First published in 1989 and now back in print.
'From now on,' Ruby says to her friend, the narrator, 'We're going on the Stone Age diet. It means we only eat the sort of healthy things our ancestors would have eaten. Raw grains and fruits and stuff like that. That's what our bodies are made for.'
An admirable plan, but Ruby never eats and the narrator's attention span doesn't lend itself to routine. He's too busy pining for his ex-girlfriend, who broke up with him and left him with self-pity and a plant: an Aphrodite Cactus that, when it flowers, is supposed to seal the love of the giver to the receiver, according to Ruby. Ruby, who never wears any shoes (even in the dead of winter).
Though lovelorn and lonely, the narrator's life is rich with myth, demons, werewolves, gods and goddesses; everything is imbued with a spirit. There's Helena, goddess of electric guitar players; Ascanazl, an ancient and powerful Inca spirit who looks after lonely people; Shumash the sun god; the war and sexuality goddess Astarte; the muse Clio. In fact the only thing stronger and more sustaining than the narrator's fantasy life is his friendship with Ruby - the kind of friendship a body is made for.
About the Author
Martin Millar was born in Glasgow, Scotland, but has lived in London for a long time. He has written a lot of things - novels and plays and short stories and articles. As Martin Scott, Millar writes the Thraxas series of books; the first novel in this series won the World Fantasy Award in 2000.
Industry Reviews
Praise for Martin Millar "I've been a fan of his work for almost twenty years." --Neil Gaiman Praise for Milk, Sulphate, and Alby Starvation "The book is finally appearing in its first American edition--a development not only welcome but ages overdue ... It's right on that edge between youth and wisdom, cute and serious, words and pictures ... give yourself a break and pick this up. It will remind you of your youth--or somebody's." --New York Times Book Review "The dizzying array of characters and perspectives whips Millar's madcap story into a potent blitz that runs at full throttle through the satisfying conclusion. Fans of Irvine Welsh will love Millar's singularly entertaining tale of suspicious minds." --Publishers Weekly Praise for Suzy, Led Zeppelin, and Me "Even readers who last listened to "Houses of the Holy" during the Reagan administration will find much to enjoy here. For 200 pages, Glasgow circa 1972 shimmers like a vision of Atlantis, a lost world." --Ed Park, The Los Angeles Times Praise for Lonely Werewolf Girl "It's so compelling you don't want to it end. The grungy, gory, glorious world that World Fantasy Award--winner Millar has created is unforgettable." --Booklist "[A] loving tribute to disaffection and the hopefulness of youth." --Publishers Weekly
