Billy and the Devil is the startling debut novel from Dean Lilleyman, and presents the emotive and challenging story of Billy and his battle with alcoholism.
Billy and the Devil is a shocking and intimate portrayal of isolation, sexual misadventure, and addiction. Told in a series of unflinching episodes from Billy’s life either first-hand or through the eyes of others, it charts his experiences as child and adult growing up and living in 70s, 80s and 90s Sheffield. This is an intimate and challenging portrait of addiction and charts a journey to a place of no return. Because ultimately, what choice does Billy have?
- “This is wild stuff, very dark and very brilliant.” – Conor O’Callaghan, author (The Sun King)
- “Put it this way, a great novel doesn’t end after you have read the last page. It reaches out after publication and plants its own mythology in the world. This is the highest achievement of Lilleyman’s debut. I recommend: read this book.” – Interrobang Arts Magazine
- “Brilliantly evoked in all its sordid detail, black humour, demented courage, and alienation.” – Jane Rogers, author (Mr Wroe’s Virgins, Promised Lands etc)
In 2002, Dean Lilleyman, drunk, left a warehouse job and went home. He stayed at home for six months and got sober. Then he went to college to get some qualifications (at the age of 35) where he read Raymond Carver and started writing short stories. By 2013, he’d won several awards for his writing, been awarded an MA scholarship, written a novel, and lectured in creative writing at a university. He now writes full time. Billy and the Devil is his debut novel. He is currently working on his second, whilst rebuilding a house, talking to cats, and tending to his chickens.
PUB DATE: 10th August 2015
PUBLISHER: Urbane Publications
ISBN: 9781910692332
PRICE: £8.99
EXTENT: 320 Pages
DIMENSIONS: B format paperback
ILLUSTRATIONS: N/A
CATEGORY: Contemporary literary fiction
BIC CODE: FA
REGIONS: World
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