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Seventy-Two Virgins
Seventy-Two Virgins is a comic political novel, with similar appeal to Stephen Fry or Ben Elton, written by one of Britain's most popular politicians. It is Boris Johnson's first novel. To much fanfare, the American President is on an inaugural visit to the Houses of Parliament. Our hero, a hapless MP on a bicycle, gets caught up in the ferocious security arrangements. A stolen ambulance runs into trouble with the Westminster Parking Authorities. A man, born in Lebanon but going by the name of Jones, manages to persuade his way through the barriers. The best sharpshooter in the United States is enlisted and stationed on the roof of the building adjoining Westminster Hall. Henry VIII's tennis ball gets caught up in the melee. These disparate parts meet head-on -- and the events are broadcast live on worldwide television.
327 pages, Hardcover
First published January 1, 2004
42 people are currently reading
323 people want to read
About the author
Boris Johnson
37 books241 followersBoris Johnson is a British politician in the Conservative Party and the former Prime Minister of United Kingdom as well as the former Mayor of London. Due to his public school, blustering, comedic style, he is generally either loved or loathed by members of the British public.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 73 reviews
December 20, 2016
It was my own fault really. I shouldn’t have read BoJo’s book when my opinion of the man himself had crashed to an all-time low. After his nakedly careerist pro-Brexit leadership and the resultant shivving by the even more awful Michael Gove, the Johnson joke just isn’t funny anymore.
Unpleasantly, both the narrative voice of this ‘comic’ novel about a botched terrorist attack on Parliament and Boris’ protagonist-by-proxy (a bumptious, bicycling MP whose personal peccadillos are apparently due to hit the papers any second – wherever did he come up with a character like that?) throw off casually racist lines and lines of thought that say a lot about a man who so famously called black foreigners “picaninnies” in 2002.
Boris (the novelist) seems completely confused that anyone ‘dark’ could have a Welsh accent while one of his characters encounters a group of “asylum-seeking” bricklayers (asylum seekers were then, and still are, banned from working while seeking asylum). Roger Barlow (the MP) sees non-whites and immediately decides they’re asylum seeking windscreen washers. More than once, asylum seekers are conflated with “aliens”. Literal aliens from other planets.
And that underhanded, creeping snarkiness about modern society (remember this was published in 2004 when Labour were in charge) doesn’t stop with his apparent obsession with asylum seekers. In Boris’ telling, Key Stage 1 consists of nothing more than gluing things onto paper (complete and utter flapdoodle, that) and the people who do such diligent work in vetting prospective parents for adoption have the “chilly hearts of the adoptocrats.” Not really. They just try and make sure children who’ve often had a horrendous start in life are placed with decent families.
What a bunch of bastards, eh?
At the time of publication, Boris was a year or so away from being made Shadow Minister for Higher Education, a job he breezily went about with no real understanding of the issues – I know because I went and saw him speak at Keele University in 2006 where any vaguely tough questions were blustered aside with his flummoxed stutterings and gesticulations.
Given his slapdash approach to things he’s being paid large sums of money to do, I suppose it’s unsurprising he makes such fundamental errors as referring to ‘the Battle of Kosovo Pole’ instead of Polje (‘the field of the blackbirds’). Yes, Boris – who is now Foreign Secretary, remember - seems to have been under the impression that hundreds of years of Serb/Kosovan antipathy was down to a row about a metal stick.
Yes, yes, yes, I know this is a comic novel, not a serious study of European history. But it’s not hard to get stuff like this right is it? Really? The fact so much of this survived the editing and publication process suggest there was more of it to begin with and that no one involved was particular bothered.
The publishers’ blurb on the back makes much of supposed comparisons to Ben Elton and Stephen Fry’s books. I’ve read a few of each and both of them are a) significantly funnier and b) don’t litter their books with factually incorrect twaddle or such pompous, ill-placed gibberish as this (“… he wasn’t a genuine akratic. Maybe it would be more accurate to say he had a Thanatos urge.”) Not even Stephen Fry gets this arcane. Or at least when he does, he makes it both relevant to the story and understandable to the reader.
That said, the book has moments of real, and successful, humour. Boris is clearly a funny, well-educated man. His Jihadis have a habit of cursing in poetic terms that are always amusing. And their inclusion of a British convert for reasons of “… tokenism… political correctness gone mad”, despite him having “absorbed far too much of the risk-aversion of the modern British male” is almost inspired. He details a shrubbery-and-cheese-inspired feud between neighbours in terms that genuinely raise a smile and are – refreshingly for this book – grounded in some kind of realism.
But things really fall apart once the terrorist plot is in full swing. The absurdity and unreality of it all comes, not from the bumbling of the terrorists, but from Boris’ snide comments and inability to properly plot things out.
*** SPOILERS***
Two things are particularly unbelievable. Firstly, in the aftermath of everything, ONE OF THE TERRORISTS is simply left as “no one took much notice of” him. WHAT? Throw in absurd characters who go pantomime-and-then-some (the television chef is presumably there because some real life chef or other had criticized Boris at some point) and the downright insulting claim (repeated more than once) that people whose lives are dedicated to saving others always think first about the career implications of what they’re about to do and the final third of the book is a complete fiasco.
And finally, the most appalling insult of all, and one I picked up on early and was desperately hoping he wouldn’t follow through to the bitter, unfunny end, Boris outright steals a gag from PG Wodehouse about the name ‘Eulalie’. Shamelessly opportunistic, lazy and fundamentally sleazy - the book that is, not Boris. I think.
Unpleasantly, both the narrative voice of this ‘comic’ novel about a botched terrorist attack on Parliament and Boris’ protagonist-by-proxy (a bumptious, bicycling MP whose personal peccadillos are apparently due to hit the papers any second – wherever did he come up with a character like that?) throw off casually racist lines and lines of thought that say a lot about a man who so famously called black foreigners “picaninnies” in 2002.
Boris (the novelist) seems completely confused that anyone ‘dark’ could have a Welsh accent while one of his characters encounters a group of “asylum-seeking” bricklayers (asylum seekers were then, and still are, banned from working while seeking asylum). Roger Barlow (the MP) sees non-whites and immediately decides they’re asylum seeking windscreen washers. More than once, asylum seekers are conflated with “aliens”. Literal aliens from other planets.
And that underhanded, creeping snarkiness about modern society (remember this was published in 2004 when Labour were in charge) doesn’t stop with his apparent obsession with asylum seekers. In Boris’ telling, Key Stage 1 consists of nothing more than gluing things onto paper (complete and utter flapdoodle, that) and the people who do such diligent work in vetting prospective parents for adoption have the “chilly hearts of the adoptocrats.” Not really. They just try and make sure children who’ve often had a horrendous start in life are placed with decent families.
What a bunch of bastards, eh?
At the time of publication, Boris was a year or so away from being made Shadow Minister for Higher Education, a job he breezily went about with no real understanding of the issues – I know because I went and saw him speak at Keele University in 2006 where any vaguely tough questions were blustered aside with his flummoxed stutterings and gesticulations.
Given his slapdash approach to things he’s being paid large sums of money to do, I suppose it’s unsurprising he makes such fundamental errors as referring to ‘the Battle of Kosovo Pole’ instead of Polje (‘the field of the blackbirds’). Yes, Boris – who is now Foreign Secretary, remember - seems to have been under the impression that hundreds of years of Serb/Kosovan antipathy was down to a row about a metal stick.
Yes, yes, yes, I know this is a comic novel, not a serious study of European history. But it’s not hard to get stuff like this right is it? Really? The fact so much of this survived the editing and publication process suggest there was more of it to begin with and that no one involved was particular bothered.
The publishers’ blurb on the back makes much of supposed comparisons to Ben Elton and Stephen Fry’s books. I’ve read a few of each and both of them are a) significantly funnier and b) don’t litter their books with factually incorrect twaddle or such pompous, ill-placed gibberish as this (“… he wasn’t a genuine akratic. Maybe it would be more accurate to say he had a Thanatos urge.”) Not even Stephen Fry gets this arcane. Or at least when he does, he makes it both relevant to the story and understandable to the reader.
That said, the book has moments of real, and successful, humour. Boris is clearly a funny, well-educated man. His Jihadis have a habit of cursing in poetic terms that are always amusing. And their inclusion of a British convert for reasons of “… tokenism… political correctness gone mad”, despite him having “absorbed far too much of the risk-aversion of the modern British male” is almost inspired. He details a shrubbery-and-cheese-inspired feud between neighbours in terms that genuinely raise a smile and are – refreshingly for this book – grounded in some kind of realism.
But things really fall apart once the terrorist plot is in full swing. The absurdity and unreality of it all comes, not from the bumbling of the terrorists, but from Boris’ snide comments and inability to properly plot things out.
*** SPOILERS***
Two things are particularly unbelievable. Firstly, in the aftermath of everything, ONE OF THE TERRORISTS is simply left as “no one took much notice of” him. WHAT? Throw in absurd characters who go pantomime-and-then-some (the television chef is presumably there because some real life chef or other had criticized Boris at some point) and the downright insulting claim (repeated more than once) that people whose lives are dedicated to saving others always think first about the career implications of what they’re about to do and the final third of the book is a complete fiasco.
And finally, the most appalling insult of all, and one I picked up on early and was desperately hoping he wouldn’t follow through to the bitter, unfunny end, Boris outright steals a gag from PG Wodehouse about the name ‘Eulalie’. Shamelessly opportunistic, lazy and fundamentally sleazy - the book that is, not Boris. I think.
noway-josé
February 19, 2020
"He was a coon, and he was stupid, and he was stupid because he was a coon." These are not the words of Andrew Sabisky. These are the words of Boris Johnson, UK Prime Minister, taken from his book 'Seventy Two Virgins'.
August 12, 2020
Boris, eh.
Funny guy, I’m told. Worth a book about it, even. It’s his deadly weapon. The British love it, apparently.
I guess then it’s a real shame that 2004’s Seventy Two Virgins is so irredeemably racist and misogynistic. I just can’t give it more than one star, no matter how much I might want to wax lyrical about Boris. Johnson’s. Wit.
Well, I guess I can, secretly.
Anyway, it’s a quite unfortunate that we will never know how good Johnson’s book could have been. It will have to be one of life’s uncertainties, just like how many kids he has.
Funny guy, I’m told. Worth a book about it, even. It’s his deadly weapon. The British love it, apparently.
I guess then it’s a real shame that 2004’s Seventy Two Virgins is so irredeemably racist and misogynistic. I just can’t give it more than one star, no matter how much I might want to wax lyrical about Boris. Johnson’s. Wit.
Well, I guess I can, secretly.
Anyway, it’s a quite unfortunate that we will never know how good Johnson’s book could have been. It will have to be one of life’s uncertainties, just like how many kids he has.
September 8, 2019
Truly excellent. Very enjoyable.
December 7, 2015
It was only after I started reading Boris Johnson’s Seventy-Two Virgins, a politically-inspired, comic tale of terrorism that I realized, based on what’s going on in the world these days, maybe a comic tale of terrorism would be inappropriate at this time. Then again, with the world going mad, maybe a little levity is required.
Taking place over the course of two to three hours, Seventy-Two Virgins explores what can go wrong when the U.S. President is scheduled to make an appearance and speech in Britain’s Houses of Parliament. He becomes the target of radical Muslim terrorists, and one British National, who has lost his way (over a girl, of course). As they look to make their point, we also follow MP Roger Barlow, who is worried about a potentially damaging newspaper profile that may be coming out on him; his assistant, American beauty Cameron, who is quite unlucky in love, a tennis ball lost during an errant return by Henry VIII himself (I’m sure he was given a do-over), and an assortment of other strangely compelling characters.
Seventy-Two Virgins is a quick, fun read; Boris Johnson’s perspective is suitably warped; and, for those who want a bit of substance, Johnson does provide it, in what the characters sometimes say, and his take on their actions. He is able to find the ridiculous in a lot of things – some of them thought provoking. Making Seventy-Two Virgins excellent is the fact Johnson doesn’t name the U.S. President who is making the speech, but keeps him and his wife anonymous, which works so much better – this allows us to use our imagination in the President’s characterization.
Terrorism caused by radical Islam seems to rule the day, but don’t let that stop you from this entertaining novel; it might even get you thinking. Take for instance the book’s title, Seventy-Two Virgins. Most of us have come to know that is the expected reward for any Muslim who dies in war with those from the decadent West (although the U.S. President offers up another interpretation of what this means, which could be a game changer for some Muslims). Throughout the book, the head terrorist explains to his men that seventy-two virgins will be awaiting them in Heaven, as long as they participate in his plan, fighting the decadence of Western society, with its highly sexualized and brazen women. The more I read, and the more I thought of it, isn’t being rewarded seventy-two virgins highly decadent in itself? So the reward for fighting decadence, is to be rewarded decadence. I don’t think this has been suitably thought through.
Nonetheless, a fun, entertaining read worth seeking out.
Taking place over the course of two to three hours, Seventy-Two Virgins explores what can go wrong when the U.S. President is scheduled to make an appearance and speech in Britain’s Houses of Parliament. He becomes the target of radical Muslim terrorists, and one British National, who has lost his way (over a girl, of course). As they look to make their point, we also follow MP Roger Barlow, who is worried about a potentially damaging newspaper profile that may be coming out on him; his assistant, American beauty Cameron, who is quite unlucky in love, a tennis ball lost during an errant return by Henry VIII himself (I’m sure he was given a do-over), and an assortment of other strangely compelling characters.
Seventy-Two Virgins is a quick, fun read; Boris Johnson’s perspective is suitably warped; and, for those who want a bit of substance, Johnson does provide it, in what the characters sometimes say, and his take on their actions. He is able to find the ridiculous in a lot of things – some of them thought provoking. Making Seventy-Two Virgins excellent is the fact Johnson doesn’t name the U.S. President who is making the speech, but keeps him and his wife anonymous, which works so much better – this allows us to use our imagination in the President’s characterization.
Terrorism caused by radical Islam seems to rule the day, but don’t let that stop you from this entertaining novel; it might even get you thinking. Take for instance the book’s title, Seventy-Two Virgins. Most of us have come to know that is the expected reward for any Muslim who dies in war with those from the decadent West (although the U.S. President offers up another interpretation of what this means, which could be a game changer for some Muslims). Throughout the book, the head terrorist explains to his men that seventy-two virgins will be awaiting them in Heaven, as long as they participate in his plan, fighting the decadence of Western society, with its highly sexualized and brazen women. The more I read, and the more I thought of it, isn’t being rewarded seventy-two virgins highly decadent in itself? So the reward for fighting decadence, is to be rewarded decadence. I don’t think this has been suitably thought through.
Nonetheless, a fun, entertaining read worth seeking out.
Want to read
February 19, 2020"If I added up the IQ of my father and my mother, don't you think they'd be more than the IQ of your father and mother"
Boris to his first wife, Allegra Mostyn-Owen
Is this a prescient novel? If so, then you've got a road map for things to come.
Do private matters matter for public figures the likes of a PM? Some say, in the case of Boris, they're irrelevant, but not everyone agrees.
The French and some Arabs won't like this novel. I'm not sure about the Americans. Former PM Cameron, definitely, won't like it.
Who shall like [really akratic??] Roger Barlow? We shall see, soon.
20th July 2019
https://amp.theguardian.com/books/201...
https://www.nybooks.com/articles/2019...
-----
UPDATE
Yes, they like Roger Barlow, I mean, Boris.
https://www.google.com/amp/s/amp.theg...
https://www.theatlantic.com/internati...
UPDATE
Congrats Barlow Boris, I mean, BoJo.😛
Boris to his first wife, Allegra Mostyn-Owen
Is this a prescient novel? If so, then you've got a road map for things to come.
Do private matters matter for public figures the likes of a PM? Some say, in the case of Boris, they're irrelevant, but not everyone agrees.
The French and some Arabs won't like this novel. I'm not sure about the Americans. Former PM Cameron, definitely, won't like it.
Who shall like [really akratic??] Roger Barlow? We shall see, soon.
20th July 2019
https://amp.theguardian.com/books/201...
https://www.nybooks.com/articles/2019...
-----
UPDATE
Yes, they like Roger Barlow, I mean, Boris.
https://www.google.com/amp/s/amp.theg...
https://www.theatlantic.com/internati...
UPDATE
Congrats Barlow Boris, I mean, BoJo.😛
May 21, 2020
I have not gotten to the end of this book, but I have certainly finished reading it. As goodreads themselves happily suggest: "I'm done!"
The Daily Telegraph suggest on the front cover of this collection of words that within lies an "Effortlessly brilliant page-turner". The Evening standard goes so far as to suggest that this is "Fluent, funny material... vintage, Wodehousian Boris".
The writing here is awful. I feel like I've lost IQ points and I only managed about a third of the book. Whether it's the rich, the poor, the educated or ignorant, Christians, Muslims, "Brits" or "Yanks", Boris Johnson manages to insult them all. He "Effortlessly" paints scenes that are "Fluent" such as "There was a bench just outside the office, and here she sat, with her head forward to promote blood supply." Fluent indeed.
I tried to read this in the hope it would shed light on the psychology of the current British Prime Minister, the "Wodehousian" author of this waste of paper. Unless the third act contains some brilliant about-turn in style, plot, message etc. and shifts gear from the current "Effortlessly brilliant" hybrid of insults and 24 I do not think I have lost out on anything by stopping the ride here.
Goodness help us all if any more people decide to write "Effortlessly brilliant" books like this in the future. I recommend this to no one, with any luck it's already out of print.
The Daily Telegraph suggest on the front cover of this collection of words that within lies an "Effortlessly brilliant page-turner". The Evening standard goes so far as to suggest that this is "Fluent, funny material... vintage, Wodehousian Boris".
The writing here is awful. I feel like I've lost IQ points and I only managed about a third of the book. Whether it's the rich, the poor, the educated or ignorant, Christians, Muslims, "Brits" or "Yanks", Boris Johnson manages to insult them all. He "Effortlessly" paints scenes that are "Fluent" such as "There was a bench just outside the office, and here she sat, with her head forward to promote blood supply." Fluent indeed.
I tried to read this in the hope it would shed light on the psychology of the current British Prime Minister, the "Wodehousian" author of this waste of paper. Unless the third act contains some brilliant about-turn in style, plot, message etc. and shifts gear from the current "Effortlessly brilliant" hybrid of insults and 24 I do not think I have lost out on anything by stopping the ride here.
Goodness help us all if any more people decide to write "Effortlessly brilliant" books like this in the future. I recommend this to no one, with any luck it's already out of print.
March 27, 2016
The central character is a bicycling MP now why does that sound familiar….and he has an assistant called Cameron. She may be an American woman but I think there is still at least a hint of political joke there. It feels as if it was written with one eye on it also being a comedy action movie, but the movie “Four Lions” covers the same ground far more effectively. It’s a basic romp, and the characters all pretty much have the narrative trajectory one might expect, but it is a quick fun read.
September 8, 2016
It's a tale told from the point of view of many different people involved in a major terrorist incident. It's very clever and erudite and even witty but it's not very funny. Even setting aside the rather dubious subject matter for a comic novel, it's not funny. And, it goes on and on. So, I didn't enjoy it much.
June 3, 2013
Terrible book. The story and character have real potential but the writing is awful. I couldn't get caught up in the story as the way it was written kept jarring me out of the story and back in to real life.
August 7, 2016
Funny, witty and full of glimpses of knowledge and bits of intriguing information. Wish I had his education and writing skills.
August 5, 2013
Brilliant fun! Obviously written prior to Boris becoming Mayor. A story told over several hundred pages but actually only covering a period of about 4 hours. Based on a visit of the US President to speak at the Houses of Westminster and what might happen if there was a terrorist attack. Very amusing and highly recommended if only for Johnson's excellent use of the English language.
February 10, 2016
I really enjoyed this book, it was funny, but at the same time made a lot of serious points on all sorts of issues. A right wing bias I think is necessary to enjoy this to the fullest extent!
January 13, 2017
a quite enjoyable read although I feel bojo is most certainly a sesquipedalian ( uses big words unnecessarily ) which I would never do where I come from we would call him a show off
March 12, 2021
Why did I read a book by Boris Johnson? Because it was in a book swap and so I could read it for free (I would never actually pay money for his books).
I feel like this story could have had a chance at being something OK - a terrorism plot and the numerous errors by police in trying to stop it. But it is awful.
Other than the fact the main politician is clearly modelled on Johnson himself (a bike-riding MP who only likes his assistant because she's young and pretty, and is trying to hide an extra-marital affair..), the book is blatantly racist and sexist. The first flurry of racial slurs just a few pages in should have been the warning sign for me to abandon the book completely.
The book doesn't even try to be subtle in its prejudices either - the entire plot is about 4 Muslim men who are terrorists, and every single description of anyone who isn't white includes references to their race and appearance, ranging from fairly mild (yet still unnecessary) adjectives about their skin tone to straight-up racial slurs. Given that this book was written in 2004, just a few short years after 9/11, I can't imagine it helped improve people's judgements.
Added to that is that every time a woman is described (and there are really only 2 main ones - the sexy young American, and the sexy woman who is the French man's mistress), they are only described by their looks or by what the men are thinking of them.
Overall, I didn't expect much from this, seeing as it was written by Boris Johnson in 2004, but somehow it managed to be even worse than I imagined. I recommend you avoid this book.
I feel like this story could have had a chance at being something OK - a terrorism plot and the numerous errors by police in trying to stop it. But it is awful.
Other than the fact the main politician is clearly modelled on Johnson himself (a bike-riding MP who only likes his assistant because she's young and pretty, and is trying to hide an extra-marital affair..), the book is blatantly racist and sexist. The first flurry of racial slurs just a few pages in should have been the warning sign for me to abandon the book completely.
The book doesn't even try to be subtle in its prejudices either - the entire plot is about 4 Muslim men who are terrorists, and every single description of anyone who isn't white includes references to their race and appearance, ranging from fairly mild (yet still unnecessary) adjectives about their skin tone to straight-up racial slurs. Given that this book was written in 2004, just a few short years after 9/11, I can't imagine it helped improve people's judgements.
Added to that is that every time a woman is described (and there are really only 2 main ones - the sexy young American, and the sexy woman who is the French man's mistress), they are only described by their looks or by what the men are thinking of them.
Overall, I didn't expect much from this, seeing as it was written by Boris Johnson in 2004, but somehow it managed to be even worse than I imagined. I recommend you avoid this book.
October 13, 2020
I'd just rather not talk about it actually. It's not funny, it's not well written, the author is present in so many characters and he uses these to put across his racist, bigoted and prejudice views using language that is just not acceptable in this or any day and age.
As for excess of sexual references they are a telling insight into the author's mind and not a positive reflection on his character.
Having the author as our now PM while the country and world is facing such a tough challenge is a huge worry.
Would I vote differently if it was Corbyn v Johnson tomorrow? Absolutely! Sorry Jeremy.
Would I read another book by Johnson? Never!
As for excess of sexual references they are a telling insight into the author's mind and not a positive reflection on his character.
Having the author as our now PM while the country and world is facing such a tough challenge is a huge worry.
Would I vote differently if it was Corbyn v Johnson tomorrow? Absolutely! Sorry Jeremy.
Would I read another book by Johnson? Never!
May 13, 2020
Well we’ve all made some dubious life choices, but I’m not getting those few hours back. This is probably the worst book I have ever read. Neither comic nor thrilling, it’s just childish rubbish. The jacket photo is pure smugness. FFS, he was shadow minister for the Arts at the time. The infantile self-satisfied moron whose judgement is as poor now as it was when he allowed this pile of crap to be published is our Prime Minister. God help us all.
April 14, 2018
I’m almost annoyed at myself by how much I enjoyed this. A comedy of errors about a terrorist incident may not sound that appropriate, but the story really works. The characters are well written and the incompetence and accidental mistakes stay just the right side of comically plausible.
June 12, 2020
why would anyone read something like that ?? it's just trash
May 22, 2021
Creds to Mickey Dubs for the book
I thoroughly, thoroughly enjoyed Boris Johnson's seventy-two virgins
I thoroughly, thoroughly enjoyed Boris Johnson's seventy-two virgins
Read
October 9, 2025Laughed the whole way through this book because I was in utter disbelief that this man was allowed to become PM after writing this book. Genuinely felt like his only objective was to offend every minority in existence. At least he’s been consistent with his bigotry over the years, it’s commendable
October 10, 2022
I wish that people would get off the author's back. I mean, sure, he's a tad irreverent (showing a lack of respect for people or things that are generally taken seriously) at times, but at least he's getting on with having a varied and enjoyable life and he's not afraid to talk about what he thinks and does.
That said, he's been awfully quiet since being ousted as PM. I hope he's okay.
This book is another extension of his personality and thoughts. If you've ever read anything he's written (or heard him speak) you would know by now that it's all Boris being Boris. No exceptions here.
This is a story about terrorists trying to relate their points of view to an unwilling audience (Westminster) in a way that is both violent and undemocratic. But they are not the only characters that Boris pokes fun at. Pretty much everyone in the book (and, by extension, in the world) comes under the author's scrutinising lens; and they are all found wanting.
The standard of writing is not exactly top-notch (it's a bit clumsy and awkward at times (and there are parts you have to re-read just to extract some sense from them))) but it's readable and enjoyable too, after a fashion. There are too many long passages of scene-setting in the midst of action for my taste and the plot moves a little too slowly as a result, but he gets there in the end. And the end is rather satisfying I think.
Yeah, so that's what I think.
You should read this if you want to know more about Boris. Avoid it if you don't.
That said, he's been awfully quiet since being ousted as PM. I hope he's okay.
This book is another extension of his personality and thoughts. If you've ever read anything he's written (or heard him speak) you would know by now that it's all Boris being Boris. No exceptions here.
This is a story about terrorists trying to relate their points of view to an unwilling audience (Westminster) in a way that is both violent and undemocratic. But they are not the only characters that Boris pokes fun at. Pretty much everyone in the book (and, by extension, in the world) comes under the author's scrutinising lens; and they are all found wanting.
The standard of writing is not exactly top-notch (it's a bit clumsy and awkward at times (and there are parts you have to re-read just to extract some sense from them))) but it's readable and enjoyable too, after a fashion. There are too many long passages of scene-setting in the midst of action for my taste and the plot moves a little too slowly as a result, but he gets there in the end. And the end is rather satisfying I think.
Yeah, so that's what I think.
You should read this if you want to know more about Boris. Avoid it if you don't.
July 21, 2019
Read for work - I wrote an article on Boris’ books. Surprising how dull it is. If I expected one thing from this it wasn’t that
June 7, 2019
Quirky, politically incorrect, yet quintessentially British terror plot farce written some years ago by the almost certain next Prime Minister.
January 4, 2018
I was intrigued to know how Boris Johnson would write hence picking this up in a charity shop.
It is well written but somehow just misses something to make it a great read. It is a terrorist plot on Westminster and Boris has used a number of incidents that have actually happened such as the MP who sore at the policeman when wanting to take his bike through some security at Westminster.
It is supposed to be an amusing story of bungling from all sides terrorists and security but again it just didn't do it for me. The situations were ludicrous and the characters truly idiots.
Some things such as the dig at the BBC and their overpaid staff was interesting especially as this was written before the BBC made these ridiculous salaries public knowledge.
It was an ok read and I finished it but it wasn't a book I looked forward to getting back to and I won't be looking for any more of his efforts to read in future.
It is well written but somehow just misses something to make it a great read. It is a terrorist plot on Westminster and Boris has used a number of incidents that have actually happened such as the MP who sore at the policeman when wanting to take his bike through some security at Westminster.
It is supposed to be an amusing story of bungling from all sides terrorists and security but again it just didn't do it for me. The situations were ludicrous and the characters truly idiots.
Some things such as the dig at the BBC and their overpaid staff was interesting especially as this was written before the BBC made these ridiculous salaries public knowledge.
It was an ok read and I finished it but it wasn't a book I looked forward to getting back to and I won't be looking for any more of his efforts to read in future.
March 19, 2020
Given the opportunity to read a novel by our present Prime Minister, I couldnt resist. However, I have to admit that I didnt quite know what to make of it.
Even in 2004 when the author was a mere MP it shows a canny knowledge of the actual building and some of the personnel of the House of Commons. It also, perhaps, betrays some of his feelings about some of the charactors he portrays here, with his desciptive dialogue.
These touches of humour, I enjoyed.
The story itself may be a bit far-fetched but in all fairness it is subtitled A Comedy of Errors.
I have to admit that the rapid changes among the scenes was a bit disorienting and maybe distractive but they certainly kept the story moving.
Of course the main political figures here were purely fictitious. At the date of publication George W Bush was the President and was almost midway through his tenure at the White House. However, I couldnt help thinking of someone else !
Even in 2004 when the author was a mere MP it shows a canny knowledge of the actual building and some of the personnel of the House of Commons. It also, perhaps, betrays some of his feelings about some of the charactors he portrays here, with his desciptive dialogue.
These touches of humour, I enjoyed.
The story itself may be a bit far-fetched but in all fairness it is subtitled A Comedy of Errors.
I have to admit that the rapid changes among the scenes was a bit disorienting and maybe distractive but they certainly kept the story moving.
Of course the main political figures here were purely fictitious. At the date of publication George W Bush was the President and was almost midway through his tenure at the White House. However, I couldnt help thinking of someone else !
Read
May 5, 2022The reviewers who have slagged off this book are clearly suffering from an extreme version of BDS (Boris Derangement Syndrome.) The is in fact very, very funny. To have managed to write a comedy-thriller page turner is quite something. At the same time it combines high comedy with real pathos and an insight into the psyche of Islamic terrorists.
Was it written in a hurry?
Probably. It reads a bit like that. It could have benefited from a little editing, but that is a trifling criticism. It would have meant that errors such as saying that baronetcies were awarded by Henry VIII whereas they were in fcat introduced by James I could have been eliminated, but then frankly who cares? It was a great read and a great romp with lots of genuinely laugh-out -loud moments.
In short, very very well done.
Was it written in a hurry?
Probably. It reads a bit like that. It could have benefited from a little editing, but that is a trifling criticism. It would have meant that errors such as saying that baronetcies were awarded by Henry VIII whereas they were in fcat introduced by James I could have been eliminated, but then frankly who cares? It was a great read and a great romp with lots of genuinely laugh-out -loud moments.
In short, very very well done.
August 24, 2011
So very Boris - lots of overblown language, semi-relevant interjections and a somewhat cynical view of the British public sector and the UK's 'special relationship' with the US. Frankly, it would have been a lot more readable with fewer characters (they did tend to get mixed up) and less verbage. I want to say that there could also be more character development, but the whole book took place over a period of about four hours, and how much can the characters develop in such a short space of time?
December 27, 2012
Very disappointing read. 72 Virgins could have been a good novel. Johnson clearly has strong literary ability but he just tries to be too clever and the result is a book that is difficult to read with episodes that don't quite work.
I saw comparisons to Wodehouse before i read this book. I guess my expectations were high and not fulfilled
I saw comparisons to Wodehouse before i read this book. I guess my expectations were high and not fulfilled
August 22, 2016
An enjoyable read if only to further understand the humour of Boris Johnson.
Witty to the extreme that only a Pom could come with yet contains details that an insider would be aware of.
Obviously written prior to Boris holding any jobs of responsibility and is a wonderful tongue-in-cheek tale of what can term "sensitive-type" issues.
Generated many a good chuckle.
Witty to the extreme that only a Pom could come with yet contains details that an insider would be aware of.
Obviously written prior to Boris holding any jobs of responsibility and is a wonderful tongue-in-cheek tale of what can term "sensitive-type" issues.
Generated many a good chuckle.
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