08 Mar GG Winner also a hit with the LOL
It was a risk for Canadian humorist, Will Ferguson, to leave the comedic world behind and enter the dark domain of Nigerian internet scamming, but his gamble paid off…Here he is pictured (Toronto Star photo) proudly presenting his trophy for the 2012 Giller Prize. It’s Canada’s most prestigious literary award, catapulting recipients into literary stardom and making them $50, ooo richer in the process.
The Star quoted Ferguson as saying: “I’d like to thank my long-suffering editor and Penguin Canada for supporting my possibly ill-advised shift to fiction.”
http://www.thestar.com/entertainment/books/2012/10/31/will_ferguson_takes_giller_prize_for_novel_419.html
Personally I enjoyed this novel. It’s exceptionally well-written, if not a wee bit verbose. It opens with a bang and ends with the same, but there is a little too much meandering in the middle. Frankly I felt the same about LOL’s read of another Ferguson novel, Spanish Fly. That said, the plotting (and there are 4 sub plots in this book) is brilliant. Characters are intriguing and well-developed. The ins and outs of the Nigerian internet scams (419) is exceptionally well researched and the players brought brilliantly to life. The book is particularly satisfying when key characters come together in Nigeria, at the tension-filled end.
Tune in tomorrow for LOL members’ takes on this award winning book.
Cheers,
Shannon