I’ve just finished reading the absolutely fantastic Barrytown Trilogy by Roddy Doyle.
At first I thought I’d just read The Commitments before moving onto something else again but after consuming that within two days I couldn’t wait to read more. The Snapper was just as good – a little longer but the characters had much more depth to them and his writing reminded me a little of The Woman Who Walked Into Doors which I read some time ago. The Van was the climax of the lot, but I did find it a little hard-going at the end. Not that he’s a difficult writer to read – I think his books flow like no others I’ve read – but as the relationship between Bimbo and Jimmy Sr starts to deteriorate towards the end you can really feel the clouds rolling in just as if you were in the van with them.
At first I thought I’d just read The Commitments before moving onto something else again but after consuming that within two days I couldn’t wait to read more. The Snapper was just as good – a little longer but the characters had much more depth to them and his writing reminded me a little of The Woman Who Walked Into Doors which I read some time ago. The Van was the climax of the lot, but I did find it a little hard-going at the end. Not that he’s a difficult writer to read – I think his books flow like no others I’ve read – but as the relationship between Bimbo and Jimmy Sr starts to deteriorate towards the end you can really feel the clouds rolling in just as if you were in the van with them.
A thoroughly good read. If you like Roddy Doyle, I would recommend also picking up a copy of A Star Called Henry, which I think is the best book of his I have read so far.
Right – onto some non-fiction now with Michael Moore’s Stupid White Men, kindly lent to me by San.
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