Irvine Welsh’s Trainspotting was a publishing sensation in 1994, and one of my all-time favourite novels. Eight years later, when Welsh reunited the Trainspotting characters in Porno, I had mixed feelings. I was absolutely dying to read it, but afraid that it wouldn’t be as good and that it would be a contrived piece of moneymaking. Could the characters stand the test of time, and would they have anything to say to each other or to us, the readers?
For those who didn’t read Trainspotting, it concerned a group of mates from the poor areas of Edinburgh and their drinking, violence and, mainly, drug-taking. On the whole they were a thoroughly nasty bunch – though also entertaining, funny and even charismatic. The novel ended with them all involved in a drug-dealing scam in which they were ripped off by one of the main characters, Mark Renton (Rents).
Eight years on we find them living distinctly different lives:
Rents is running a club in Amsterdam, abstaining from the heroin he was addicted to and in an unhappy relationship with his German girlfriend.
Sick Boy (Simon David Williamson, or SDW) has been
working in London clubs and pimping, but returns to Leith to take over his aunt’s grotty pub and get rich by one means or another.
Begbie, the violent, psychopathic one, is just out of prison where he’s been doing a long sentence for murder.
And Spud, the kindest-hearted but biggest loser of the gang, is still in Leith, still struggling with heroin addiction and trying to desperately to keep his relationship with his girlfriend and his son going.
Meanwhile, both Sick Boy and Begbie are obsessed with getting their revenge on Rents, and Begbie’s been getting homoerotic correspondence which he thinks is Rents’ way of taking the mickey (though they’re actually from Sick Boy, who has always hated Begbie but is a physical coward and would never challenge him outright).
Also on the scene is ‘Juice Terry’ (so-called because he used to work on the juice, or pop, lorry), who’s as sex mad as ever.
On his return to Leith, Sick Boy finds Juice Terry and his mates making stag movies. Ever the budding entrepreneur, he sees a way to make some cash and sets about working with the stag movie crew to make a proper porn film.
Enter a new character, Nicola Fuller-Smith, a middle-class English student who works in a sauna by night and is up for anything sex-wise. Soon she is one of the stars of the movie and Sick Boy’s lover.
Thus Porno moves us largely away from the heroin world and into that of the sex industry as the movie ‘Seven Rides for Seven Brothers’ is made. But don’t think this means we get no drugs in Porno – sick Boy’s got a voracious cocaine habit, Nikki’s a doper, Begbie likes a bit of ching himself and Spud can’t say no to anything.
On a trip to Amsterdam, Sick Boy finds himself face-to-face with Rents and immediately puts his revenge on hold as he sees that Rents has the contacts to distribute his film. Thus the two become partners and Rents returns to Edinburgh and a life of fear of Begbie and total mistrust of Sick Boy’s motives. Whilst here, he also takes up with his old girlfriend, Diane, who is now a PhD student.
Along the way we get shedloads of explicit sex, plenty of drug abuse, language that would kill your grandma, violence that makes you literally wince, and a variety of unsavoury, immoral and often very funny scams.
Porno is for me Welsh’s best work since Trainspotting, and I’m delighted to say that the transition from the 1990s to the present is seamless. The characters have all matured in their own ways, but all are instantly recognisable. It’s to Welsh’s great credit that he has been able to once again get under their skins and give them new life.
Welsh’s trademark themes are also present, such as his innate dislike of the middle classes, his hatred of the touristy nature of Edinburgh, his simultaneous loathing and glorification of violence and his refusal to blatantly judge the morality of his literary crew of ne’er-do-wells.
I loved Porno from start to finish and fund it hard to put down. Being a sequel, and that sequel having influenced so many novels since, Porno doesn’t have the shock-value or the utter uniqueness of Trainspotting.
It is however, funny, interesting, stomach churning and a wonderful romp of a read. The pace is fast and the plethora of stories within the story always keeps boredom at bay.
One thing to mention though, is that, as with Trainspotting, much of the story is written in strong Lethian dialect. Personally I didn't have a problem with that but I know some people do, so if you couldn't get it first time around you probably won't this time either.
If you read Trainspotting first, you’ll get a lot more out of Porno. However, Welsh has made sure that those not familiar with the first book will pick up the thread that has led to the characters’ dysfunctional relationships and will be able to enjoy the book on its own merit.
Highly recommended. Now I can’t wait for the film.
The paperback is published by Jonathan Cape, is almost 500 pages long and can be bought for £5 odd at amazon.co.uk. ISBN 022406181X
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Been meaning to read this for a while now. Will have to get trainspotting and read that again first though. Rich
vinni 22.08.2004 16:34
I must read this now.... have read a few others by the author.
Great op, very enjoyable to hear about those Edna boys again!!
Thanks
Silverback 13.12.2003 19:56
Great review: this sounds more accessible than I thought it'd be. I did like the film of Trainspotting; maybe I should be brave and try the print versions. Paul
Pornois a sequel toTrainspotting, and builds on the success of that caustic and very funny ... more
novel by taking some of the characters through some radical new catastrophes. Sick Boy returns to Edinburgh with his ventures as a pimp and hustler in London hav...
Postage & Packaging: £2.75 Availability: Usually dispatched within 1-2 business days...
Porno is a sequel to Trainspotting, and builds on the success of that caustic and very ... more
funny novel by taking some of the characters through some radical new catastrophes. Sick Boy returns to Edinburgh with his ventures as a pimp and hustler in London h...
Postage & Packaging: £2.75 Availability: Usually dispatched within 1-2 business days...
Porno is a sequel to Trainspotting, and builds on the success of that caustic and very ... more
funny novel by taking some of the characters through some radical new catastrophes. Sick Boy returns to Edinburgh with his ventures as a pimp and hustler in London h...
Postage & Packaging: £2.75 Availability: Usually dispatched within 1-2 business days...
Advantages: Great insight to what these characters we love to hate have been doing Disadvantages: you'll be up all night not being able to put this down
deenie80 12.08.2008 (12.08.2008)
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Review of Porno - Irvine Welsh
Advantages: Great insight to what these characters we love to hate have been doing Disadvantages: you'll be up all night not being able to put this down
deenie80 12.08.2008 (12.08.2008)
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Ciao members have rated this review on average: helpful
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