Reviews

Night Boat to Tangier by Kevin Barry

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jaclyncrupi's review against another edition

4.0

Kevin Barry turns a phrase like nobody else. His prose and use of language are second to none. This is without a doubt his most tender and beautiful novel which was unexpected. These Irish gangsters have my heart and all I want to talk to them about is love. Who’d have thought!

thetbrstack's review against another edition

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5.0

This dark and brooding novel should allow Barry to take his rightful place in the pantheon of great Irish writers.

michaila3's review against another edition

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3.0

like if normal people was two middle aged irish men who did a lot of drugs….I liked it but kinda wish something more had happened at the end with Moss’ daughter but I know it was sort of a slice of life type thing so I get it.

bojangacic's review against another edition

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Dva ostarela dilera droge u luci Alhesiras na severu Španije čekaju trajekt iz marokanskog grada Tangera. Pre mnogo godina sa istog su preuzimali opijatske kontingente, dok danas, opijeni jedino željom za prošlošću, čekaju izgubljenu ćerku. Moris i Čarli kroz priču pokušavaju da ubiju vreme. Ali vreme, neupitno i bez sumnje, polako i sigurno ubija njih.

"Noćni brod za Tanger" je roman višestrukog adaptacijskog kapaciteta. Na momente se čita kao pozorišna drama ili filmski scenario. Kroz britak crni humor, atmosferu zapuštenosti, sveopštu prljavštinu ličnosti i samog lokaliteta, Kevin Beri stvara modernu tragikomediju na stubovima siromaštva, urođene "tough guy" patologije, izobličene želje za boljim standardom, sveopštim nabojem višedecenijskog ukrštanja seksa i droge i bežanjem od života koji preti da te, kao i tvog roditelja, prevremeno otera u crnu zemlju. Ludu vožnju tražimo, očekujemo i dobijamo kroz decenije prošlog veka, sve do ivice 2020-ih. Ovaj roman nam to daje na svakom planu.

Izgleda da vreme zaista ne čeka nikoga, pa ni karijerno kriminogene. Nasilje je tu, taj poriv za krvi ali priroda je rekla svoje. Telo je ostarilo, kosti bole a tehnologija tvoje usluge učini nepotrebnim. Ali ako vreme ne čeka, majka krivica je znatno strpljivija, vreba svoj momenat podmuklo. Jer kada udari u tvom trenutku svođenja računa kao oca, muža i čoveka, vrlo verovatno je konačna cifra u debelom minusu a sam kraj jako blizu.

kelly_may's review against another edition

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dark emotional reflective sad tense medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? It's complicated
Diverse cast of characters? No
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

christiek's review against another edition

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5.0

Amazing! I love this kind of writing and the audiobook is crazy good. It's read by Barry and it brings out the cadence and grit. I enjoyed the writing so much I had to stop after the first audio chapter, get a print copy and tandem read it. It was the best, most immersive, and tense reading experience of the year. These aren't exactly loveable gangsters, but, dang, reckoning with your life's choices is difficult and I had to feel for them. Maurice and Charlie don't have regrets exactly, but they are a little stunned at how things have turned out.

amusicalgeek's review against another edition

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dark emotional funny 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

3.75

pattiillbee11's review against another edition

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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

2.75

Beautifully written with the Irish way of clever and descriptive phrases. But there isn't much of a story. Two middle aged drug dealers and their memories. And they're not particularly likeable either. Dialogue is written without quotation marks-which I find irritating.

dexterdoolittle's review against another edition

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adventurous dark emotional reflective fast-paced

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

4.5

This is the second Kevin Barry book i've read this year and very much appreciate the person who recommend this author to me. His writing style can be very abstract, yet detailed at times and pulls on the heart strings in conveying to the audience of personal regret, and understanding the confusing nature of the human condition. To the flaws we either inherit or the ones we decide for better or worst to bring home with us! The story keeps you enthralled, there is an ending, a beginning and still we keep searching to the stars we follow.

kyriannaj's review against another edition

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dark reflective sad tense fast-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

2.75

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