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Cover of Vernon Subutex 1 by Virginie DespentesVernon Subutex 1
Modern · Fiction, LGBT, Comics

Vernon Subutex 1

by Virginie Despentes
2004 · 352 pages · Fiction
66.2Must-Read
Score Modern
Critics' pick
≈ 9 hours to read · about 3 weeks at 30 minutes a day

What it's about

Vernon Subutex once ran Revolver, a legendary record shop in Paris. By the 2000s, the digital age has left him with nothing, and as he drifts among old friends, each reveals a piece of contemporary France.

Why it's worth reading

It was a finalist for the International Booker Prize. Critics call it a rock-and-roll Zola.

You'll love it if you liked

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Good to know

It's the first of a trilogy, and it's raw and profane.

By the numbers

66.2Must-Read Score
  • Readers59 out of 100 · counts 42%
  • Critics27 out of 100 · counts 34% (its stronger lane)
  • Bestseller5 out of 100 · counts 14%
  • Buzz7 out of 100 · counts 10%

Critics and Bestseller are two ways to earn a place: a book's stronger one counts more. Buzz rewards recent bestseller weeks and prizes, so older books start at zero. The parts combine into the Must-Read Score, shown on a scale where the best book we found scores 99 and the last book to make the ranking scores 50.

Where it ranks

Why it made the list

Shortlisted
International Booker Prize finalist (2018)

Reads as

Thought-provoking, Moving

How we rank

Already read it? Upload your Goodreads or StoryGraph history and get the 50 best books you haven't read, tuned to your taste.Get my 50

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Explore the best-of lists

All 36 best-of lists →
Modern booksTop 25 · 1,573 rankedBooks of the 2000sTop 25 · 490 rankedFantasy booksTop 25 · 459 rankedMysteries and thrillersTop 25 · 555 rankedLiterary novelsTop 25 · 309 rankedMemoirs and biographiesTop 25 · 290 rankedScience fiction booksTop 25 · 313 rankedRomancesTop 25 · 233 ranked

Quick answers

Is Vernon Subutex 1 worth reading?

Yes. It was a finalist for the International Booker Prize. It ranks #1,736 of the 2,816 books in our ranking, with a Must-Read Score of 66.2 (the best book we found scores 99).

What is Vernon Subutex 1 about?

Vernon Subutex once ran Revolver, a legendary record shop in Paris. By the 2000s, the digital age has left him with nothing, and as he drifts among old friends, each reveals a piece of contemporary France.

How long does it take to read Vernon Subutex 1?

About 9 hours (352 pages), or about 3 weeks at 30 minutes a day.

What should I read after Vernon Subutex 1?

If you liked it, try Trainspotting by Irvine Welsh, The Unbearable Lightness of Being by Milan Kundera or Fight Club by Chuck Palahniuk.