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4.09 AVERAGE
4.09 AVERAGE
challenging
emotional
funny
hopeful
reflective
sad
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Awk I liked it, good wee read, big shame of being the kinda person who does hang around Botanic. Would I have liked it as much if it wasn't about Belfast? Probably not.
Coming of age movie combined with a loada gear.
Coming of age movie combined with a loada gear.
emotional
reflective
sad
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
adventurous
emotional
reflective
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
emotional
hopeful
sad
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
This novel is brimming with character(s). It's perfectly paced to keep you engaged and to keep the characters interesting with the gradual revelation of their complexity. In fact, that revelation of complexity extends to the setting as well—Belfast.
The prose is saturated with Irish voice that it sweeps you forward in a lilt that will whisk you through page after page.
The prose is saturated with Irish voice that it sweeps you forward in a lilt that will whisk you through page after page.
challenging
emotional
hopeful
reflective
medium-paced
challenging
emotional
hopeful
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
So tender, so sharp, so full-hearted. The tears poured out of me in the last quarter, and the last line did me in.
I’ve never read a book that’s so loving about Belfast and brutally honest about it too. It takes such deftness to achieve that balance between realism and hope - I’m in awe of Michael’s craft!
There were so many layers: the cycle of moving away and coming back to Belfast (and not understanding why someone from a better city like NYC would ever want to live here), awful housing, MOULD, scrabbling for rent, terrible jobs, “they kept making me talk about my past” / “I thought that was the point”, pretentious South Belfast people (I recognise versions of myself throughout this book!), and Séan trying to make all the sides of himself fit into the world(s) around him.
The core relationships with Mairéad, Anthony and Séan's mother are the tender heart of the book, and I loved them so much. God love Anthony. When this story is adapted for the screen (surely that has to be on the cards???), Anthony’s going to rip my heart out.
A stunning book that’s going to stay with me.
I’ve never read a book that’s so loving about Belfast and brutally honest about it too. It takes such deftness to achieve that balance between realism and hope - I’m in awe of Michael’s craft!
There were so many layers: the cycle of moving away and coming back to Belfast (and not understanding why someone from a better city like NYC would ever want to live here), awful housing, MOULD, scrabbling for rent, terrible jobs, “they kept making me talk about my past” / “I thought that was the point”, pretentious South Belfast people (I recognise versions of myself throughout this book!), and Séan trying to make all the sides of himself fit into the world(s) around him.
The core relationships with Mairéad, Anthony and Séan's mother are the tender heart of the book, and I loved them so much. God love Anthony. When this story is adapted for the screen (surely that has to be on the cards???), Anthony’s going to rip my heart out.
A stunning book that’s going to stay with me.
emotional
hopeful
reflective
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
emotional
medium-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
Content Warnings
Graphic: Addiction, Drug abuse
emotional
reflective
tense
medium-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
Close to Home by Michael Magee
🌟🌟🌟.5
Sean is in his early 20s, an English Literature graduate who has had to move back home to Belfast. He’s struggling to find a decent job, to pay the rent and live the lifestyle he wanted. When he’s confronted at a party and hits back he has to face the consequences.
I liked this book, especially what it said about having a degree and then trying to get a job (I worked in retail for a few years after uni and so many jobs turned me down as they didn’t think I’d stay because I had a degree, despite having a lot of retail experience), and that culture shock from the conversations about literature at uni to real life. There’s also a lot here about working class life in Ireland, drugs, peer pressure and crime. When I was reading it I enjoyed the book but I didn’t feel a pull to keep reading (I read over half today as I want to start something new) and didn’t feel much of anything for the characters.
🌟🌟🌟.5
Sean is in his early 20s, an English Literature graduate who has had to move back home to Belfast. He’s struggling to find a decent job, to pay the rent and live the lifestyle he wanted. When he’s confronted at a party and hits back he has to face the consequences.
I liked this book, especially what it said about having a degree and then trying to get a job (I worked in retail for a few years after uni and so many jobs turned me down as they didn’t think I’d stay because I had a degree, despite having a lot of retail experience), and that culture shock from the conversations about literature at uni to real life. There’s also a lot here about working class life in Ireland, drugs, peer pressure and crime. When I was reading it I enjoyed the book but I didn’t feel a pull to keep reading (I read over half today as I want to start something new) and didn’t feel much of anything for the characters.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Drug abuse, Alcohol
Moderate: Sexual assault