Review: Debauchery by Andy Bramley

Creative, clever, and chock full of dark comedy, Debauchery: Part 1 by Andy Bramley is a witty and wise read from an unconventional storyteller.

A bizarre series of events brings together a disparate group of seven acquaintances, fans, friends, and strangers with big personalities and a hefty handful of bad habits. As their unlikely worlds spiral closer and casually collide, it becomes clear that their chance encounters are anything but coincidence.

Embodying the seven deadly sins – pride, greed, wrath, envy, lust, gluttony, and sloth – these seven souls have unknowingly become the target of The Community, a radically conservative cult dedicated to eradicating sinful behavior…and killing the “evil” figures who epitomize them. As a righteous reckoning is unleashed, these raw and emotionally complex companions must transcend their vices and avoid the murderous schemes of the avenging angels of virtue.

Cleverly interrogating our modern ideas of vice and virtue, this fantastical story questions whether classical standards of ethics and morality still apply within a changing world. Even the messengers of “good” from the Community have a sinister edge, from Polly’s teasing sadism to Isaac’s disassociation. Similarly, the seven sinful protagonists seem somewhat unremarkable in their offenses – just normal young people fumbling their way through romance, identity, ego, and ever-changing social lives.

The cast of characters is colorful and immediately memorable, from Stephanie’s self-obsessions and Lily’s introverted apathy to Nicky’s paradoxical satanic worship and Adrian’s moody decadence. The author’s sharply contemporary voice feels ripped straight from smoking sections outside gritty clubs, while the occasionally caustic exchanges between Amy, Lily, Adrian, Nicky, Jay and Steph are authentic and wickedly smart. The thematic undercurrent is that the judgments we make of ourselves and others are often based on superficial stereotypes, without any appreciation for the nuances of mental health, addiction, and societal influence.

The story is a bit slow to start, although the opening scene makes for an intense and mystifying hook, and the relative normalcy of the first few chapters effectively lulls readers into the illusion that this is basic YA storytelling with an eventual twist. Bramley slowly drips hints and allusions at what significance each character will likely have, but the plot is also revealed indirectly, with readers often knowing more about the larger story arc than the characters themselves, which gives the reader a compelling sense of omniscience, especially if one knows the premise at the start.

The writing can be heavyhanded, at times, in terms of convenient plot progression, wordplay, and numerology, leaning heavily on sin-specific vocabulary and serendipitous encounters to keep the story moving. There are also scattered editing errors and missing words that a final proofread should have caught, e.g. “Nicky had never known anyone [to] wear…” Some scenes also drag on without adding much to the story; cutting out extraneous conversations or small talk could help maintain a more upbeat pace and help readers hold tighter to the plotline.

Overall, while there are some issues in execution that could be fixed for Part 2, this is a multilayered gem of a novel, a perfect blend of sassy, smart, and surreal.