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emmy_and_books's review against another edition
4.0
“I remember what I would remind the reader. I would remind the reader that I went to Spain in 1936, where I drove an ambulance during the siege of Madrid and elsewhere. I have married a number of women (two), loved a number of – other people – (twenty-two), written a number of slim volumes of modern Romantic poetry published by reputable small presses like Hyperbole, and sustained this old house in Cleaver Square where I have raised a fine garden (now dying), and also a daughter. And when I wish to go to the West End alone at night, to attend, let us say, a concert of classical music, Schubert perhaps, Death and the Maiden – I go. So let there be no more of this clucking and wheedling. Oh, Pa, are you sure? Or: Oh, Francis, is this really a good idea? Let me be clear. I am always sure, and it is always a good idea.”
Genre – Era and Place / Age / Feeling / Key words / Should you? / Rating
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Fiction – 1975 UK / Adult / unusual writing style that works so well in this book with the unreliable character, haunting, atmospheric, intelligent, funny, interesting / old man Francis McNulty is living in London with his daughter and a women he rescued when she was a young girl in Spain in the middle of war, he is haunted by the war and its terrors, seeing an apparition of General Franco in his back yard and in his house, Francis is smart, funny, stubborn, eccentric, old fashioned / absolutely (I probably wouldn’t hear about this book had it not been sent to me by the publisher and I’m so very glad it was) / ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Genre – Era and Place / Age / Feeling / Key words / Should you? / Rating
==============================
Fiction – 1975 UK / Adult / unusual writing style that works so well in this book with the unreliable character, haunting, atmospheric, intelligent, funny, interesting / old man Francis McNulty is living in London with his daughter and a women he rescued when she was a young girl in Spain in the middle of war, he is haunted by the war and its terrors, seeing an apparition of General Franco in his back yard and in his house, Francis is smart, funny, stubborn, eccentric, old fashioned / absolutely (I probably wouldn’t hear about this book had it not been sent to me by the publisher and I’m so very glad it was) / ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
annarella's review against another edition
5.0
I read a lot of great reviews about Patrick McGrath's works but it's the first one I read and I found it brilliant.
It's a bit slow at the beginning but the style of writing is so good that I fell in love with the story and the characters.
Even if the it deals with very serious issue I found it witty and made me smile more than once.
The author is a master storyteller and I find hard to review such an excellent book
Francis is a great character and I won't forget him soon.
It made me laugh and think, kept me hooked and it was a pleasure to read.
A great story featuring great characters.
Highly recommended.
Many thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for this ARC, all opinions are mine
It's a bit slow at the beginning but the style of writing is so good that I fell in love with the story and the characters.
Even if the it deals with very serious issue I found it witty and made me smile more than once.
The author is a master storyteller and I find hard to review such an excellent book
Francis is a great character and I won't forget him soon.
It made me laugh and think, kept me hooked and it was a pleasure to read.
A great story featuring great characters.
Highly recommended.
Many thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for this ARC, all opinions are mine
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