Kill Your Friends
 First edition (UK) | |
| Author | John Niven |
|---|---|
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Genre | Satire, Crime Fiction |
| Publisher | Heinemann |
Publication date | 7 Feb 2008 |
| Media type | |
| Pages | 336 |
| ISBN | 0-434-01799-X |
| Followed by | The Amateurs |
Kill Your Friends is the debut novel by the Scottish writer John Niven. It was published in 2008 by William Heinemann.
Plot summary
The novel is set in 1997 at the height of the Britpop music scene. The protagonist, Steven Stelfox, is unhappy about his current position as an A&R agent in the record company he works for in London. Stelfox, uninterested in most music, is jealous of his coworkers' success in finding successful musical acts and attempts to climb the career ladder amidst competition.
Critical response
The protagonist and plot have been compared to American Psycho and been described as "mad, gleeful nastiness".[1] The work is considered satirical, and is described as an "all-out assault" by The Independent,[2] and as having "the horrible, slightly metallic tang of total authenticity" by The Philadelphia Weekly.[3]
Film adaptation
A feature film has been made based on the novel, directed by Owen Harris, with a script written by John Niven. Nicholas Hoult, Craig Roberts, Tom Riley, and Georgia King star in the film.[4]
References
- ↑ The Guardian, review.
- ↑ The Independent, review.
- ↑ Philadelphia Weekly, review.
- ↑ Barraclough, Leo (10 March 2014). "Music Biz Satire ‘Kill Your Friends’ Starts to Shoot in London". variety.com. Retrieved 11 March 2014.