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katykelly's review
3.0
This book had good reviews and been short listed for awards, hence my interest.
I found it... Okay. Nothing special. The child's point-of-view was alright, been done better in Paddy Clarke ha ha ha. I didn't see why John's height mattered much to the story, but the record breaking and lie detection aspects we're interesting.
I found it... Okay. Nothing special. The child's point-of-view was alright, been done better in Paddy Clarke ha ha ha. I didn't see why John's height mattered much to the story, but the record breaking and lie detection aspects we're interesting.
caity_c's review
4.0
4.5 stars
I underestimated this book as it has an average Goodreads rating of 3.3 stars.
This book really captured the essence and physique of a young boy bordering on insanity due to family and environmental trauma he was experiencing at such a young age.
It was absorbing and a page turner.
I think the ending could have been stronger and to be honest the novel a little longer. I didn’t want to end. I was hooked.
It reminded me of Crime and Punishment as like the protagonist in that novel, John our main character in Carry Me Down edges closer and closer to the criminally insane. It is fascinating how the narrator becomes more unreliable over time and you begin to second guess what they are choosing to tell the reader.
Just a great novel.
I underestimated this book as it has an average Goodreads rating of 3.3 stars.
This book really captured the essence and physique of a young boy bordering on insanity due to family and environmental trauma he was experiencing at such a young age.
It was absorbing and a page turner.
I think the ending could have been stronger and to be honest the novel a little longer. I didn’t want to end. I was hooked.
It reminded me of Crime and Punishment as like the protagonist in that novel, John our main character in Carry Me Down edges closer and closer to the criminally insane. It is fascinating how the narrator becomes more unreliable over time and you begin to second guess what they are choosing to tell the reader.
Just a great novel.
grogu_djarin's review
dark
emotional
reflective
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
Overall Thoughts:
It took me a long time to decide how to review this book. I'm not sure if it's more genius or more disturbing. It's written from the perspective of John, a 12 year old, so a lot of the writing is fairly simple and it ended up being a faster read than I expected. That said, because we're exposed to John's thoughts I think most people's first conclusion is that John is deranged rather than just a kid who has the thought process of a kid, though it also doesn't help that he grows up in a highly dysfunctional household. There's a point in the book he does something bad, and I'm not sure it's as bad as the book makes it. It's something I've seen happen among kids just playing because they don't understand the consequences. Also, it's weird the book paints him at fault rather than the environment he grows up in.
What makes the book interesting is how psychological it is. Not just with John's ability to detect lies, which you're never 100% sure if it's a real ability or a mix of his imagination and sensitivity towards others' behaviors, but also because you're constantly wondering how reliable of a narrator he is. There are many scenes where details are left out because he couldn't observe them, and he filles in the gaps with what his assumptions and speculations. I also think he might be autistic because he has some behavioral tics you'll observe throughout the book, so it makes his perspective even more unusual.
It took me a long time to decide how to review this book. I'm not sure if it's more genius or more disturbing. It's written from the perspective of John, a 12 year old, so a lot of the writing is fairly simple and it ended up being a faster read than I expected. That said, because we're exposed to John's thoughts I think most people's first conclusion is that John is deranged rather than just a kid who has the thought process of a kid, though it also doesn't help that he grows up in a highly dysfunctional household. There's a point in the book he does something bad, and I'm not sure it's as bad as the book makes it. It's something I've seen happen among kids just playing because they don't understand the consequences. Also, it's weird the book paints him at fault rather than the environment he grows up in.
What makes the book interesting is how psychological it is. Not just with John's ability to detect lies, which you're never 100% sure if it's a real ability or a mix of his imagination and sensitivity towards others' behaviors, but also because you're constantly wondering how reliable of a narrator he is. There are many scenes where details are left out because he couldn't observe them, and he filles in the gaps with what his assumptions and speculations. I also think he might be autistic because he has some behavioral tics you'll observe throughout the book, so it makes his perspective even more unusual.
Likes:
- The author did a superb job of capturing the thought process of a 12 year old. It's a very brilliant psychological exploration of a kid growing up in a less than ideal environment.
- I liked the exploration of 1970's Ireland as a setting. You get to read a bit about life in the countryside and in Dublin from the perspective of an impoverished family.
Dislikes:
- There's some graphic scenes of child abuse and animal abuse. I'm not sure I'd say they're gratuitous, because they emphasize the environment he lives in, but they're extremely uncomfortable to read.
Other Notes:
- It's a very day-in-the-life book and so it tends to develop a repetition of what they ate, what he did at school, and so on. This may not be for everyone but I felt it worked for the book.
Would Recommend To:
- Anyone who is into books exploring the psychology of the characters would probably enjoy this. It feels a bit thrilling at times trying to understand the psychology of the characters and being unsure what is the truth. After finishing it I immediately recommended it to some friends that are psychologists just because I think they would enjoy deconstructing the characters and their behavior.
Do Not Recommend To:
- Anyone who is dislikes disturbing content, especially people who are sensitive to child and animal abuse.
sainte_v's review
4.0
Hyland's books/characters tend to make me feel equal parts affection, discomfort and cringe-shame, so obviously I love them. Also, her books should probably not be read by the unimaginative convention-blinkered rabble (see most negative reviews here). This is INTx stuff.
tcm_62's review against another edition
3.0
Although the narrative moves along swiftly, this was not a comfortable book to read. The central character and narrator is John Egan, an eleven year old boy, and the story largely focuses on the family dynamics between himself, his mother, father and grandmother.
The novel is cleverly structured, with a sparse use of language which hones in on what is not said and how John rather interprets the tone of voice and non-verbal queues of those around him. The theme of what is true and not true runs throughout the novel.
As an only child, John is obviously intelligent and curious, but is essentially a loner with one inconsistent friendship with Brendan, a class mate. He becomes obsessed with the truth and believes he has the ability to detect when anyone is lying to him. This has potentially fatal consequences towards the end of the novel.
Great writing but I found John's state of mind unnerving and his complex family set up rather sad.
The novel is cleverly structured, with a sparse use of language which hones in on what is not said and how John rather interprets the tone of voice and non-verbal queues of those around him. The theme of what is true and not true runs throughout the novel.
As an only child, John is obviously intelligent and curious, but is essentially a loner with one inconsistent friendship with Brendan, a class mate. He becomes obsessed with the truth and believes he has the ability to detect when anyone is lying to him. This has potentially fatal consequences towards the end of the novel.
Great writing but I found John's state of mind unnerving and his complex family set up rather sad.
krep___'s review against another edition
3.0
A character study of a ten-yr old Irish boy with behavioral issues and his relationships with his parents. All the characters are certainly well-drawn. Writing was skillful. Light on plot. Ultimately I found it only mildly enjoyable.
hatseflats's review
4.0
An early blooming, eleven-year-old Irish boy from a small town who stands at 5'10" at the start of the story, but is nonetheless still a little boy, emotionally speaking. Lives with his da and mammy in his grandma's house. Believes he has the innate ability to detect lies and writes to Guinness Book of World Records in hopes that they will test his ability and put him in their yearly as the human lie detector. This is a lovely story that explores the fragility of a family who are very much dysfunctional and doing their best to cope with their imperfections as seen through the eyes of a young child. At turns hilarious, at turns poignant, but always eloquently sincere in the writer's level of human observation. Certainly deserving of its Booker shortlist status.
anniefox's review
2.0
I'm always up for a tale of a kid who has (or imagines he has) magic powers. In this case, the ability to tell when someone is lying. But this book was a creepy downer. It becomes increasingly clear the kid's got some serious issues which make him dangerous. Due to the family dynamics, it's clear he's not going to get the help he needs and his "power" isn't going to save him from himself.
araumi's review
adventurous
dark
funny
lighthearted
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
emilymae's review
dark
emotional
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0