A Decent Ride by Irvine Welsh - book review: Exhilaration in the back of a taxi

Welsh’s ingenuity, flair, sharp observation, and satirical talent make this an exhilarating ride for the reader

Welsh: ‘Ingenuity, flair and satirical talent’ (EPA)

Irvine Welsh’s critics might say that he writes the same story again and again. His characters are largely working class and preoccupied with sex and getting high. Their dialogue is rendered in thick Edinburgh vernacular that, although used by James Kelman before Welsh, has become Welsh’s trademark.

But the critics are wrong. Welsh does not lazily churn out rehashes of the same formula. His novels are cleverly crafted; his characters distinct. From the junkies in Trainspotting (1993) through the damaged rapist of Marabou Stork Nightmares (1995) to the brutal cop in Filth (1998), they are fleshed out, distinct in their foibles, habits and morals. And yes, despite the constant shagging, snorting, and profanities, many of Welsh’s characters do have a conscience.

The protagonist here is Terry Lawson, first seen in Welsh’s 2001 novel Glue. Terry, a cab driver, is still obsessed with sex, and has no trouble finding it. His patter and charm, as well as his corkscrew curls and other asset, are a magnet for women.

One day, his cab picks up a multi-millionaire and reality show star, Ronald, who is interested in building a golf course and flats in a rural part of Scotland. This Donald Trump-like character hires Terry to drive him around Scotland.

Terry has also been asked to keep an eye on a brothel. One of the women who works there, Jinty, goes missing when a hurricane hits town. Jinty’s boyfriend Jonty, who is one chicken Mcnugget short of a full portion, is dismayed. Many of the chapters are narrated by Terry, Ronald, Jonty and Jinty, and even Terry’s frustrated penis. It is well worth those unfamiliar with the argot taking the time to understand it, as there are belly laughs on every page.

Terry’s speech at a friend’s funeral had tears of mirth running down my cheeks. Even when grim incidents occur – death, necrophilia, disposing of a dead body, incest – they are shot through with humour.

Importantly, Welsh understands that sex scenes can only be funny when both partners are willing. The perpetrator of the only coerced sex scene receives a mighty comeuppance, but even there there is humour, as the victim muses how this could have happened when the man involved was “no Catholic priest or a ... Tory at the BBC”. My only criticism would be the way female sexuality is portrayed: not all women are as easily won over to sex with a stranger.

It’s not all bawdy fun and hedonism. Deeper themes are explored – parenthood, guilt, regret, retribution, tolerance, atonement, friendship, casual racism. Welsh’s ingenuity, flair, sharp observation, and satirical talent make this not just a decent ride for the reader but an exhilarating one.

Jonathan Cape £12.99