Niall Griffiths’ fourth novel
Stump(2003) continues, in the vein of his previous novels
Grits(2000),
Sheepshagger(2001) and
Kelly and Victor(2002), to document life on the margins of society. It is also, paradoxically, one of his most darkly comic books. In
Stump, the protagonist, a one-armed Scouser, is a recovering alcoholic who has fled from Liverpool to Aberystwyth, under suspicion of stealing money from gang boss, Tommy. The action moves between the nameless narrator, as he struggles to go about his daily life, and the small time gangsters Alistair and Darren, as they travel to Wales in an old Morris Minor to wreak violent revenge upon the one-armed man. Ultimately, however, this violence is thwarted by an act of kindness: the gift of a prosthetic arm.
Stump is written in three
922 words
Citation: Nee, Laura. "Stump". The Literary Encyclopedia. First published 13 June 2008 [https://www.litencyc.com/php/sworks.php?rec=true&UID=22023, accessed 21 November 2024.]
