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naleagdeco's review against another edition
4.0
I thought this was a funny, stressful, and well-written tale about a child dealing with some deep (and from what I understand from the eastern Canadian people I know, fairly authentic-sounding) aspects of 60s Canadiana.
Doyle Draper is a pre-teen living in what I think is a maritimes part of Canada with his mother and sister. Their father has recently died, and their aunt, whose family effectively owns the street, has sold their house on behalf of the family business and forced them to move in with her.
The bulk of the story is them dealing with their incredibly Catholic and incredibly hypocritical family, in particular through the lense of Draper Doyle's journey through adolescence. His only support is an uncle who actively resists the family hypocracy, his sometimes-antagonistic-but-always-loving relationships with his mother and sister, and the emotional investment he has with the Montreal Canadians. His father sometimes shows up as a ghost too.
It took me only two reading sessions to get through this book, I found it a very easy, driven, and compelling read. As someone who also grew up Catholic (albeit not in a Canadian or European context) it seemed like a reasonably honest extrapolation of some experiences. I found the interleaving of tension and comedy of the story were very well done, and many of the more ineffable experiences in the book (particularly the beginning of Draper Doyle's sexual awareness and were written with compelling imagery.
This felt like a very literary book, with a lot of imagery, a lot of references, and so on. I enjoyed the themes running through the book, even though its ribaldries are not normally something I go for.
Doyle Draper is a pre-teen living in what I think is a maritimes part of Canada with his mother and sister. Their father has recently died, and their aunt, whose family effectively owns the street, has sold their house on behalf of the family business and forced them to move in with her.
The bulk of the story is them dealing with their incredibly Catholic and incredibly hypocritical family, in particular through the lense of Draper Doyle's journey through adolescence. His only support is an uncle who actively resists the family hypocracy, his sometimes-antagonistic-but-always-loving relationships with his mother and sister, and the emotional investment he has with the Montreal Canadians. His father sometimes shows up as a ghost too.
It took me only two reading sessions to get through this book, I found it a very easy, driven, and compelling read. As someone who also grew up Catholic (albeit not in a Canadian or European context) it seemed like a reasonably honest extrapolation of some experiences. I found the interleaving of tension and comedy of the story were very well done, and many of the more ineffable experiences in the book (particularly the beginning of Draper Doyle's sexual awareness and
Spoiler
him recalling the trauma of his father's deathThis felt like a very literary book, with a lot of imagery, a lot of references, and so on. I enjoyed the themes running through the book, even though its ribaldries are not normally something I go for.
likecymbeline's review against another edition
3.0
Very amusing book that ties hockey to Catholicism in ways I had never before imagined.
johns_library's review against another edition
challenging
dark
reflective
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
snoda's review against another edition
dark
emotional
funny
reflective
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.5
turnedherbrain's review
emotional
funny
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Loveable characters? Yes
4.0
exurbanis's review against another edition
5.0
This won the first Thomas Head Raddell Award for the best Atlantic Canadian adult fiction in 1991.
Set in St. John’s Newfoundland during the 1966-’67 hockey season, it centres on Draper Doyle Ryan, age 9, and the extended family in his home. They are known throughout St. John’s as the Divine Ryans because there were so many priests and nuns in the family. Our last family reunion, Uncle Reginald said, was known to the rest of the world as Vatican II.
His father died recently and Draper Doyle is seeing his ‘ghost’. Not to fear: the ghost is not the least bit supernatural, but rather psychological. Draper Doyle has “lost” a week of his life around his father’s death and funeral, and over this winter, in long talks with his Uncle Reginald, he (& we) discover the truth of what happened that week.
The Divine Ryans is a warm, funny and moving book about a boy’s coming to terms with his father’s death, and with his place in his family. I highly recommend it.
Read this if: just read it. 5 stars
Set in St. John’s Newfoundland during the 1966-’67 hockey season, it centres on Draper Doyle Ryan, age 9, and the extended family in his home. They are known throughout St. John’s as the Divine Ryans because there were so many priests and nuns in the family. Our last family reunion, Uncle Reginald said, was known to the rest of the world as Vatican II.
His father died recently and Draper Doyle is seeing his ‘ghost’. Not to fear: the ghost is not the least bit supernatural, but rather psychological. Draper Doyle has “lost” a week of his life around his father’s death and funeral, and over this winter, in long talks with his Uncle Reginald, he (& we) discover the truth of what happened that week.
The Divine Ryans is a warm, funny and moving book about a boy’s coming to terms with his father’s death, and with his place in his family. I highly recommend it.
Read this if: just read it. 5 stars
bent's review against another edition
3.0
An enjoyable book. I read it many years ago, and unfortunately remember little about it except the rivalry between the Ryans and their Protestant neighbours that was evidenced by the Ryans cheering for the Montreal Canadiens and the Protestant family cheering for the Toronto Maple Leafs. I do remember that is left me with a favourable opinion, however.
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