In Our Mad and Furious City - Paperback

In Our Mad and Furious City by Guy Gunaratne

Long-listed for the 2018 Man Booker Prize
Short-listed for the 2018 Gordon Burn Prize
Short-listed for the 2018 Goldsmiths Prize

Guy Gunaratne's explosive debut novel captures the raw energy and stark realities of modern London's diverse communities. Inspired by the real-life murder of a British army soldier by religious fanatics, this literary work offers an unflinching look at the frenzied edges of contemporary urban life.

A Story of Three Voices, One City

The novel follows Selvon, Ardan, and Yusuf—three young men navigating their lives around soccer, girls, and the pulsing beats of homegrown grime music. Their stories interweave with those of Caroline and Nelson, two individuals struggling to escape haunting pasts. Each character brings a uniquely insightful and impassioned voice to the narrative, creating a brutal yet vibrant tapestry of today's London.

Written in the distinctive vernaculars of contemporary London, the novel authentically captures the speech patterns and cultural rhythms of a generation often overlooked and misrepresented. The narrative pulses with the frantic energy of the city's grime music scene, giving voice to youthful rage and dispossession.

Forty-Eight Hours of Tension

Over the course of two intense days, extremism and violence surge through the city. The characters' lives become inexorably drawn together, building toward an explosive and tragic climax. This compressed timeframe heightens the tension and urgency, documenting the stark disparities and bubbling fury coursing beneath London's prosperous surface.

Award Recognition and Critical Acclaim

This debut novel earned recognition across multiple prestigious literary awards, including longlisting for the Man Booker Prize and the Orwell Prize. It was also shortlisted for the International Dylan Thomas Prize, the Goldsmiths Prize, the Gordon Burn Prize, the Authors' Club Best First Novel Award, and the Jhalak Prize.

About Guy Gunaratne

Born in North West London in 1984, Guy Gunaratne previously worked as a journalist and documentary filmmaker covering human rights stories worldwide. His background in investigative journalism and documentary work informs the authentic, ground-level perspective of this novel. He currently divides his time between London, UK and Malmö, Sweden.

In Our Mad and Furious City challenges the ways in which we coexist in diverse urban spaces—and, more importantly, the ways in which we often fail to do so. This is essential reading for anyone seeking to understand the complexities of modern British society and the voices that define contemporary London.