Reviews

For The Good Times by David Keenan

emeromalley's review against another edition

5.0

So violent. But so good. Mad writing, which really added to the story and the atmosphere. Also some cracking Irish jokes

keehansmith's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional funny mysterious reflective tense fast-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

4.75

marlamorris's review against another edition

dark funny reflective medium-paced

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

3.75

another book read for the book club! and another one i probably wouldn't have picked up or even heard of without it!

I found myself quite lost at times while reading this, especially at the start of the novel because of how you're just thrown into the story, but i did find myself enjoying it as time went on, though i was struggling with this sense of 'why?' a lot of the time i was reading? i didn't end up going to the meet where this was discussed so i have no idea how the other people there felt about it so I'm really forced with this to just sit with my own feelings on this one a lot more than usually. i was expecting a lot more of the romance/love triangle aspect that i thought was gonna be in it from the blurb i read.

i liked that it was little vignettes of their life, but i found the comic book aspects a little harder to follow? they also weren't as present as i thought they would be, i was expecting a much bigger deal to be made about the comic book shop overall. i found the reveal of

tommy's status as a double agent

to be the most intriguing part of the book and i wished wed heard a little bit more about it, id rather that over hearing more about

del brogans music career

. it was funny at times, even when it really felt like it shouldn't be, like when

sammy accidentally bombs his own house after mice chew at the bomb under his bed

, because there is something really darkly funny about that i hate to say it.

tommy's death

also came as a massive shock and coupled with the later reveal that was really interesting, but i think overall the backdrop of the troubles was really lost on me as its not something I'm especially interested or well versed in !

jonahtriestoread's review against another edition

4.0

It is required that you attempt to read this book out loud with a botched Irish accent!

snash's review against another edition

4.0

Truly demented.

scc's review against another edition

dark funny medium-paced

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

2.0

Hmm despite laughing out loud several times, I just didn't enjoy this. The violence and sex is gratuitous, the plot was weak. 

My main issue though, is that the woman are mere props. An accessory for male ego and blowjobs. (I managed 1/4 of This is Memorial Device for the same reason.) I just don't like how David Keenan writes female characters.

greybeard49's review against another edition

5.0

A very enjoyable one-off of a book for me. Everything about it is different and mostly very enjoyable. It is a story which follows the hero Sammy and his friends through the Troubles in the 60s and 70s mainly. They are members of the IRA and from Ardoyne, a staunchly republican area of Belfast. The tale contains many of the landmark 'happenings' of that time seen through the eyes of Sammy and his mates. It deals with their friendships, music culture, social life and general day to day lives in between the killings, bombings and maimings. Sounds a little weird? It is, but very good.
The tale is told through a mixture of craic and sparkling dialogue, a liberal sprinkling of 'Irish' jokes popping up at will and out of context and with a real empathy for the characters and the knife-edge lives they lead.
EXTRAORDINARY in the best way.

sant_marshin's review against another edition

• Strong character development? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.5

Los buenos tiempos (que en realidad nunca fueron buenos). Vivir matando y secuestrando cabrones porque es la vida que te tocó vivir y porque para el país y la sociedad es algo heroico dada la opresión británico, es un gran estilo de vida, casi el de una estrella de rock o de un "narco mitificado", si no piensas mucho en ello. Porque cuando lo haces, el olvido es la única salida. 

curlygurlypops's review against another edition

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

5.0

Reads like a book version of In Bruges. Funny, set in the Troubles, unflinching and violent but also shows the irony of wannabe gangsters and paramilitaries in their pursuit for what they think is living life virtuously. 

angrybaz's review against another edition

dark emotional funny hopeful medium-paced

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

4.0