albertotobias's review
funny
lighthearted
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.5
dajna's review against another edition
4.0
Thanks Roddy Doyle for your pictures of Ireland.
This book is a fast gig from the working class of Dublin: guys wants to set up a group, guys make it, guys loose it. It teaches you how difficult is to put personalities together.
Jimmy is a good character, a good manager after all. As usual, some prima donnas ruined everything. But it's good and it has soul, as its protagonists have.
This book is a fast gig from the working class of Dublin: guys wants to set up a group, guys make it, guys loose it. It teaches you how difficult is to put personalities together.
Jimmy is a good character, a good manager after all. As usual, some prima donnas ruined everything. But it's good and it has soul, as its protagonists have.
jeremiglio's review against another edition
4.0
Absolutely joyous. A perfect distraction, especially for the musically minded.
annagc's review against another edition
3.0
I had to read this for uni and it wasn't bad. I mean not something I would've picked up if it weren't for uni but still. It was quite funny at times but hard to understand some things because of all the irish slang.
kayeness's review against another edition
3.0
I love this movie and was excited to read the book. It was good and I enjoyed it, even though one of my pet peeves is not using the accepted punctuation. I find it so offputting! But the entertaining personalities of the characters and story overcame it.
kdtoverbooked's review against another edition
2.0
I am glad this slice of life book was short because otherwise I am not sure I would have made it through it. If you love Motown, Irish boys in the 80s, or the idea of forming a band, than this might be for you.
bgg616's review against another edition
5.0
A classic. Now the Doyle is writing about middle-aged Jimmy Rabbitte in The Guts, it is essential to go back and remind ourselves of the young Jimmy. In the late 80's, Dubliners were still underemployed, and things were cheaper. They had to be. No one had any money! I have always loved this story of a Dublin soul band. I'd forgotten how short-lived this group was. But while they were together, they had a terrific time. Ireland and Dublin have changed dramatically in 25 years. Ireland boomed and became a nation of new immigrants from Eastern Europe, Latin America and Africa. I wonder what young people who never knew the "old Dublin" would make of this story of a group who describes "Irish as the n----rs of Europe and Dubliners as the n-----s of Ireland and northside Dubliners as the n-----s of Dublin".
caitlind14's review against another edition
emotional
funny
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
thomcat's review against another edition
4.0
On goodreads, 320 people listed this as "fiction" and 96 as "Irish literature", which tells you something. Roddy Doyle's first book is a pretty quick read, telling of the rise (and fall) of the "World's Hardest Working Band" in Dublin.
Total time to read: 1.4 hours. Length of the film: 1.98 hours. Then again, Ted Chiang's short "The Story of Your Life" is definitely shorter than 2016's "Arrival". For a first novel, this is awesome, and two more were written in the "Barrytown Trilogy" - the other two also made into films. If language bothers you, I understand he also wrote eight books for children. I haven't read 'em, so no guarantees.
Back to this book, I think it's worth reading. The film is excellent, with actual music instead of text describing the music - a major plus. I'm fairly sure I read the book before seeing the film, but I don't recall much of it - a strike against. With this (re?)read, I note that the ending is slightly different - but now I need to rewatch the film to confirm. Both subsequent books - The Snapper and The Van - are also excellent. I'll go with 4 stars out of 5 for now.
Total time to read: 1.4 hours. Length of the film: 1.98 hours. Then again, Ted Chiang's short "The Story of Your Life" is definitely shorter than 2016's "Arrival". For a first novel, this is awesome, and two more were written in the "Barrytown Trilogy" - the other two also made into films. If language bothers you, I understand he also wrote eight books for children. I haven't read 'em, so no guarantees.
Back to this book, I think it's worth reading. The film is excellent, with actual music instead of text describing the music - a major plus. I'm fairly sure I read the book before seeing the film, but I don't recall much of it - a strike against. With this (re?)read, I note that the ending is slightly different - but now I need to rewatch the film to confirm. Both subsequent books - The Snapper and The Van - are also excellent. I'll go with 4 stars out of 5 for now.