The Degenerates (Raeden Richardson, Text)

The Degenerates is a bold, layered work of experimental literary fiction that follows the linked storylines of Maha, Titch and Ginny, three Melbournians who have found themselves lost in their own lives. Debut author Raeden Richardson skilfully weaves people and places in an almost coming-of-age style while subverting the genre’s every hallmark. Opening in the slums of Bombay, the novel moves to the dank Melbourne CBD underground, the brightly lit stores of Chadstone, and the streets of New York City, before its finale in the outskirts of Melbourne. Immediately notable is the way The Degenerates plays with formal experimentation, with each short chapter set without line breaks and a character largely referred to as               . While the continuous walls of text initially appear intimidating and confusing, Richardson’s word choice is precise and economical, and these bursts of concentrated text add to the book’s overall sense of claustrophobic breathlessness. Each character’s voice comes through strongly and leaves no confusion in this lack of traditional formatting. Pulsing and hallucinatory, The Degenerates is a visceral and stylish novel that reveals a story of human connection and loneliness. Richardson expertly uses overlapping perspectives to explore archival power—what is stored and what is lost—in storytelling and personal narratives. This book offers a true experience in the act of reading. Reminiscent of the pounding club scenes from cinema, this impressive work will appeal to fans of Rivers Solomon, Billy-Ray Belcourt and Jamie Marina Lau.

Books+Publishing reviewer: Marina Sano (she/her) is a Japanese and Australian reviewer, editor, and proud bookstore owner. She co-founded Amplify Bookstore and is an advocate for more diverse and representative publishing. Books+Publishing is Australia’s number-one source of pre-publication book reviews.

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