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abroadwell's review against another edition
4.0
Gripping account of Fenian groups (Irish revolutionaries) in 19th century England. I was very pleasantly surprised by plot shifts and changes of central character. It ended in a way that was very different from what I would have imagined when I began, and I enjoyed the shifts of action between England and America.
louismunozjr's review against another edition
3.0
Rating this 2 stars, though it could be close to a 2.5, "I sort-of liked it." Unfortunately, I couldn't care enough about the two main characters, and I found both of them to make some rather stupid and not very convincing mistakes, especially the detective. Thus, I stopped reading at page 220, more than 2/3s in, because I ultimately decided the book wasn't going to really "pay off" for me, and life is too short with thousands of other books waiting for me. Having said all that, I can see this book being rewarding for many others, and in a different time frame, maybe for me as well.
thomwallacern's review against another edition
4.0
THIS book. I had read a preview for this book around the time it was published in September 2020 (so, you know, like 12 covid-years ago), and the description intrigued me enough that I decided to check it out. Gritty historical British crime-slash-revenge thriller novels appeal to me. Go figure, right?
Reading this was also a bit unplanned yet timely, being that Ian McGuire’s novel THE NORTH WATER was recently adapted into a BBC series. It’s like one of those cognitive bias things where you’ve never heard of something ever and then you hear of it, and then all of a sudden it’s everywhere like it’s been a part of normal life forever? Like when you hear someone call an umbrella a bumbershoot, and you know you’ve never heard that term before. But, all of a sudden, everyone says it like they’ve always said it when you know specifically that they have not.
It’s called Frequency Illusion. I just looked it up. Anyway.
This book fulfilled all the reading challenges for me: The #bpodread2022 category “a revenge”, the bookriot reading journal entry for a book about an immigrant, and OF COURSE the Taylor Swift 1989 Album Reading Challenge for “a book about a feud”. This book had everything.
The novel is set in 1867, months after the hanging of three Irish Nationalists charged and executed for the death of a British police officer. Which, come to find out, was an actual event.
James O’Connor, the only Irish police officer in Manchester UK, is having doubts over the suppression of the Fenians–the Irish Republican Brotherhood, who were fighting for Irish Independence. Also, an actual thing.
Irish-American Stephen Doyle, an American Civil War vet (real war, fictional person), has come to the UK to assist the Fenians in carrying out a terrorist attack. And hijinks ensue. And murder.
The first half of the book was gripping and engaging. Bleak. Lots of intrigue and suspense. The start of the second half, though, was very…how should I say…very EMPIRE STRIKES BACK. Like, it wasn’t the best in the trilogy. It kinda dragged a bit. And I get that I will be argued with due to my EMPIRE opinions, but I feel the same way about THE LORD OF THE RINGS: THE TWO TOWERS. That film was literally three hours worth of Hobbits walking. Come at me.
But then, THE ABSTAINER picks back up in the third portion. Just like the returns of both the Jedi and the King. And that ending is not the way I wanted it to end. But it's the way the author needed it to end. And I respect that. But I was upset. I yelled WHAT THE HELL at a book. It was a very interesting subject matter. It did not, though, leave me wanting to read more from the author. Although, I may still watch THE NORTH WATER.
Reading this was also a bit unplanned yet timely, being that Ian McGuire’s novel THE NORTH WATER was recently adapted into a BBC series. It’s like one of those cognitive bias things where you’ve never heard of something ever and then you hear of it, and then all of a sudden it’s everywhere like it’s been a part of normal life forever? Like when you hear someone call an umbrella a bumbershoot, and you know you’ve never heard that term before. But, all of a sudden, everyone says it like they’ve always said it when you know specifically that they have not.
It’s called Frequency Illusion. I just looked it up. Anyway.
This book fulfilled all the reading challenges for me: The #bpodread2022 category “a revenge”, the bookriot reading journal entry for a book about an immigrant, and OF COURSE the Taylor Swift 1989 Album Reading Challenge for “a book about a feud”. This book had everything.
The novel is set in 1867, months after the hanging of three Irish Nationalists charged and executed for the death of a British police officer. Which, come to find out, was an actual event.
James O’Connor, the only Irish police officer in Manchester UK, is having doubts over the suppression of the Fenians–the Irish Republican Brotherhood, who were fighting for Irish Independence. Also, an actual thing.
Irish-American Stephen Doyle, an American Civil War vet (real war, fictional person), has come to the UK to assist the Fenians in carrying out a terrorist attack. And hijinks ensue. And murder.
The first half of the book was gripping and engaging. Bleak. Lots of intrigue and suspense. The start of the second half, though, was very…how should I say…very EMPIRE STRIKES BACK. Like, it wasn’t the best in the trilogy. It kinda dragged a bit. And I get that I will be argued with due to my EMPIRE opinions, but I feel the same way about THE LORD OF THE RINGS: THE TWO TOWERS. That film was literally three hours worth of Hobbits walking. Come at me.
But then, THE ABSTAINER picks back up in the third portion. Just like the returns of both the Jedi and the King. And that ending is not the way I wanted it to end. But it's the way the author needed it to end. And I respect that. But I was upset. I yelled WHAT THE HELL at a book. It was a very interesting subject matter. It did not, though, leave me wanting to read more from the author. Although, I may still watch THE NORTH WATER.
jmatkinson1's review against another edition
5.0
Manchester 1867 and the hanging of three Irish rebels needs to be revenged. The Fenian Brotherhood turn to their American supporters and they send an Irish-American killer, Stephen Doyle, to seek revenge. Searching for him is exiled Irish detective, James O'Connor, recently moved from Dublin following a bereavement and descent into drink. When O'Connor's nephew helps to prevent an assassination Doyle kills him and O'Connor is set on a path for vengeance.
This is a very dark and sparely written book, conjuring up both the grimy and unpleasant life in the Manchester of the mid-1800s and also the passion of the Fenians. The plot is fast-paced but feels as though it isn't, carefully put together and beautifully written. The sad story of O'Connor's life and his need for vengeance is completely believable and tale ends up more like an old-school Western morality tale. Absolutely superb.
bridiemorgan's review against another edition
3.0
This was disappointing to say the least. I absolutely loved The North Water, it's one of my favourite books I've ever read and was thrilled the entire way through. However, The Abstainer did not measure up.
For starters, the protagonist, James O'Connor was a bit of a 'meh' character. He wasn't bad nor good, not particularly interesting and that basically sets the standards for the other characters.
In terms of the plot, I was ready to be taken along for a wild ride but instead found myself constantly wondering whether to stay on. In historical context, I found this whole period interesting as I didn't know anything about it but the plot failed to captivate me. I felt it was almost underdeveloped - something major would happen but then something to counteract that would happen off screen pages later without any kind of warning or context coming up to it. It felt like an easy way to deal with an issue without wasting words.
I finished the book eventually and look, I didn't hate it but I was expecting so much more. I will say that maybe the last quarter picked up a bit but the ending is really disappointing after all that you have read. Not to mention there's a weird character description of someone that seems to forget how old they were at a certain point - not sure if anyone else picked up on that!
I'll happily re-read The North Water but I'm glad to have shelved this for now.
For starters, the protagonist, James O'Connor was a bit of a 'meh' character. He wasn't bad nor good, not particularly interesting and that basically sets the standards for the other characters.
In terms of the plot, I was ready to be taken along for a wild ride but instead found myself constantly wondering whether to stay on. In historical context, I found this whole period interesting as I didn't know anything about it but the plot failed to captivate me. I felt it was almost underdeveloped - something major would happen but then something to counteract that would happen off screen pages later without any kind of warning or context coming up to it. It felt like an easy way to deal with an issue without wasting words.
I finished the book eventually and look, I didn't hate it but I was expecting so much more. I will say that maybe the last quarter picked up a bit but the ending is really disappointing after all that you have read. Not to mention there's a weird character description of someone that seems to forget how old they were at a certain point - not sure if anyone else picked up on that!
I'll happily re-read The North Water but I'm glad to have shelved this for now.
mkesten's review against another edition
4.0
I could read Ian McGuire all day and night. His prose is gentle, and spare. His sentences writhing in colour and place.
quinndm's review against another edition
3.0
This book drips with a graphic and sadistic masculinity that has become Ian McGuire’s unmistakable style. And it is this style that got me excited for The Abstainer (The North Water is STILL one of my favorite books). But, unfortunately, this style, combined with the abundance of unique character names, make the story difficult to follow, and I had to remind myself who was who frequently. Regardless, I will always be one of the first to get a new McGuire book.
thedocument's review against another edition
dark
sad
tense
fast-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? Yes
4.5
tommooney's review against another edition
3.0
I was a bit disappointed in this. I set out expecting something akin to Ben Myers's The Gallows Pole but actually this is much more of a straightforward historical crime story.
The basis of it is good enough, the settings are fine, the plot moves at a reasonable pace. The problem is that nothing about it is good enough. The writing lacks fire, the characters aren't well rounded enough, the story meanders after strong start and it all falls a bit flat. It's neither beautiful nor savage. Just a bit meh.
Not a bad read but it didn't set me alight like I was hoping.
The basis of it is good enough, the settings are fine, the plot moves at a reasonable pace. The problem is that nothing about it is good enough. The writing lacks fire, the characters aren't well rounded enough, the story meanders after strong start and it all falls a bit flat. It's neither beautiful nor savage. Just a bit meh.
Not a bad read but it didn't set me alight like I was hoping.
bundy23's review against another edition
5.0
While this doesn't quite match the absolute brutally of The North Water, no punches are pulled and I actually think this may be the better read of the two. It's also has more of a Western vibe than the Historical Fiction it's advertised as.