 out of 5]

Ok

Ok as a filler and quite amusing and harrowing at the same time........ worth few hours if you like gangster books

[Stephanie · Rating 5 out of 5]

I read it in one day.

[Hugh · Rating 3 out of 5]

'Walking down the road with a ratchet in your waist, Johnny you're too bad'...

[Maddison Grace · Rating 1 out of 5]

read for class

[RK Byers · Rating 5 out of 5]

this guy's one of my favorites.

[Brayden Wright · Rating 4 out of 5]

Would of been higher, ending left a bit to be desired for me

[Chris Gager · Rating 3 out of 5]

Ran across this in Martin Amis' "The Information". Stuff like this is why he left England...

[Ihantha · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was ok. A good few twists and turns, but I feel like the subject limited the story line.