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4.18 AVERAGE
4.18 AVERAGE
emotional
funny
hopeful
inspiring
reflective
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
challenging
emotional
funny
hopeful
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
challenging
emotional
inspiring
reflective
sad
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
A beautiful book about becoming… all throughout life. The pigney speech, the jumps throughout time, and the not-so-appealing machisimo of Barry is all so beautiful in its own way.
3.5-4 stars
Very funny. Pick any page. 'Wifey was reading the bible. She peered over the top of her headmistressy bifocals and shot me a look that showed my disembodied head being impaled on top of a lamp-post at Dalston Junction.' or, 'Neck brace won't do it, my man. My brain's so big my head needs special scaffolding.' or, 'Carmel still don't get arty-fartiness, and the only culture that interests her is the one she decimates with bleach.'
Drags a bit in places. I'd have trimmed it back just a wee bit to speed it up. Two-thirds in it suddenly explodes into life when mc Barry reveals his homosexuality to his teenage grandson and his grandson's homophobic friends. (p197).
My favourite chapter is the description of Barry's long-suffering wife Carmel's sexual liaisons with her work colleague Reuben – some fantastic language, '...you was carnivorous, you was omnivorous, you was rapacious, ravishing, ravaged ... you was a n i m a l.' (Chapter 11, p207)
Very funny. Pick any page. 'Wifey was reading the bible. She peered over the top of her headmistressy bifocals and shot me a look that showed my disembodied head being impaled on top of a lamp-post at Dalston Junction.' or, 'Neck brace won't do it, my man. My brain's so big my head needs special scaffolding.' or, 'Carmel still don't get arty-fartiness, and the only culture that interests her is the one she decimates with bleach.'
Drags a bit in places. I'd have trimmed it back just a wee bit to speed it up. Two-thirds in it suddenly explodes into life when mc Barry reveals his homosexuality to his teenage grandson and his grandson's homophobic friends. (p197).
My favourite chapter is the description of Barry's long-suffering wife Carmel's sexual liaisons with her work colleague Reuben – some fantastic language, '...you was carnivorous, you was omnivorous, you was rapacious, ravishing, ravaged ... you was a n i m a l.' (Chapter 11, p207)
I read this because I wanted to watch the TV show, and because I've liked other books by this author, but I wish I hadn't bothered.
Barrington is a dickhead, and it meant that I had no sympathy for him or the double life he felt he had to live. I didn't really like any of the characters, and I wasn't drawn in by the plot (minimal as it was) at all, so I just didn't enjoy reading it.
I was about to give up and DNF it, but I realised I only had a bit over an hour left to go so I decided to just finish it. I wish I'd decided it give up on it earlier though.
Barrington is a dickhead, and it meant that I had no sympathy for him or the double life he felt he had to live. I didn't really like any of the characters, and I wasn't drawn in by the plot (minimal as it was) at all, so I just didn't enjoy reading it.
I was about to give up and DNF it, but I realised I only had a bit over an hour left to go so I decided to just finish it. I wish I'd decided it give up on it earlier though.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Homophobia, Infidelity, Toxic relationship
Moderate: Alcoholism, Transphobia
emotional
reflective
sad
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
challenging
emotional
funny
informative
inspiring
lighthearted
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
emotional
funny
reflective
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Maybe gonna come back to this one. Can’t be bothered to be in this characters head at the moment.
emotional
hopeful
informative
inspiring
lighthearted
reflective
sad
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
I loved that it ended on a happy note and all the loose endings were tied up, but it was sad that they stayed together for so long and had to hide their true selves for so long.