A review by jedore
Charming Billy by Alice McDermott

challenging dark slow-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? It's complicated

2.75

“Billy didn't need someone to pour him his drinks, he needed someone to tell him that living isn't poetry. It isn't prayer. To tell him and convince him. And none of us could do it because every one of us thought that as long as Billy believed it was, as long as he kept himself believing it, then maybe it could still be true.”

This novel explores the tortured life of Billy Lynch, an Irish-American man whose charm and kindness mask his struggles with alcoholism and unfulfilled dreams. The story is primarily set in the 1990s in New York City when Billy's family and friends gather for his funeral and reminisce about the truths and illusions that shaped his life. The extensive flashbacks take you back to earlier periods of Billy's life, mostly in the mid-20th century. 

This was a painfully SLOW burn for me. It felt like one of those dry classics we were forced to read when we were in high school or university...the kind where not much actually happens and it takes forever to get anywhere, but you'll spend a week discussing the themes of love, loss, and the complexities of memory.

The writing itself was good. In fact it reminded me a bit of John Steinbeck. I generally like Steinbeck's books, except for Tortilla Flat. Like Tortilla Flat, I found the characters unrelatable and unlikable.

Those who are into reading and analyzing literary fiction will likely appreciate this book. For me, it was a bit of a slog. 
Expand filter menu Content Warnings