Reviews

The Commitments by Roddy Doyle

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sjoerdbol's review against another edition

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adventurous funny lighthearted fast-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Plot
Strong character development? No
Loveable characters? It's complicated
Diverse cast of characters? No
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.5

carolynrasp's review against another edition

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funny lighthearted fast-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? No

3.0

I picked up this quick little novel because of the NY Times' "Read Your Way Through Dublin" article by Tana French. It's about a group of friends who form a soul band in Dublin. It was fun! You definitely get a feel for fast talking Irish conversations and it made me want to listen to all the songs they were singing. TW for some offensive language.

celtic67's review against another edition

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5.0

Very short book. Read in three hours. Very funny

mizzzfortune's review against another edition

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funny lighthearted fast-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? No
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.5

katykelly's review against another edition

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4.0

Funny novella, the rise and fall of an Irish soul band.

4.5 stars.

I've seen the film, watched the stage play, but never read the book. I found the audiobook in the library, and found this was a superb way to enjoy the story, with singing thrown in and an authentic Irish accent to bring the characters to life.

In Barrytown, Jimmy Rabbitte decides to start a band, taking a Motown direction, and auditions and brings together a group of eccentric and amusing characters, with larger-than-life personalities, lots of swearing, sex, drugs and of course, the rock and roll.

They get gigs, they have artistic differences, the road to fame beckons... can the Commitments make it?

It really is a quick read, but very easy to picture the characters through the narrator voicing them, and I liked the insights into a fledgling band's rehearsals and lives as they try to make it.

Great structure, tight and funny (a little crude if you're not keen on swearing). Definitely worth a read (or listen).

kcmg710's review against another edition

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funny lighthearted fast-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? It's complicated
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? No
Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

3.75

Content Warnings

samvanstokkom's review

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5.0

omg dit was zo leuk. blijkbaar is het een trilogie dus ik wil de andere twee boeken nu ook lezen. en er is een verfilming van dus die ga ik ook kijken. maar ja wow dit was echt een super fijn boek, heel makkelijk te lezen en echt leuke personages. a new favourite