Rating: 
Summary: Dark and Funny
Review: If you're looking for moving and compelling, heart searching, Oprah-type sob stories like than D.B.C. Pierre's "Vernon God Little" is not going to be for you. (Not that there isn't a place in the world for Oprah books, I happen to love some of them. But if that's what you want this ain't it). This is irreverant dark humor like you find in "My Fractured Life" or "American Psycho." It is a GREAT book if you like this type of lit.
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Summary: Stunning!
Review: I've been dismayed by the American critiques of this excellent book, all of which miss the point entirely. Everyone stresses that this story is an inaccurate description of America, how Texas isn't really like that, how it's mean-spirited, etc. Well, as Vernon himself would say, "Duh!" This book is masterfully written in the best tradition of Voltaire and Rabelais (oops! they're French--the enemy!), in which contemporary society is satirized. Oh well, some get it and some don't. If, however, you're an intelligent and sophisticated reader, this book will probably be one of the best things you've ever read.
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Summary: The Joke's on "A Reader From California"
Review: I find it interesting that you question whether the author has visisted America when you clearly have not visisted Europe or Australia. DBC Pierre was born in Australia and raised in Mexico - one of which isn't in the same hemisphere as Europe and the other being closer to your own backyard than to Europe. And even if he does currently reside in Ireland he can hardly be pigeon-holed as a European author. Perhaps it is that single-minded, us versus them, attitude that the author is trying to illustrate in this novel.This, and Stupid White Men, should be compulsary reading for all Americans.
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Summary: A Response to Texans
Review: I'm from the Lone Star State and am proud to be a Texan. But I recognize that the book is a work of fiction, not a factual representation of highschool kids in podunk Texas. All in all "Vernon God Little" is entertaining stuff full of good laughs. For Southern satire, it hardly compares to James Wilcox's "Modern Baptists," however.
Rating: 
Summary: Character Flaws
Review: The author has ruined a good plot with poorly cast characters who are unconvincing as representing what Texas teenagers are like. The book reads more like science fiction written by a drug addled mad scientist than someone who is attuned to today's young folks. The author does turn the occasional good phrase in his dialogue, but the syntax is nothing like I've ever heard in this country. Still in all, it's an interesting read.
Rating: 
Summary: The Joke's on Europe
Review: European authors with disturbing penchants for generalization and stereotypically ridiculous premises regarding America should stick to writing about what they know best: old, tired, vacuous Europe. If Mr. Pierre and his ilk ever actually visited America, they certainly never left their Swissotel Boutiques. Entertaining? Maybe. Profound? Please. That this book won the Man Booker just shows the currently fashionable European fetish for celebrating all things anti-American.
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Summary: Catcher in the Rye for the 21st century.
Review: If this novel wasn't nominated for this year's Booker Prize, it would have slipped under many people's radar. This debut novel by Peter Finlay, a.k.a. DBC Pierre, is an astounding piece of work.
The story is a simple one: A fifteen year old boy, Vernon Little, is wrongly accused as an accessory to a Columbine-style murder at his Texas high school. He was confident that the justice system would not let him down since he was nowhere near the school when the shootings occur. But then things that could go wrong start to go awfully wrong. Vernon befriended a wannabe TV journalist who betrayed him and spun his innocent tale into a guilty one. Vernon then escaped to Mexico but again was betrayed by a long-time crush, and was brought back to Texas to stand trial for his crimes. I won't give away the ending but it is a happy one.
The plot is indeed simple but there is so much more. The story is told from a first person narrative of Vernon Little. Through his narration, we learn that Vernon is a kind and sensitive soul; his kindness and sensitivity to others were repeatedly taken advantage of by others. The syle is reminiscent of the great Catcher in the Rye -- we see first-hand Vernon's thoughts, the troubles he's in, and how he fincally escaped from his own personal hell. Do not let the curse words turn you off from the book; you must treat the prose as a personal diary of a fifteen year old who's accused of a crime he did not committ. All in all, this is a great piece of work.
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Summary: A wonderful commentary on American life!
Review: Vernon G. Little is a microcosm of the worst of the heart of America. He is caught up in a swirl of happenings beyond his control and there is no escape. The values and circumstances in his confused world only add to his troubles and he, in the end, cannot win. His fight against the unfair system, his uncaring mother and the corruption surrounding him make powerful commentary on American life. The book is also funny and well wirtten - a natural for the Booker prize! I loved it! As an ex-pat non-American who lived in the southern US for a number of years, I found that this book him the truth all too often. ABC Pierre is a wirter to watch!
Rating:
Summary: What a disappointment!
Review: What a disappointment. I had heard and read reviews, and now I had a copy to read. Really, it should be called Vernon God Awful. I will conceded it has a few good descriptions, but it is bad for many reasons:
· It is so obviously trying to be ironic. And because it is so obvious, it feels contrived
· The ending is obvious from the first few chapters
· The gonzo style reads contrived rather than fresh
· I accept the characters are meant to be caricatures, but some 3-dimensional characters would have been a nice addition
· The mispronunciation of some words was funny (e.g. Power dime for paradigm) but 'Adult Hitler'? Please, who in the western world wouldn't know that one?
· A ridiculous ending
The fact a book like this can be so heavily feted annoys me (it is now on the short list for the Booker) When interviewed by the BBC for his reaction to making it onto the Booker Shortlist, Pierre said 'How ironic. I don't know whether to s**t or go bowling'. Quite.
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Summary: To the naysayers....
Review: Those who commended this novel did so much more articulately than I could have, so this is mostly a review of other people's reviews.
First of all, to those who said that the swearing in VGL is 'inexcusable.' He's 15 years old, for God's sake! A profane character is far better than a lifeless, plastic one. If reality is too unpalatable for you, go back to watching your squeaky clean romantic comedies, and stop trying to read literature- 'real' literature attempts to reflect humanity, not to idealise it.
Secondly, to those who said that none of the characters are likeable. As a previous reviewer stated, who says they have to be likeable? It is a satire after all, and you can't satirise a perfect person. Sure, some characters have unsavoury aspects- but nearly all of them have their good points as well. This is what makes them human, and this is what makes them interesting. If these 'unlikeable' characters make you uncomfortable, then maybe DBC Pierre hit a little too close to home. Maybe you see yourself in the characters, and you don't like it very much.
What you're really saying by complaining about `unlikeable' characters is that you'd prefer a nice story where everything is simple. There's the goodies, who wear nice clothes, go to church (Protestant, of course), never swear, stay virgins until they marry and have exactly 2.4 children. 'Oh say can you see, by the dawn's early light?' Then there are the baddies, clearly distinguishable by their tight black clothing, loud music, sexual promiscuity, '666' tattoos and horns (Or who knows, maybe they're just Muslim?) Well, as always, its not as simple as black and white. Good people do bad things, and bad people do good things. Deal with it.
And to those who took exception to the oil-spillin' chicken-munchin' Texan stereotype, get over yourselves and take a good long look at your own double standards. American TV is a homogenised blur of offensive stereotypes and bad accents, and you have the nerve to criticise a non-American for stereotyping Americans! You can dish it out, but you don't like it coming back, do you? Your arrogance and hypocrisy only inspires the satire you condemn.
That said, it's not a perfect book- it is his first novel, and it shows in parts. Vernon's `learnings' are occasionally a bit contrived (though very witty), the pacing is not very well balanced, and the plot jumps around like a gymnast on speed. Most of those who criticised this book did so for perfectly valid reasons such as these- this review isn't aimed at those people. It's aimed at you who criticised Vernon God Little because it didn't substantiate your sterile, over-simplified view of the world. Go back to watching Fox `News,' and never question your beliefs again. Life's simple, isn't it?
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