London’s dark underbelly: Caledonian Road, by Andrew O’Hagan, reviewed

Caledonian Road Andrew O’Hagan

Faber, pp.608, 20

‘The Cally’s named after an orphanage for kids from Scotland or some shit. Didn’t we learn that in school?’ So says Big Pharma (real name Devan Swaby), drill rapper from the Cally Active gang – one of the many characters populating Andrew O’Hagan’s vast and riveting Caledonian Road. The novel opens with a 59-strong cast list, representative of contemporary London society.

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TaggedDrugs, Fiction, King’s Cross, north London, Poverty, Thornhill Square, traffickers

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As the US decides, so can you

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London’s dark underbelly: Caledonian Road, by Andrew O’Hagan, reviewed

With its vast cast and twisting plot, O’Hagan’s complex novel feels as busy and noisy as the north London thoroughfare of its title

As the US decides, so can you