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3.93 AVERAGE
3.93 AVERAGE
gbrewerw's review
5.0
The craft of the writing in this novel is masterful — 3 (or is it 4?) continents, multiple fresh starts, and 7 decades…I’ve never read a book like it…unexpected & poignant. Encountering Irish history from 1900-1970 through the lens of Eneas McNulty is remarkable. Very glad to have stumbled on this book.
lmreboy's review
4.0
saving the posting of my review until after book group - looking forward to the discussion
jenibo's review against another edition
3.0
I took this novel away with me because, after reading The Secret Scripture and A Long, Long Way I thought I couldn't go wrong with Sebastian Barry as my companion. Well, I hope I haven't read the best of him, because this one was disappointing. It was beautifully written, as are all Barry's works so far for me, but I just felt this one was a little less interesting and the style was a bit more viscous than his others.
The wanderings of Eneas were a little too meandering, and though I didn't really want to put it aside forever, it would have been a good book to read at the same time as something else that was faster moving.
The wanderings of Eneas were a little too meandering, and though I didn't really want to put it aside forever, it would have been a good book to read at the same time as something else that was faster moving.
ethan_js's review
4.0
Blasting through a stack of reasonably contemporary Irish literature as homework before traveling there for a few weeks. Thought this was grand, beautiful writing and a very compelling and moving story. Somewhat navel-gazey periodically but never to the detriment of staying engaged.
joannamn6's review
4.0
This novel covers a lifetime of a young man born around the turn of the century in Sligo, Ireland, who finds himself on the wrong side of politics after the Irish achieve independence and he is forced to leave his country. The language is beautiful and the perspective of the naive, politically-ignorant narrator adds a unique perspective on modern Irish history.
ewein2412's review against another edition
I didn't enjoy this nearly as much as The Secret Scripture, and I'm glad I read that first because if I'd read this first I wouldn't have bothered with the other. However, I think this is a writer who is gaining in mastery and elegance with successive books, rather than churning them out for the sake of word count.
I won't recount the plot here, but I will comment that part of the reason I wanted to read this was to get a different view of Roseanne Clear, the main character in The Secret Scripture. And what a different view it is. Identical events simply do not match up across the two books; and given that The Secret Scripture was so focused on the unreliability of memory and history and personal slant, it made sense anyway. And gave the reader a lot to think about. What really did happen?
The voice of this narrative gives the curious effect of being told in an Irish accent and I found it a bit tedious after a while. Still, very readable and often moving.
I won't recount the plot here, but I will comment that part of the reason I wanted to read this was to get a different view of Roseanne Clear, the main character in The Secret Scripture. And what a different view it is. Identical events simply do not match up across the two books; and given that The Secret Scripture was so focused on the unreliability of memory and history and personal slant, it made sense anyway. And gave the reader a lot to think about. What really did happen?
The voice of this narrative gives the curious effect of being told in an Irish accent and I found it a bit tedious after a while. Still, very readable and often moving.
helenreak1's review
challenging
reflective
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
dumisa's review
4.0
A classic that had me thinking about Dickens and Bronte but with a different edge. The journey seemed to be the point, together with the yearning for home. Loved it, but not for the melancholy. McNulty and Harcourt had my heart. Glad I read it in summer.