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katykelly's review against another edition
4.0
I remember quite liking an earlier book by O'Flynn, and liked the sound of this synopsis. It's a story about family - father and son mostly, that flits between past and present to fill in your understanding of their lives and histories as we see them in the here and now.
Eamonn and his girlfriend Laura have emigrated to a small (and failing) community in rural Spain. He is now slowly descending into decline after she leaves him, his book and job also are going nowhere. But his dad is coming for a visit. Retired bus driver and recent widower Dermot has come to visit his son, and the worries and secrets his son is keeping to himself, as well as Dermot's own are going to slowly reveal themselves..
It's a bit of a slow burn but interesting along the way, doesn't get boring but isn't full of action. The writing is good, characters well-drawn, the setting vivid. I had to reread the ending though. I may have missed something as I didn't really understand what happened! Probably my fault, reading late at night though.
I did enjoy the book and the Dermot/Eamonn relationship, and the eventual destination of both is nicely developed and makes for a good read.
Eamonn and his girlfriend Laura have emigrated to a small (and failing) community in rural Spain. He is now slowly descending into decline after she leaves him, his book and job also are going nowhere. But his dad is coming for a visit. Retired bus driver and recent widower Dermot has come to visit his son, and the worries and secrets his son is keeping to himself, as well as Dermot's own are going to slowly reveal themselves..
It's a bit of a slow burn but interesting along the way, doesn't get boring but isn't full of action. The writing is good, characters well-drawn, the setting vivid. I had to reread the ending though. I may have missed something as I didn't really understand what happened! Probably my fault, reading late at night though.
I did enjoy the book and the Dermot/Eamonn relationship, and the eventual destination of both is nicely developed and makes for a good read.
susan_ok's review against another edition
3.0
It was tough not to give this a higher rating because it was just a good book. The father and son relationship in this book is interesting, it evolves and it's real. The father is frustrated by a son he doesn't understand and the son struggles to identify with a man he thinks he disappoints. But the book avoids accusations of wrongs of the past and just revisits the way their relationship evolves and changes and the reasons it does so. I really liked the father Dermot and less so Eamonn but he redeemed himself in the end. It was a very satisfying read and I would pick up this author's work again.
catrionacarter's review
lighthearted
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.5
hollybotterill's review against another edition
lighthearted
fast-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
3.0
agjuba's review against another edition
3.0
Because of synopses mentioning "holidays" and "Spain," I requested this book, expecting a somewhat light and enjoyable read. The book turned out to be so much more! It was definitely enjoyable, but also a portrait of conflicting approaches to life -- specifically the ability to make the best of a situation versus losing what is "good enough" in pursuit of "the perfect." I thought the author did a particularly good job of conveying an almost tangible sense of atmosphere. As I read the chapters with focusing on Eamonn's life in Spain, I felt a very real sense of malaise and lethargy. The poignant ending stood out in sharp (and welcome) relief!
My favorite quote: "...hope, it seemed, clung on tenaciously, like the most insidious of weeds. He spent his waking hours hunting down its tendrils and subjecting them to ruthless dousings of cold facts, but still they returned -- a fresh web of low-lying rhizomes each day."
My favorite quote: "...hope, it seemed, clung on tenaciously, like the most insidious of weeds. He spent his waking hours hunting down its tendrils and subjecting them to ruthless dousings of cold facts, but still they returned -- a fresh web of low-lying rhizomes each day."
judyward's review against another edition
4.0
At the heart of this quiet novel, several themes peacefully coexist--what it means to be an immigrant in a new society and environment, the often tentative efforts taken by parents and their adult children as they attempt to truly connect, the eagerness of the middle class to try to cram as many experiences into their lives as possible, and the desire to leave behind what is familiar and to start life over even if that means landing in a nearly deserted vacation development in southern Spain. This book starts slowly and builds into a thoroughly satisfying tale that makes readers stop to think and to reevaluate what is most important to them.
ruthie_the_librarian's review against another edition
4.0
Read & reviewed for The Bookbag - http://www.thebookbag.co.uk/reviews/index.php?title=Mr_Lynch%27s_Holiday_by_Catherine_O%27Flynn
karak's review against another edition
3.0
Closer to a 3.5. A nice, easy read. Male protagonist, which I generally don't read. Not a lot of action, just a good book.
kvegan's review against another edition
lighthearted
reflective
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.5
Good writing but I got very bored. Skipped most of the middle and just listened to last hour. Still boring and not quite sure what the point of the book actually is. A father son relationship I guess, which is of zero interest to me.
dobeesquared's review against another edition
3.0
A fast read and well-written but something was missing for me from this book. One aspect is that one of the main characters is very successfully portrayed as depressed and helpless and I didn't find the turn around at the end believable. The father character was appealing and engaging.