Reviews

Be Near Me by Andrew O'Hagan

tumblebee's review against another edition

dark emotional reflective 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? Yes

4.0

potterpav's review against another edition

challenging dark slow-paced

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

1.5

oh dear. i went into this book without knowing much about it, and i guess that was my own fault. i saw 'priest' on the blurb and had an inkling, but thought maybe i was stereotyping. i was not. the worst part was the writing style didn't make up for the fact you're reading about a nonce, the style was startlingly plain and at times incredibly boring. for a book just under 300 pages it moves at a snail pace. i just can't get over the pivotal moment of the book being an assault and yeah it's kind of my own fault because the blurb isn't exactly shy, but cmon man. i had hope. it's not dead dove: do not eat level terrible, but i did scream when it happened. i didn't particularly enjoy 'mayflies' either, so maybe o'hagan just isn't for me but if you enjoy a plain story about a repressed priest who is in a new (intolerant) environment and is a bit too friendly to children... then i guess this is for you. no hate or judgement at all. it's incredibly predictable too, o'hagan should have taken a leaf from james baldwin's 'another country' and thrown that freak off a bridge. then maybe i would've given it five stars!

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Pedophilia, and Sexual assault

Moderate: Cancer and War

aahlvers's review against another edition

4.0

I got a slow start with this one but it grew on me as I read. The main character is a priest with an assignment in Ireland and befriends some less than angelic teens with disasterous results. The ending was very interesting and I am still finding myself thinking about it.

runkefer's review against another edition

3.0

The writing is beautiful and parts of it evoke Brideshead Revisited. The “present-day” parts, however, didn’t age all that well. Reading this book nearly 15 years after its publication was a bit jarring. Attitudes toward homophobia and Catholic priests and other circumstances of this novel have changed enough that this feels much more of a period piece than I would have expected. The overall atmosphere of the book is reminiscence and contemplation, so it’s not so surprising that the main action comes near the end of the book. But when the inevitable occurs, it’s a little bit of a letdown.

beckydk's review against another edition

4.0

Be Near Me by Andrew O'Hagan is beautifully written, haunting and soulful.
It deals with faith, homosexuality, alcohol, love, death, illness, class, nationality etc.

katesbooks_'s review against another edition

dark emotional reflective sad medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

garyjw's review against another edition

dark emotional reflective sad medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.75

aoifestone's review against another edition

challenging dark slow-paced

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

4.0

annemariewhelehan's review against another edition

3.0

An aging priest, a parish in Scotland, teenage kids, we know where this is going to end up. Character is well drawn but hard to like, so not exactly an uplifting read. 

kelbi's review against another edition

4.0

A very sad book about a sad flawed man. Not uplifting but authentic